Calicos and Kin

By Judith Lindley

Over the past several years, cats have been fast replacing dogs as the number 1 family pet. The cat show halls feature all breeds in all their varieties of beautiful colors. The most striking of these color blends are the cats with coats of orange and black, some with the addition of white. These colors are not only of special attraction to the eye but are steeped in mystery, legend, and lore.

Although there are many books about the purebred cats, there are very few about calicos, scientifically known as the tortoiseshell-calico cats. This book specializes in only these colors, their history, their legends, and their facts. Not only is the tortoiseshell calico a color breed of its own but a color of many breeds of cats. Just as the paint and palomino horses are color breeds, so is the tortoiseshell-calico cat; she deserves her own place as a color breed, as well as a color within a breed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jul 9, 2018
• ISBN: 9781546240204

Judith Lindley

Supported by her extensive experience in animal care, as well as her expertise regarding the tortoiseshell-calico colored cats, Ms. Lindley has served as a cattery owner, founder and president of a cat registry and a cat rescue/sanctuary for more than four decades. Judith began her long career with cats in 1968, when she rescued five orphaned kittens. In 1973 she acquired a beautiful tortoiseshell and white colored cat, "Miss Kitty". "Tri-Color Cattery" began in 1974 with a breeding program, for the elusive male tortoiseshell-calico colored cat. In 1977 and 1978 "Miss Kitty" had two male Calico colored cats, which is very rare. They inspired Judith to found the "Calico Cat Registry International" (1978), as a means to educate people about these rare and beautiful cats, while simultaneously registering cats of qualifying colors. In 1979 Ms. Lindley started the non-profit "Animal Helpline" as a hotline style advice service and cat rescue shelter. Over the years Judith and "Animal Helpline" have rescued over 1500 cats and 30 dogs. Judith has earned a degree in Animal Science from the International Correspondence School (1995) and has been listed as one of the living authorities on the Tortoiseshell-Calico Cat. http://JudithLindley.heartsy.com

Book preview

Copyright © 2018 . All rights reserved.

Cover cat: Patches of Animal Helpline

Photographer: Judith Lindley

Photo enhanced by: Pamela Adams

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 06/25/2020

ISBN: 978-1-5462-4021-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-4020-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018905204

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

22161.png22152.png

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I would like to acknowledge the help of Terrie Jacks, without whose generous donation the original e-book would not have been possible. Her two cats, Isadora (left) and Shepashnikova (right), pictured above, are both registered with Calico Cat Registry International. To Sheryl Ford, who helped me with the first e-book; to my daughter, Pamela, who spent many hours helping me make this into a real book; to Jaime Rae, my daughter’s friend, for her invaluable help with photo enhancements and advice; to my friend Maya Mayer for her financial help and to author house for keeping it alive, as an e-book, for nearly twenty years. Thank you for all your help. I couldn’t have done it without any of you.

A CALICO RECIPE

To black and orange,

add blue and cream.

Stir in white,

to complete the scheme.

To some of this,

add a pinch of that.

And, what do you have?

A Calico Cat.

J. Lindley 11/10/96

DEDICATION

To the memory of Miss Kitty, her sons, Peanut and Ringlette, and all the other

Calicos who brought that special touch of color into my life. And, to my mother, my worst critic, whose drive for perfection also pushed me to succeed.

PREFACE

With all the interest in cats it’s about time the Calico Cat took its rightful place, not only as a color among many breeds of cats but as a color breed of its own. As the founder (1978) and President of Calico Cat Registry International and with breeding experience of my own, I only hope I can do them the justice they deserve.

This book is merely the tip of the iceberg of information, on calico studies, dating as far back as the early 1900s. It would be impossible for me to present all the studies, of foremost cat geneticists, without sounding too technical, and very possibly quite confusing. Therefore, in the appendix, the reader will find a listing of genetic studies to satisfy any further curiosity.

Of course I could not have put this book together without the help of many people, scientists, geneticists as well as cat breeders and their affiliated registries. So, with a bowed head and grateful heart, I thank all of you, readers included, whose interest in these cats with many colors will help them to step up to their proper position as their own breed of cat - a color breed, THE CALICO CAT.

Judith Lindley 11/96

Contents

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER I BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CAT

CHAPTER II JUST A MATTER OF COLOR

HISTORY ON THE COLORSIDE

CHANGES AND ALTERATIONS

THE ALLELES

THE COLORS

THE CLASSIFICATIONS

CHAPTER III THE WHYS AND WHERES OF CALICOS

WHY CHOOSE A CALICO CAT?

COLORS

PERSONALITIES

LUCK AND LEGENDS

WHERE DO YOU FIND THEM?

BREEDS TO CHOOSE FROM

CHAPTER IV WHAT MAKES THEM TICK

HISTORY OF GENETICS

GENETIC MECHANICS

NORMAL BREEDING PATTERNS

KARYOTYPE

ABERRATIONS AND ANOMALIES

INCIDENCES OF ABERRATIONS (HUMANS AND CATS)

THE QUESTION OF WORTH

THE UNIQUE MALE TORTIE – CALICOS

CONCLUSION

EPILOGUE

A TRIBUTE TO ALL CATS

APPENDIX A LIST OF REGISTRIES

APPENDIX B LIST OF BREED CLUBS (UNTIED STATES)

APPENDIX C FURTHER GENETIC STUDIES

BIBLIOGRAPHY

SPECIFIC BREED INFORMATION

INTRODUCTION

My introduction to calico cats began with a stray cat, Miss Kitty, who wandered into my mother-in-law’s yard one day. After living with her for two years Miss Kitty decided to move next door and live with me. I’ve never really believed that one can own