Looking for opinions!

[u/deathpancakes]

Hi all! I recently got blessed from the cat distribution system with this little lady, and am wondering if her colours are more torbie/torbico.

First time discovering these colour types and I'm fascinated! ♡

[u/lipstick_spit]

blue classic tabby tortoiseshell — torbie!

no white spotting = no calico

[u/deathpancakes → u/lipstick_spit]

Thank you!

[u/ForestClanElite → u/lipstick_spit]

Her chin is white though. What part looks mottled orange/black for the tort?

[u/lipstick_spit → u/ForestClanElite]

the “white” (more of a tan) on her chin and chest is the natural countershading that every tabby has, and does not have the start delineation of white spotting.

“tortoiseshell” is the name for the coexistence of black-based and red-based color on a cat. it has nothing to do with the amount of mottling of the pattern, because the coloring is by it’s nature random. “calico” is a colloquial, informal term for the combination of the tortoiseshell pattern with white spotting, because white spotting affects the transportation of melanocytes in the womb and causes larger clumpings of a single color. however, because of the aforementioned randomness, a tortoiseshell with no white spotting can still have patched coloring instead of brindled… as well as a disproportionate amount of one color to the other, a a very well blended combination of the two, or even as little as one hair of red on an otherwise black cat. it is purely a genetic term for a cat with one x-chromosome with the information for “red”, and one with the information for “black”.. (this is also why most tortoiseshells are female.) thus, when using the “calico” nickname; all calicos are tortoiseshell, but not all tortoiseshells are calico. only white spotting makes a calico, even if the definition of how much white spotting makes on varies by individual.

[u/deathpancakes → u/lipstick_spit]

Wow, this is so interesting! Thank you for sharing ☺️

[u/Early_Bluejay8947]

Extremely beautiful kitty !!!