Tortoiseshell cats are named for their distinctive coloring – a combination of patches of black, brown, amber, red, cinnamon and chocolate. The size of the patches varies from a fine speckled pattern to large areas of color. The term “tortoiseshell” is used for cats with brindled coats that have few or no white markings. Cats of this coloring with larger areas of white fur are called calicos. Sometimes, these colors present in lighter versions such as lilac or cream. Torties with this lighter coloring are called dilute torties. Occasionally, the typical tortoiseshell colors are also seen in a tabby (striped) pattern, and these cats are sometimes referred to as “torbies.”
Tortoiseshell cats are almost exclusively female. Tortoiseshell and calico coats are the result of the interaction between genetic and developmental factors. The occasional and very rare male tortoiseshell cat is the result of a genetic mutation.
In addition to their distinctive coloring, torties also have a reputation for unique personalities, sometimes referred to as “tortitude.” They tend to be strong-willed, a bit hot-tempered, and they can be very possessive of their human. Other words used to describe torties are fiercely independent, feisty and unpredictable. They’re usually very talkative and make their presence and needs known with anything from a hiss to a meow to a strong purr. These traits are stronger in tortoiseshell cats than in calicos – it seems as though these traits are somewhat diluted with the addition of more white to the color scheme.
As of the writing of this post, I share my life with Amber*, and those of you who’ve followed this blog for a while have gotten to know her in her Amber’s Mewsings posts. You will soon be able to read all about Buckley in Buckley’s Story – Lessons from a Feline Master Teacher. The photo above shows Buckley in the front, Amber behind her.
Prior to Amber and Buckley, there was another tortie in my life. Virginia was the first office cat at the animal hospital I managed. She was my introduction to torties, and my love affair with this particular type of cat began with her. She, too, had the “tortitude” I so love about these particular cats.
Do you have a tortie or calico in your life? Does she have “tortitude?”
*Sadly, Amber passed away on May 13, 2010, after a sudden, brief illness. I now share my life with Allegra and Ruby, two tortoiseshell cats who have their own columns here on The Conscious Cat, titled Allegra’s World and Ruby’s Reflections.
Photo ©Ingrid King, all rights reserved
Thanks for sharing Dobby with us, Je. I love your vet’s comment of “oh no, a tortie!” She sounds like quite a character!
Whew…I am glad to have found this information about torties. I thought mine had the beginning of a misbehavior problem, but realize it is just her tortitude. 🙂 Dobby is down to her 6th life by now…rescued her from falling through the bales of hay as an infant – twice & 1 time from falling between the barn walls which had me outside at night with a flashlight & tools taking off the metal siding to save her, and then my dog brought her to me (carefully…or it might have been “another life”) when her mama abandoned her and siblings. Over time the sibs disappeared and this little one was left alone so i brought her in and began the process of feeding a 3-4 week old baby. At her first visit to the vet – she came into the room and cracked up – said “oh no a tortie!” so I asked “how to turn it off” and the vet assured me of two things…there is no off switch and it would get worse. Talk about personality. She is now 8 months old and is already bigger than my 3 yr old calico Karma and continues to give Karma fits! Sneaking up on her, invading all her private napping spaces, climbing the door frame to sit in the transum, opening doors (!) – which i think Karma taught her, following people to the bathroom, cleaning up any messes from uncovered potty in the litter box to mud I might have tracked in from outside…and now the growling & frequent talking back…and that horrible tail that keeps following her and giving her trouble. I love to watch her watch her own tail…flipping it and growling like it is some alien that has attached itself to her. The sweetest cat too – loves to snuggle up to suck on my earlobe (a reminder of the Mama cat she is missing) – loves to play fetch, tag, and hide/seek. She will take her paw and readjust my face to get closer or to make eye contact. She also loves to sneak up and grab your leg (or hand, or elbow…her newfound high jumping skills are developing) with what I call “fairy feet” – just a claws-in, very soft touch…so quick you don’t realize what has happened…and then runs off. Hilarious. Very happy that I met this little one and cannot believe how much humor she adds to everyday life. (I also have Karma’s bro – an outside “used to be” tom cat…rough looking 20 lb orange fellow but so very sweet…amazing how each cat has a distinct personality – all wonderful!)
I LOVE MY TORTIE! SWEETEST CAT IN THE WWWWOOORRRRLLLLD!!!!!!
