Ginger Cats And Their Charming Character Features
Many myths and legends about redheaded mustache pets claim to bring only good things into the house. Therefore, many people want to get a cat of this color, believing they will attract their homes’ desired happiness. Let me tell you more about the world of ginger cats.
Table Of Contents
· Why ginger cat is ginger
· Genetics
· Choice of nature
· Red cat color and folk beliefs
· Are there differences in character and behavior
· Ginger cats breeds with photo and description
· Savannah cat
· Karakal
· Bengali Cat
· Toiger
· Persian
· Siberian
· British cat
· Abyssinian red cat
· Popular myths about ginger cats
· Myth #1: Are ginger cats always male?
· Myth #2: Are ginger cats more aggressive?
Why ginger cat is ginger
Genetics
If you are interested in this question, let’s start with a description of how ginger cats are born — namely, what color a female and a male should be for them to have a red kitten.
Scientifically, these orange cats are called red, or cats with the orange gene. Females have two sex chromosomes, denoted by two letters “XX”. In males, this combination looks like “XY”. The orange gene is on the “X” chromosome. Therefore, if a cat has both chromosomes will contain red genes, then it will be red. If neither chromosome contains such a gene, it will be black. If one of the chromosomes contains an orange gene, a female turtle will appear.
How long does a ginger cat live?
Despite the average life expectancy of cats from 9 to 15 years, there are long-livers among them. Thus, on the pages of the Guinness Book of Records, there is a record about 27-year-old Velvet, as well as a 26-year-old Scooter from the U.S… In September 2017, died another oldest cat on Earth. His name was Nutmeg. He turned 32 years old, or 144 “human” years.
The full list of oldest cats is here
Choice of nature
This analysis also helps explain the fair observation of cats that orange females are rare. Often, you may find the question of whether there are ginger cats. Indeed, getting such females is a problem because not so often there are individuals who combine two chromosomes X with the red genome from mother and father. After all, girls have two chromosomes responsible for color. Orange cats can have three color options: completely red, turtle, black. In cats, there are two colors: red and black.
Red cat color and folk beliefs
Ginger cats have been attributed magical properties for centuries. They are associated with many superstitions formed as a result of centuries of observation. So, and in the XXI century, many people do not go on the road if a black cat crossed it. It is believed that this is an unfortunate thing.
But concerning red cats, there is a widespread belief that they, on the contrary, bring home happiness, good luck, and prosperity. There was a rumor that cats of this color represent light, sun, and warmth. If you keep an orange cat in the house, it is sporadic to see misfortune and bad luck.
Many people notice that cats are excellent diagnosticians and healers. There are many stories about how these animals lie in a sick place in humans, and after their exposure, the owner feels much better. Many people believe that the orange cat contributes to a speedy recovery. It can relieve spasms and migraines.
Previously, it was thought that a fiery kitten could drive away quarrels from home, establish mutual understanding between spouses, and remove envy and spoilage. It is also believed that redheads attract the house's material prosperity (gold).
Sometimes the owners love their mustached pets so much that they are ready to give them all their fortune. The richest cat in the world is considered Blackie, to whom the owner bequeathed 15 million pounds
The behavior of a firecat in the house is also associated with several acceptances. For example, if the pet is wary or threatening to meet your guest, then most likely, this person is planning something evil. If the cat keeps up with you on your return home, asking for your hands, then perhaps she feels the negative energy from you, which she wants to remove. If the fiery beauty before the trip passes you the road from left to right, it is desirable to postpone the trip or delay it by 15–20 minutes.
Are there differences in character and behavior
The genetic features of the appearance of fluffy redheads affect the peculiarities of their character. These are just assumptions but supported by observations of the behavior of cats of this color. Thus, it is believed that the characteristics of redheads are mind, audacity, and independence. These cats are playful, active, mischievous, and cunning. They are very fond of playing with children. There is an opinion that the brighter the animal’s hair’s color, the harder it is to get along under one roof.
