Features of ginger cats
Felinologists call the red coat color red. This color is found in different breeds, but it cannot be called the calling card of any of them.
The color of the coat is determined by the black pigment gene. The red pigment gene is responsible for the red color. It is interesting that among felines, mostly cats have red fur coats. In addition, a mandatory attribute of the red color is the tabby pattern. There are no monochromatic fire coats in nature. Stripes, spots, marble patterns are often combined with white and black colors.
At birth, kittens receive one chromosome each from their mother and father. Females have two sets of colors - on the “X” chromosome (XX), and males - on the “X” and “Y” chromosomes. If the parent pair has the red pigment gene, then the entire litter will be red.
If the father has the black pigment gene, the mother will give birth to tortoiseshell girls and red-haired boys. If both parents have the gene for black pigment, the offspring will turn out black. If the father is a carrier of the red pigment gene, the litter will contain tortoiseshell cats and black seals.
Tortoiseshell cats - a box with a surprise. A mother of this color gives birth to kittens of any color. Black cats can produce tortoiseshell or black girls, red and black boys. From ginger cats, tortoiseshell and ginger cats, black and ginger cats are born.
Reference. Knowing the color of the parent pair, you can calculate the probability of the appearance of red kittens, taking into account gender.
Character
It seems to non-professionals that coat color has nothing to do with the character, habits, mental abilities and temperament of cats. Experts, in turn, note that ginger cats are distinguished by ingenuity, cunning, audacity, independence and a lively mind. It is the sunny fluffies that are better trained than other felines. They are playful, inquisitive and active.
American Curl
A distinctive feature of cats of this breed are their upturned ears. There is little else that distinguishes them from the average cat. Their build and height are average. Health is usually normal. Curls have a playful, friendly nature, despite the fact that they are descendants of the only cat that was born in America in 1981.
Color options
Other tones that descendants inherit from their ancestors also participate in the formation of coat shades. All attempts by breeders to create a uniform color were unsuccessful. Any red color looks patterned.
- White and tan is the most popular option. The white gene in this color combination is dominant and suppresses the white spotting of solid colors.
- Gray-red appears if one of the parents has the D gene, which is responsible for color intensity. The most spectacular combination is red, white and gray. This color is often found among outbred cats.
- A red tabby or tabby appears as fine lines, a clear outline of the upper and lower eyelids, and an "M" shape on the animal's forehead.
- The red tabby is a very varied and interesting color that looks like a shaded tabby. Contrast comes in different intensities.
- Black and red - tortoiseshell. Its carriers are cats. The color is often found in Persians and Maine Coons.
Tortoiseshell color (black and red)
Possible eye colors
In red cats, the iris seems especially bright and contrasts favorably with the coat color. The most attractive combination is a red fur coat and green eyes. However, eye color can be of any color: green, orange, yellow, blue of varying intensity.
The orange iris appeared as a result of selection. This is the most saturated color in the range of shades. A deeper shade is called copper.
The depth of color reveals itself with age. Kittens' irises change as they grow, so it's not so easy to guess what the final tone will be. If a kitten's iris is brownish-brown, an adult's iris will most likely be orange.
Turkish Angora
Turkish Angora cats have a very interesting physique. They are distinguished by their special grace, soft long fur, and their heads are wedge-shaped like those of sphinxes. The size of such pets is quite large, and the color is most often white. Although red angoras are not an exception at all.
So, we have described the most popular cat breeds for which the red color is natural, although not obligatory. It is worth noting that with the same shade you can find other breeds of these cute animals, for example, Selkirk, Oriental, Canadian Sphynx, La Perm, Devon Rex and others. According to some legends, red cats are able to protect their owners from the negative influence of evil people, and bring prosperity to the house.
Top best breeds of red cats
The top most popular breeds of ginger cats are headed by Persians, followed by the British and Scots. Exotics and Bengals are gaining popularity. Purebred Maine Coons attract attention with charming tassels on their ears and long silky fur. In addition, the list of popular breeds includes: Abyssinian and Siberian cats, Kurilian Bobtail, Turkish Van, Cymric, Savannah, Toyger, Somalia.
Persian
When you mention the Persians, your imagination pictures a well-fed, fluffy ginger cat. The red color of representatives of this breed is not too bright, it is rather creamy. Persians are loving and sociable. They easily find a common language with all family members.
The fur is thick, long, soft, and easily tangled. A lush collar adorns the neck, shoulders and chest. Such a fur coat requires careful care, and first of all, daily combing.
British
The British cat is associated with the color blue, but saffron milk caps are also common among representatives of this breed. The sunny shade is very rich and bright, and in combination with plush fur it looks amazing. The breed standard allows for 250 color combinations, but more or less solid colors are preferred.
Sunny Britons have coarser guard hairs, so the animals look larger due to the protruding hairs. The undercoat and guard hairs should be of the same tone without inclusions. The chin, tip of the tail and belly may be lighter.