Thanks for sharing Marble’s story, Margie. What a rough beginning she had to her life. She’s so fortunate to have you as her human!
Victoria, Shiva is gorgeous! What a beauty. And she sure has the tortitude thing nailed from what you’re telling us about her.
All of these stories are amazing and I really love all the rescue stories. Here is mine. <3
Both my boyfriends mother(Cathy) and sister are vet techs. During the early summer of '09 Cathy received a new bundle of stray kittens. They were only a few days old and were either abandoned by their mother or the mother was killed. She would take care of these kittens until they were ready to be adopted. There were two cats in particular that I liked one DILUTE Calico(I named Isis) and one DILUTE Tortie(I named Shiva), but I couldn't adopt them because my father claimed he was allergic to cats and could only have dogs(he LOVES dogs, as do I but I love both cats and dogs).
I was over the house every day playing with the kittens… however… it came time for them to go up for adoption. The dilute Calico(Isis) had no problem getting adopted and was gone before I knew it. On the other hand, Shiva was having a hard time being adopted. She was more aloof, laid back, with a bit of… you guessed it… TORTITUDE!!!
Several months went by and still… no home. She ended up growing attached to both my boyfriend and I and there was NO way I was going to give her up. I went home and pleaded to my father. I even brought her to the house one day to meet my dog (definitely a very frightening moment haha) Finally he gave in and allowed me to adopt her.
Now I have my beautiful Dilute Tortoiseshel, Shiva She is still aloof, still mischievous, but she is a very very good girl. She has never scratched anyone and she's very tolerant of everyone in the house hold (minus the dog). When I am sitting on my computer and laying down, she will jump up onto my chest and make it her bed for the time being. She also does what apparently only torties do with their voices, chirps. I have had five minute long conversations with her, back and forth! I'm also pretty sure she might be part Kangaroo with how high she can jump!!!
She is sweet but just a little mischievous. The perfect mix.
She is absolutely beautiful! Her colors are dark grey, light grey, tan, and some white but it all seems to gradient together. Her eyes are big and golden
Here is a photo if anyone is interested: http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/Biku-Chan/IMG_0154.jpg
P.S. By the way, ends up my dad isn't allergic to cats… but to dogs!!!
thank you ingrid i will pop on to your facebook page later as i have some amazing photos. to add to the indoor/outdoor debate even though we lost sparky so young she would have been miserable indoors – believe me there was no way to keep her in – she lived just like her name, i dont think i could ever get a different type of cat again, even though she looked a scruffy thing her charm and grace were amazing – im a tortie girl for life!
I have a 13 yr old tortie named Marble. I adopted her at age 1 after she had been at the SPCA for 6 months from a cruelity case. Her owner drugged her with antidepressents that knocked her out for 3 days and attempted to cut off her tail. The vet had to remove the tail and for years now we have dealt with phantom pain. She is my angel my queen and she has accepted 6 cats over the past 13 yrs. However if she gets mad at me she will poop in the laundry or in the cupboard or in their toy box. She is so funny I have enjoyed everyday with her. She growls at the others as if she doesnt like them but other times I will see her sleeping beside them. At nite she will wait until they are all asleep and run as fast as she can up and down the hall and NOBODY will get up to see who it is. As a result from her kittenhod trauma she has a 3 week cycle where for 1 week she eats like a pig, week 2 she eats nothing and week 3 she thrown up everything she eats. Oh well thats just Marble and I love her. Right now I have a new tortie that is a stray staying with us not sure what we are going to do with her but I know what I want to do cause I love the torties.
I’m so sorry about Sparky, Sue. She sounds like she was an amazing tortie. Thanks for sharing her story.
a year and a half ago we rescued 2 tortie kittens who could not have been more different. minnie was shy yet vocal sparkles was vivacious with a loud purr, tiny and wirey. unfortunately sparky got caught pregnant at 4 months nd although a good mum minnie was the perfect aunt teaching the kittens every step we had two calico females honey and poppy and a male ronnie. sparky was the life and soulof the street – ice cream from the ice cream van and a popular visitor to the shops as she was also a keen hunter who kept their pests away. sparky was also loved by all of the neighbours who all visited when she had the kittens, she would sleep at their houses . unfortunately on 4th nov 2009 one of our neighbours knocked in tears telling us that sparky had been hit by a car. she was paralised but survived long enough for me to get her to the vet -even the vet cried when she died. she leaves a legacy and i am honoured to have shared 12 months with her, minnie is doing a fantastic job of looking after the kittens,
my life will never be the same after this wonderful tortie.
thank you for allowing me to tell my story xx
Ah, yes, the song of the tortie. I remember it well, Glen. Buckley used to do that to me all the time, especially when she first came to live with me. I’d hear her crying in different parts of the house and always rushed to see what was wrong, until I realized it was just her way of keeping up a running commentary of her activities!
