calicos

Since I am not a longtime cat person, really only about six years, I don’t know much about them. I have been learning as I go along about how to care for them. Neighbours and the vet have been extremely helpful. Books, yes. And the internet. Which I tend to read cautiously due to the contradictory advice different sites offer.

Rosalee, I always thought, was a calico cat. My neighbour has a calico cat who is much spottier, much whiter, than Rosalee. I began to doubt. Perhaps Rosalee was a tortie (tortoishell), not a calico, because most of her fur is dark.

Some sites said calicos and torties were simply different names for the same colouring– white, orange and black. Others stated that torties are mainly black with orange and white markings. Others still stated that only calicos had white and torties had only black and orange.

Well. Too late to change to domain name now. I read site after site till I found enough descriptions that affirmed Rosalee’s calicosity (my word). Now I can carry on with the blog in good conscience. She not be the most spotty calico in town, but she is beautiful and she is certainly a calico!

My favourite site about tortie and calico colouring is pethelpful. Lots of info and lots of lovely photos.

Next time I use a photo, I shall make sure it has enough pixels to look good online. Mea culpa, learning curve, etc.