All the above features are not scientifically proven. However, why ginger cats are the best? But it is a fact that cats with red color are more susceptible to allergic diseases and the fact that they are worse able to tolerate anesthesia.
Ginger cats breeds with photo and description
Ginger color of wool you can found in many breeds of cats. Below we will list only some of them.
Savannah cat
One of the characteristic colors of wool for savannah cats is golden. These cats grow up to 45 cm and weigh up to 15 kg. They have thick, soft, fluffy wool.
They have a muscular, athletic body, triangular head, long neck, and elongated body. This breed came from wild animals, inheriting from them a propensity for freedom and dislike for human vice.
Cats of this breed are not suitable for keeping too busy people, passive, who prefer calm and quiet. Also, they should not be taken in the house with small children. They need long walks. They do not like affection, sitting on their hands.
Cats of this breed are very bright, but they do not like loud sounds and a lot of noise.
They need a warm place to sleep, because their wool can easily become wet! And cats should be kept in pairs or groups. They cannot stand loneliness and constant stress. They actively play with children, if the latter know how to be careful. These cats love food with fish — meat is ignored by them altogether! But it cannot eat fried food , otherwise its fur will go bad
Karakal
Another relative of the wild animal is caracal. Its direct ancestor is a lynx. That is why the red color for cuttlefish is not a rarity. This animal has a flexible body up to 85 cm long, a long movable tail, and quite a large high planted ears inherited from the wild relative of the brush. Its coat is thick and dense.
Caracals live in Africa south of the Sahara Desert. The name “caracal” comes from Turkish word “karakulak”. This means “black ear.” Black color on red background allows cuttlefish to camouflage with the ground under them — for example, sand or earth.
But no matter how well they are camouflaged, their eyes are always shining brightly in daylight hours when they are hunting at night time or resting during daytime hours during sunny days. This predator is active at night.
Bengali Cat
A small copy of a leopard is often called a Bengali cat. This is a rare breed, the appearance of which was preceded by severe and prolonged breeding work. As a result, a cat of large size weighing 7–8 kg was bred. Despite the wild species, only 15–20% of genes were inherited by the “Bengali” from their predatory congeners.
A Bengal cat is a scarce breed that took years to produce. The appearance of this feline followed many generations breeding in order for them to get a larger size and mass than their wild counterparts with only 15–20% genes inherited from predatory cousins making these cats truly unique among all others on Earth!
Bengal cats, also known as Indian spotted cats or Asian golden cats are a hybrid breed that combines a wild parent — the Asian leopard cat with a domesticated cat creating a cuddly, playful and incredibly large animal.
This is why these cats have become so popular in recent years. They’re easily one of the largest housecats you can find neither exceeding 18 pounds or 8 kg! In their native land these creatures will be around 5–10 kg heavy weighting twice as much as your local tabby. Their fur has several different colors, including brown, gray, and black spots, making them look even more exotic than they already are.
In North America Bengal cats didn’t exist until the end of 1970s when a few were brought over from England. These first felines sparked the interest of many breeders who started recalling cats back to United States and Canada. Soon these cuddly creatures became very popular among fans of exotic pets, but they are still rare in North America with only very few people owning one.
During the 1980s breeders started looking for even bigger spotted cats where they eventually came across subspecies of leopard cat called “Panthera” bengalensis which our furry friends got their name after.
Today Bengal Cats are considered an expensive breed mainly due to the fact that it requires several generations worth of breeding just to produce a healthy animal capable of reproduction! The price tag usually starts at $1,000 or £700 depending on the breeder.
People often ask if they are legal in my country? Well, they are not specifically banned by any legislation with most countries allowing import of this breed with proper certificates and licenses given to the owner.
Toiger
Toiger — a breed of cat with short plush hair, which is similar in color to a tiger. They reach a height of 49 cm, weight — up to 9 kg. They have wide bones, high shoulders, long head, muscular build, rounded ears, and face in an inverted heart. Toigers in everyday life are kind, affectionate, intelligent, unpretentious, tied to the owner, get along with children.