I was down in the basement this morning, where I have my computer set up.
I am “home alone” right now.
All the cats were upstairs.
Suddenly, I heard the most horrible feline sounds, thoughts went to;
– two cats in a major fight
– single cat in some serious distress
I go tearing up the stars, fearing the worst.
There was Kasey, sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor, looking up at me calmly.
She did not like being left on her own and was “calling” me.
After all that, it was just the “song” of the tortie. 😉
I’m trying to picture Padme climbing your hair – that’s quite a visual, Heather! Too funny. I’ve heard of a number of kitties who really enjoy water and either being the shower with their humans, or being in the wet tub afterwards.
My Padme cat definately has a “tortitude.” She is very “bad” in the sense that she constantly does things that she knows she shouldn’t–climbing the walls, or my hair, for one thing (I have very long hair). However, she is very sweet and cuddly, and JEALOUS of anything that comes close to me.
One things she does that puzzles me–she enjoys water so much she will sit in the shower with me, under the water flow, if I let her. Once she jumped into the tub while I was bathing. And if left along, she will just sit there and play in the water.
Belinda, your tortie sounds like she’s a one-woman cat who loves you on her terms – she’s definitely read the book on tortitude!
Glen, I love you story. It’s almost like Kasey dared Toby to come near her food!
Kasey; another tortitude display.
We free feed the cats in the basement (their “Territory”, off limits to Toby, the silky terrier).
Sometimes we feed Kasey in the kitchen, watching the bowl so Toby doesn’t get at the food, we pick it up when Kasey walks away.
We were eating dinner and Kasey finished and moved about 4 feet from the bowl and sat down.
Toby started over to the cat food bowl on a quick trot.
I sucked the breath in to say something to intervene but didn’t need to bother.
Kasey let out a noise, not a meow or typical domestic cat sound; it was basically a small cougar snarl, no other words for it.
The little dog made a quick 180 degree course alteration and he quickly forgot any interest in the cat food. 😉
I have a tortie called floss who has bags of ‘tortietude’, she can hold a conversation with me for up to an hour and loves me with a passion, however she is extremely nervous of other humans and guards her territory, she will hiss at me if she wants to be left alone but her bad temper is short lived. I honestly feel like she is my little soul mate
Fern sounds like real sweetie, Mary. What a pretty name!
I too have a tortie. Fern is 18 months old. I have had her since she was 8 weeks. She is by far the most lovalble kitty I have ever had-however it is only to me. She is a one woman cat! Also, she is extemely freaked out by company in the house and took 8 weeks to accept a new kitty member to our home. She is a doll but very psycho at times-smart as a whip, and understands everything I ask her!
Hahahaha, “Endearingly psychotic”, that’s a perfect description….Sophie sounds SO much like my goofy Monkey, thank goodness she landed with people who can appreciate her special brand of crazy!
Lianimal, I’m so glad you enjoyed Buckley’s Story, and even happier to hear that it might have helped you with your situation with Monkey and Peaches. I hope Peaches will continue to adjust – and maybe Monkey will mellow out a little bit over time.
John, Sophie definitely sounds like she’s all tortie, and it sure didn’t take her long to rule your household!
As an English teacher, I’m always pleased to learn a new word that perfectly describes something for which I previously lacked good vocabulary. And “tortitude” captures our recent shelter adoptee Sophie perfectly. She’s an absolutely gorgeous girl with classic tortoiseshell coloring set off by a cafe-au-lait patch under her chin and unusual bicolored eyes.
She’s also endearingly psychotic: cuddly and placid one moment, attacking (almost always in play) the next; leaping foolhardy distances to reach her favorite perch on my wife’s or my shoulders (where she digs in her claws and won’t come back down); yowling to herself plaintively for no discernable reason, and appropriating anything small, shiny, or noisy as a personal plaything.
Fortunately, she gets along well with our three other non-tortie cats, though even there she is often the ringleader for a great deal of clamorous mischief.
