Torties are generally described as being patched all over with red, cream, black, blue, chocolate, fawn, white, cream etc. A tortie whose colors are “washed out” is considered a “diluted” torti. (The colors on a diluted tortie are all diluted.) For those of you who are tabby fans, there is also a coloration called a “torbie” which combines patches of brown and red tabby.

Most torties are female. It is estimated that only one in about every 1,000 torties is male {and he is probably sterile :-( }. Without getting too technical, let me remind you that females (of any species) have two X chromosomes and males have an X and a Y chromosome. In cats, the gene controlling the red color is carried on an X chromosome. The gene controlling black and other ‘non-red’ colors is also carried on an X chromosome. Interestingly, this is why when you see an orange cat, it is probably a male cat as it only had to get the orange color from one X chromosome (compared to the two a female would need).

So, a tortie is formed when you combine the two X chromosomes with the red and the non-red colors. For a male to be a tortie, he must have some sort of genetic mutation which causes the male to have two X and one Y chromosome. This mutation is also what usually renders male torties sterile. Keep in mind, this is a very basic genetics overview and you may be able to find more specific information in the encyclopedia or other scientific journals. There you have it. I hope this has given you a little insight as to the hows, if not the whys, torties end up being the colors they are.

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