The name is a combination of two words “Tiger” and “Siamese “. In Russia, they appeared in the late 90s — early 2000s. The first mention of these cats is from 1998. For eight years, there was no consensus among breeders on how to call them, but in 2006 a unified standard for all breeds was developed. So far it has only been translated into English and Japanese.
The Standard is divided into four sections: Description (physical characteristics), behavior, health and conformity to the breed standard.
In general, this cat breed with a long thin body similar to Siamese cats. The tail should be medium-long length shaped like an inverted letter V ; head with a wedge-shaped muzzle. The nose is straight, the chin is slightly pronounced.
The eyes are large and round ; color is either blue or yellow, any color in this case should predominate on a white background. In some cases, cat breeders observe unusual colors: red, green and orange eyes, coats that change with age from one color to another. “Eyes of different colors in one animal are considered a disadvantage”
Pedigree cats should be bought only in official catteries, where zealously monitor the purity of the breed. Only half-breeds can be sold at a low price.
Persian
The Persian cat is one of the oldest and most popular. You can recognize it by its long fluffy hair, flattened muzzle, small, curly nose, and short, muscular legs. Adults weigh about 7 kg. They have a massive head, medium size body, strong jaws, small, wide-set ears. The Persians are calm, affectionate, intelligent. They are very attached to their family. They tend to be shy with strangers, but can become completely fearless if they have been socialized from the age of 3–4 weeks. They tend to be one person cats and they love being near people, spending lots of time on your lap, in your bedroom tucked up under the covers trying to keep warm. Persians need a lot of attention!
Persian cat’s fur is wonderful: firm, thick and silky. It keeps them warm during the cold winters and during cool evenings in summertime as well as protecting them from rain and drafts. Its short muzzle makes grooming its teeth easy too.
You will need a comb for removing dead hair from the coat before bathing it every 6–8 weeks, a bristle brush for regular brushing to keep the coat in good condition, and a slicker for further stripping dead hair from the coat before bathing.
The Persian cat is an indoor animal so does not attempt to go outside. They are really too laid back even to play much with children let alone chase them around. Persians are short on energy — to say they are lazy is putting it very mildly indeed!
They love having company but don’t like being left alone for long periods of time. If you do have to be away during the day your cat should spend time in another room where he can keep warm and get some peace and quiet while maintaining contact with other members of his at all times. He may get lonely and this is when he will get into mischief. It’s also a good idea to provide him with some entertainment such as kitty TV or radio.
Persians need daily grooming of their forepaws which can become stained from the face-markings they wear on them (and the tear stains that develop under their eyes). A nice touch for visitors is to have a clean white cotton handkerchief in your pocket so you can offer it to them if they have dirty paws — no cat in its right mind would refuse!
Siberian
Siberian cats are recognizable by their muscular body, semi-long-haired hair, large, widely spaced eyes, ears with tassels. These are large animals with a bodyweight of up to 12 kg. Their wool is medium, thick, soft, hypoallergenic. Ginger color is a rarity for natives of Siberia.
At first, Siberian cats were bred for their ability to hunt rats and mice. They were also used as guard animals, since they are very watchful and possess excellent hearing abilities. Now the main function of this breed is to be a family pet.
The coat of Siberians is easy to maintain: it needs combing only every few weeks. It’s enough to wash them with shampoo once in two months (and even less often if you don’t like bathing your cat). The fur doesn’t get dirty easily; it repels dirt well. However, by nature Siberians are not water-resistant animals, so don’t let them out into snow without warm clothes on!
British cat
British breeds may also have red kittens. In adulthood, they grow to medium or large sizes. They have a stocky body, round head, wide cheekbones, small, rounded ears, thick tail. The wool is short, thick, dense. These are excellent home companions, loyal, loving, affectionate, balanced.