All that said, we love her to death, and wouldn’t trade her eccentricities for anything. Still, it’s nice to read other people’s comments here and to realize that our girl isn’t crazy (she was owned by a hoarder before coming to the shelter where we got her); she’s just a perfectly normal tortoiseshell.
Ingrid, I read your book over the weekend. What a touching and heartbreaking story, but also somehow uplifting! Thank you for sharing. It gave me hope. I can see so many similarities in the personalities and situations of Monkey and Buckley, and in Peaches and Amber. I took it to heart when you said that the problem was as much with your reactions to them as it was with the cats themselves. I decided to relax and try letting them work it out on their own, and, while no where near completely resolved, the situation does seem to be improving.
Before when I was in rescue and had multiple pets of all kinds moving in and out, I always had Hatchet. She was the undisputed alpha, and rarely did anyone even try to challenge her. I guess it made things go a lot smoother. I assumed it would be the same with Peaches when I brought Monkey in, but I guess Peaches just doesn’t have a strong enough pesonality to be alpha to a little cat bursting with tortitude lol
So I guess I have to just sit back and feel secretly guilty and sorry for Peaches while she adjusts to the fact that there’s a new sheriff in town.
I wish I could post pics, but I’m on a library computer, no way to scan and upload.
It sonds like your chihuahua may be out of luck against your tortie’s tortitude, Glenda!
Seriously, though – perhaps you could try some supervised playtime with the two of them? Or alternately, when your tortie is napping or quiet, try to spend time in the same room with her while you’re holding the chihuahua so the dog can feel safe with you and also see that the tortie is not in crazy mode all the time?
I’m sure some of our readers will also also have suggestions for you.
Any suggestions for my conflict of personalities?
My tortie is gorgeous and definitely has a tortitude!! Her’s last for 5 to 15 minutes. She runs, jumps and makes noises. The problem that we have now is: She is harassing one of our house dogs. We have 3; however, she has cowled down our female chihuahua so badly that the poor thing starts crying before the tortie even touches her.
Any suggestions? We love all of them dearly. Just feel so badly for the 4 lb. female chihuahua.
I posted a pic of our Nugget on the Facebook page 🙂 This was her first photo as a member of our family…
What a great video, Sarah! For a kitty with as much tortitude as your Chloe, it’s really amazing that she would let Ben play with her like that and be so gentle about it. Thanks for sharing!
I love my tortie, Chloe! I chose her based on her beautiful coloring (mostly black, speckled with orange and marbled on the legs and chest) I had no idea she would turn out to be such an affectionate cat. She was my first pet and has been wonderful. True she does have a bit of an attitude, she is mostly very loving. My sister calls her “OCD kitty” because she is an organizer. She will find things and put them in certain locations. Her toy mice are always found in shoes, bobbypins are placed under rugs, and she loves water! She will sit on the counter in the bathroom and watch the water in the sink. She also walks along the tub in between the shower curtains while I shower and waits for me to get out so she can lick my toes! Chloe also LOVES to be in boxes, any box! She will squeeze into the smallest shoe box and then as one of us walks by jump out and bat at our feet. We call this her form of hide-and-seek. She is also the only cat I know that will play fetch! She does bite now and then, but its usually just a gentle nibble to let us know that she doesn’t like what we are doing.
We only had her for about a year when we introduced our new puppy, a cockapoo, and those two are best of friends. They will wrestle and Chloe will body slam my small dog with ease. She makes that torti squawk just like previous post have talked about when they wrestle. It sounds like the dog is hurting the cat, but usually its the cat that is winning!
I was a little nervous about it, but last spring we welcomed our first baby boy, Benjamin. Chloe was curious from day one. She is surprisingly gentle with him. She loves to rub up to him because she knows he will pet her. Ben is infatuated with her so much that his first word was “kitty”. This is a video of Ben playing with Chloe. The people I show this video to can’t believe that my cat would sit and let my son play with her like this, but she is very good with him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcnPsmWrXKY
I am so glad I found this page because I believed others when they told me that my cat was strange, but now I know it’s just “tortitude”!!!
To all of you who have shared your wonderful tortie stories in this thread – since there’s no way to post photos here, if you’d like, come on over to our Facebook page and post photos of your torties there. Leave a comment here to let everyone know you did.
