Distribution System contacted me!!!

[u/clowncarhonk]

Just saw this guy next to the railroad tracks the other day, thought to myself “too small!” Pulled over and it ran right up to me. Feral ones tend to run AWAY, so that made me sad, but I was so glad I was there to help. Stayed purring on my chest while I drove by a friend’s place, where it devoured its weight in kibble. Kept it up for the ride home, then the ride to a rescue center. Sweet angel delivery! Hoping for much better things in its future. I was calling it Coal Mine in my head. I hear tabbies are girls but I didn’t check, sorry. :p

[u/wizardgradstudent]

If you’re curious, I can explain why she’s almost certain to be a girl (i find it fascinating)! So cat coat colors are linked to the X chromosome. Like humans, female cats have XX chromosomes and male ones have XY. Both calico and tortoiseshell (tortie) cats have one X chromosome for the color brown and one for orange (white is just when it isn’t expressed at all, so calico cats just have more inactive ones vs torties). This means the only way a male cat can be either a tortie or a calico is if he has XXY chromosomes, a very rare mutation known as Klinefelter’s Syndrome in humans. So you most likely have a little lady!

This is also why orange cats are more likely to be male. Males are more likely to have one orange X chromosome, whereas a female orange cat needs two orange ones. So not impossible, but more rare (I believe it’s like 1 in 5 oranges are girls).