British Shorthair Cats are the result of crossing the British with shorthaired cats. The British Shorthair is a short-haired cat with rounded head, small, rounded ears and thick tail. It is an excellent home companion; it is loyal, loving, affectionate, balanced. These breeds may also have red kittens. In adulthood they grow to medium or large size. They have a stocky body and straight profile (no nose dip). The eyes can be blue or odd colored (green-blue). Wool has no undercoat; it is short, thick and dense.
Abyssinian red cat
A lively and intelligent Abyssinian cat has a muscular body of medium length, long legs, and tail, wedge-shaped head, big, wide ears, long neck. Its hair is thin, not incredibly soft. Character is kind, independent, curious, loyal, friendly. This cat loves children and gets along well with other pets.
It can’t stand loneliness and loves to play with toys — balls, mice, strings (be careful if your children sleep with them). Abyssinian kittens are very active. They like to be the first everywhere.
The Abyssinian cat is among the oldest breeds of cats. It has existed for more than 3,000 years in Egypt and Persia. The name “Abyssinian” comes from there, but there are two different theories about how this breed got its name: some people say that the name comes from Abissi or Habiji cat tribes of African forests; others believe that it derives from an English word “abyssinia”, which means Ethiopia itself. This assumption is based on facts that since 1922 Abyssinians lived in England, though earlier many of them were brought to Europe by Italian sailors.
During the last century, breed representatives began to be exported to other countries through various European ports — England, Germany, France, Scandinavia. In 1870 Abyssinian cats got their first standard. This breed came under the patronage of “The International Cat Association” in 1976 and was given its present name in 1982. It has no relation to the American Shorthair or British Shorthair breeds, but according to some theories it is related to the Egyptian Mau cat . The similarity between names shows that this theory may be true: “Abyssinian” cat should have been called “Egyptian”.
Popular myths about ginger cats
In conclusion, we would like to mention a few myths that surround the life of orange pets.
Myth #1: Are ginger cats always male?
The first myth is that only boys can be redheads. As we have found out above, this is not true. Red cats are just rarer because they have a more significant number of possible coloring options than cats.
Myth #2: Are ginger cats more aggressive?
The second myth tells us that cats with orange wool are lifeless, bold, and wilful. It is hardly possible to say that such qualities are inherent in absolutely all mustaches. After all, the animal’s nature depends on the breed, its ancestors, education, and other factors. Often, you can find comments from the owners, who either confirm or deny this statement. However, no one can say exactly what will grow your redheaded miracle.
Orange fuzzies are distinguished by the love of freedom, naughtiness, and sometimes impudence. Buying a red cat in the house, you can, among other things, you can check if folk signs and superstitions ascribed to cats with orange wool ability to cure disease, attract luck, money, and happiness in the house.
In the ancient world, cats were considered as representatives of a particular number. And this is not surprising: firstly, they are able to see at a great distance and small movements will notice them even from a mile away; secondly, they have excellent night vision and can designate their prey precisely in the dark. For these qualities animals — hunters were valued by people. On the other hand, for some reason red hair has always been associated with sorcery and magic abilities, so many wizards preferred such beasts as assistants or familiars.
Oranges are closely related to witches , since the Middle Ages it became customary to tie knots on red threads and hang them around your neck or throat until you meet someone under the sign of cancer . If you believe in astrology, then it is worth mentioning that this sign, as well as Taurus and Leo, concerns cats with orange wool.
By the way, if you already have a pet and you want to find out about his character (if he has one), you should check: how do dogs react to stress , what cats like best of all , whether hamsters are picky eaters? Perhaps these pets also happen to those who believe in good omens. Even those who love cats can be difficult to understand why such fluffy creatures as an orange cat became our favorite . Perhaps its charm is connected with the fact that this animal does not need care or entertainment, but is always ready for action. Moreover , it’s no secret that many animals are very fond of people who are close to them, but the cat will never allow himself to be tamed , because it is not necessary for him.
