Why do cats come in so many colors and patterns? In this episode, we decode the science behind feline coat colors—solid, tabby (mackerel, classic, spotted, ticked), tortoiseshell, calico, bicolor/van, smoke, silver/golden, and colorpoint. You’ll learn how genes like agouti, dilute, white-spotting, dominant white, and temperature-sensitive albinism shape fur; why orange is sex-linked; how eumelanin vs pheomelanin create black–brown–blue vs red–cream; and what “fever coat,” shading, and ticking really are. We also bust the biggest myths: black cats and “bad luck,” “tortitude,” and “orange cats are dumb.” You’ll see what color can and can’t predict about personality, why most calicos are female and male calicos are rare (XXY), and when white coats and blue eyes increase deafness risk.

If you’ve searched for “cat coat colors explained,” “cat color genetics,” “types of cat patterns,” “tortoiseshell vs calico,” “why are calico cats female,” “tabby types,” “Siamese colorpoint science,” “are white cats deaf,” or “orange cat personality,” this complete breakdown has the answers—plus surprising insights that will change how you see your cat forever.

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