Scottish lop-eared
The distinctive feature of the Scottish Fold is its round, ball-like head, flattened muzzle and drooping ears. The wool is fluffy, “cloudy”, very soft and pleasant to the touch. There are 1-3 folds on the ears.
Persians
Such cats are very popular among animal lovers; they are often kept in city apartments, since these cats are very cute to look at, and their character attracts with its cheerfulness and playfulness. Their fur can be called “fox”, and their eyes always look faithfully at their owner! Persians are indeed very domestic, and allow representatives of other animals, such as dogs and parrots, to live with them in the same territory.
Distinctive features of the Persian appearance are a muscular body and a snub nose. Cats have a soft, smooth coat. The fur is quite long. As for color, it can be anything, including red.
Breeds of long-haired red cats
The British cat can be short-haired or long-haired. The second option was obtained by crossing the British with Somalis and Persians. Representatives of the breed look great in white and red color.
The list of long-haired breeds with the red color gene also includes:
- Maine Coon;
- Somalia;
- Persian;
- Scottish lop-eared;
- van;
- exotic;
- angora;
- Siberian cat;
- American Curl;
- Napoleon.
Shorthair
List of shorthaired ginger cats:
- Abyssinian cat;
- Kurilian Bobtail;
- Cymric;
- savannah;
- toyger;
- Bengal;
- wild cat - caracal;
- Ural rex.
Nuances of care
There are no special rules for caring for red cats. When choosing grooming products, owners should focus on the type of coat and its length. To comb long-haired breeds, slicker brushes, fine-tooth combs and stiff brushes are used. For short-haired breeds with a thick undercoat, furminators are suitable, as they perfectly remove dead hairs and do not injure the guard hairs.
Bath days are held no more than once every six months, unless the cat herself doesn’t mind taking a bath. Famous water lovers include Bengals, Maine Coons and Turkish Vans. For example, the Scots and British are terrified of water and hate swimming.
Characteristic diseases
The relationship between coat color and the health of cats has not been established. It is known for certain that animals with a red color are more predisposed to allergic diseases and tolerate anesthesia less well.
Don Sphynx and St. Petersburg Sphynx (Peterbald)
Sphynxes are cats that are hairless. But this fact does not prevent animals from having their own special color. Peterbalds and Donchaks have the same origin. This breed came from one mother, who was born in the 80s of the last century in Rostov-on-Don. These pets are distinguished by the fact that they love to eat very heartily and lie under the scorching rays of the sun.
As for their appearance, both breeds have wedge-shaped heads, large ears and wide cheekbones. By nature, the animals are very friendly, affectionate, and sociable, like most representatives of the cat family.
Interesting facts and signs about ginger cats
Red cats often become heroes of films, comics, cartoons, and TV series. The most famous movie characters are the plump red cat Garfield and Puss in Boots from the cartoon “Shrek.” Red-haired beasts made a splash at the Disney film company! This includes Thomas O'Malley from the cartoon "The Aristocats" and the Cheshire Cat from "Alice in Wonderland."
Fans of Audrey Hepburn will remember the red cat in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's. Potter lovers will not forget Crookshanks, Hermione’s unusual friend (pictured below).
If in ancient times black cats were feared and considered fiends of hell, then red furry cats were revered and called amulets, fearless defenders of the home.
There is an opinion that if a ginger cat takes care of a sick person, it means that recovery will come soon.
They used to believe that if a ginger cat comes into a house, it brings warmth and harmony. A fiery red cat in a person’s home means wealth.
Cats are excellent diagnosticians and healers. They are placed on the sore spot, and after a while the person notices that the pain and discomfort go away.
To improve family relationships, people adopted a sunny kitten.
Reference. Sometimes owners love their pets so much that they bequeath entire fortunes to them. A cat named Blackie is considered the richest cat in the world. The owner bequeathed her 15 million pounds sterling.
There are some signs associated with the behavior of red cats. For example, if an animal greets a guest warily, then most likely the person has bad thoughts.
If the cat does not lag behind the owner and asks to be held, perhaps it feels negative energy and is trying to remove it.
If a ginger cat crosses the owner's path from left to right before a trip, it is better to reschedule plans or delay them for half an hour.
Siberian
Siberian cats are descendants of their relatives who lived in the wild steppes. Animals of this breed are distinguished by their very large size and heavy weight, which can reach almost 15 kilograms. Thanks to their ancestors, these pets have a special interest in hunting, and they always drag their prey into the house to show off to the owner.
Although Siberians are distinguished by their warlike, wild disposition, this does not prevent them from being very affectionate and devoted to their owners. Since these cats are very large and always go out hunting, it is not recommended to keep them in city apartments. For such “hunters”, private houses or dachas outside the city limits are more suitable.
