We heard that tortoiseshell cats, or simply tortoiseshell cats, as we like to call them, are more difficult to adopt than black cats. This was witnessed by some shelters in Serbia, as well as guardians who had the opportunity to take care of cats in these unreal colors. Is that really so? We will start this text with a wonderful piece of news, and then introduce you to interesting facts about them , which may intrigue you and make you choose them.
Lilu from Belgrade, a cat that jumped straight from a busy intersection into a lap and ended up on the shoulder of one Isidore, about whom we have already written , a month ago she went to a wonderful home where she became the fourth member of a four-legged family (in addition to one cat and two other dogs ). She got lucky. However, in the process of adopting her, you could often hear: “I don’t like such cats” or “she is very ugly”. And this is not a unique case. We wonder, why?
In addition to great energy, a huge amount of tenderness, a wonderful character and a lot of love for people and other animals in the family, she also gave Lila an incredible uniqueness that she possesses. Her people enjoy the sight of her and are repeatedly amazed at how special her appearance is, apart from her nature. And they don’t really see anything that would dissuade someone from adopting a tortoiseshell kitten. While you enjoy Lilo and her pictures that she sent us, read some facts about these cats. Some of them, we are sure, will delight you!
Tortoiseshell cats are not a special breed
Tortoiseshell cats are not a separate breed, but cats with a distinctive coat pattern. The pattern combines two colors commonly described as red and black. “Red” patterns can sometimes be cream, orange, yellow or gold, and black – chocolate, gray. The most common pattern in these cats is like a mosaic – randomly mixed colors.
Tortoiseshells are usually female
If you’ve ever met a cat in these colors, chances are they were all female. Almost all tortoiseshell cats are female, and about 1 in 3,000 cats are male, making them quite uncommon. And when a male in this color appears, research has shown that it is mostly sterile cats.
Myths about tortoiseshell cats
In many cultures, cats with these patterns are believed to bring good luck, such as in Ireland. In Japan, they are believed to protect ships from storms and shipwrecks, and even from ghosts. Since males are very rare, the ancient Celts believed that it was a good omen if one came to their home. Some believe that if you dream of a turtle cat, you will be lucky in love!
Well, tell us now at the end, what exactly prevents you from adopting this kind of, unusual, special, unique kitty? When they bring everything beautiful you can imagine. Lila decided and declared herself the ambassador of the turtle cat with a serious task, to break prejudices and make sure that none of her “relatives” are left without a home because of them…
