Orange tabby cats widely regarded affectionate and are often characterized as cuddly and loving compared to other cats. It is widely assumed that the color of the coat is linked to the personality of the cat.
There are some studies where orange and bi-colored cats are characterized as friendly while black, white and tri-colored cats were regarded as more antisocial. White cats were considered to be more shy, lazy and calm, while tortoiseshell cats were more likely depicted as more intolerant and more trainable. As for black cats, they were considered to have less extreme character traits which might contribute to their mysterious reputation.
In reality however, there is no scientific evidence that orange tabby cats are more affectionate than cats with other colors.
What makes orange tabbies so affectionate?
Orange tabby cats are probably affectionate because of how they were taken cared of when they were kittens. The most important factor in the personality development of a cat is its early socialization with people and other cats. Early positive interactions result in the cat being more affectionate when it grows up.
While it is unlikely that color alone has much of an impact on cat personality, people’s belief have a strong impact on how they care for their cats. Proper care will do far more to develop a friendly personality to your cat than choosing a particular fur color and pattern.
If you wanted your cat to be affectionate and interactive when it grows up, there should be proper socialization as a kitten. It would also do good for kittens to be not removed from their mothers too early. Also, spaying or neutering a cat early as soon as possible may help. Furthermore, a cat-friendly environment will help your cat to grow into a confident, happy and affectionate feline.
Facts about Orange Tabbies
1. Orange tabby is not a breed, it is a coat pattern.
While some breeds are more likely to produce orange pigments rather than others, it is not a breed but simply a coat variety. The color could be pale or bright and a shade of orange closer to red or yellow or more brownish. The breeds that most commonly have this pigment are Munchkins, Egyptian Maus, British Shorthairs, Bengals, Maine Coons, Abyssinians, American Bobtails and Persians.
2. Every orange cat is a tabby.
But it is to be noted that not every tabby is orange. All orange cats have stripe patterns, however faint. Solid orange is SIMPLY not a color trait found in cats.
3. They have a tendency to develop black freckles.
Just like red headed humans who are likely to develop freckles, ginger cats may have them also. You may find tiny black spots on its skin. They will be noticeable on the lips and nose where the fur is the thinnest.
4. Most orange tabby cats are male.
There is a persistent misconception that all orange tabby cats are male. In reality male orange tabbies take a higher percentage of the tabby population at 80%. Only 20% are female.
The gene for orange colouration is carried on the X chromosome. If a female cat only has the gene on one of its X chromosomes, the non-orange genes on the other X chromosome will prevent the orange color from being expressed in its fur. Male cats with their XY chromosomes only need one copy of the gene. This means that there are more male cats with orange fur than female cats.
5. Orange tabbies are loud.
the personality of a cat seems to go with coat color. For orange tabby cats, they are considered to be the most gregarious. They purr and meow a lot and will always want to be near their favorite human.
Final Thoughts
Orange tabby cats are always perceived as affectionate because people are usually drawn to their color among others. They get more interaction and stimulation even as a kitten which helps them be more trusting and affectionate when they grow up. But, the color and pattern of a cat has nothing to do with its personality. How the cat was treated as a kitten makes it cuddly, loving and affectionate.
Image: istockphoto.com / Konstantin Aksenov