Tortoiseshell cats have particolored coats with patches of various shades of red, grey, and black, and sometimes white. The size of the patches can vary from a fine speckled pattern to large areas of color. Typically, t… See more

Leonard Doncaster was the first to prove that tortoiseshell is the female heterozygote of orange and black, the corresponding male being orange. In the course of his studies he discovered that the rare tortoiseshel… See more

In the folklore of several cultures, cats with tortoiseshell coloration are believed to bring good luck. In Ireland, tortoiseshell cats are considered to bring good luck to their owners. In the United States, tortoiseshells are someti… See more

Some studies have found that people believe tortoiseshell cats are more likely to be aggressive and have owners report stronger prey interest. There is, however, little existing scientific evidence on the matter. On… See more