The link to The Conscious Cat Facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/consciouscat
Cindy, Here’s wishing you and Nini many more happy years together. And you’re right, the tortitude might be the thing. They do seem tougher than the average cat.
Now, on the indoor outdoor issue. I had indoor/outdoor cats most of my life, and after too many tragic losses to count, I’ve become an indoor only person. Outdoor cats tend to die horribly……hit by a car, mauled by a dog, tortured by teenagers, get into poison, even catch horrible diseases from other animals. It’s not worth it. It’s not necessary for cats to go outside as long as they have a window to sun themselves in, litter, food, water, companionship and plenty of playtime as excercise. I’d rather keep my friends safe than take a chance.
Cindy,
I had an Abyssinian who was diagnosed with diabetes and required daily insulin injections. He got to the point he knew when it was time, and would wait around for his injection and bug us if we forgot. So hopefully your Harmony (Ninii) will eventually realize what you are doing is in her best interest and be a little more receptive; however with the tortitude that might not happen. “Bucko” (the Aby) lived to be almost 17 and lived with diabetes for over 10 years. I wish you continued success with your Nini!
Cindy-
I wish you and Nini the best of luck. She truly seems to be a fighter 🙂 I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to see your precious princess go through something like this. Your post made ponder what I would do or how I would feel if my Nugget was diagnosed with a serious illness. I can only hope that I will be as positive as you are and would have the ability to give her the treatment she requires without being an emotional mess. You and Nini paint a vivid portrait of the strong bond we as humans can have with these wonderful cats, and it shows that we will do anything to maximize the time we have with our lovable kitties. Thanks for sharing Nini’s story and reminding us how strong these amazing creatures are.
GOOD LUCK to you both and my thoughts are with you 🙂
It sure sounds like Nini’s tortitude is keeping her going, Cindy. It can be so challenging to take care of a cat who’s in kidney failure. I hope you and Nini have a lot of time left together.
I rescued my first cats about 4 years ago as tiny kittens, a Tiger, Maine Coon and a Tortie. We named her Harmony but we call her Nini. I have been reading through the posts and see so much of Nini in what I read. She definately has controled the situation with my Maine Coon who has always been at least 4 times her size. On the other hand she has a very gentle peaceful side to her (thus her full name). Nini is somewhat talkative but in a quiet way, I have never heard her actually meow like other cats she squeeks when she wants something, very quietly and of course always very dignified, she is def. the princess. This year has been very trying with Nini, we moved from NY to VT almost 2 years ago and it seems Nini never has gotten over it, she started losing weight so about 6 months ago I took her in for a check up that I thought would be routine to shockingly be told that I my Tortie was in kidney failure and that I could take her home to die. Well, she has proven them wrong thus far, her red blood cell count has risen to a sustainable number if we could just get some weight back on her she is so skinny right now. We administer an IV to her every other day to hydrate her and to attempt to keep her kidneys flushed and give her antibiotics twice a day. With all of this she still shows her “tortitude” by spitting some of it at me every time. Hey I might smell like fish frequently but if Nini has the gumption to spit things at me then she has to determination to fight this,,I hope. Keeping my fingers crossed and it is good to hear that this “tortitude” is a characteristic that might just be the only thing that will fight this.
Trinity sounds like a wonderful kitty, Elijah! I love that she even put the pit bull in his place. Now that’s tortitude!
I am to divinely priviliged to have had for 8 and a half years, the companionship of a beautiful tortie named Trinity. She used to be a wiry little hellion, who could tear around my apartment for all but a few hours of the day. Able to scale 6 and a half feet tall entertainment centers in a single bound. I actually remember one time where my live in girlfriend at the time had gotten a pit bull puppy, and she’d always let her know who was queen of the house with a quick swipe to the face. Even when that puppy was an adult she gave Queen Trinity a wide berth.
She is very possesive of her human (I adopted her as a very young age), and is a sweet kitty to most people in general, albeit a bit short tempered. She will always be by my side, wether I’m sleeping, or watching tv on the couch, and never snaps at her daddy ;). She communcates using a cute and distinct variety of purrs, meows, trills and squaks. She has slowed down as of the last couple years, and put on a few pounds, but still lets the newer big lovable oaf of a black cat who is her junior know who is the queen. Hopefully I have many more years with Queen Trinity.
To add to the debate on indoors v. outdoors, I am a strong believer in cats being allowed outdoors, they are not designed to sit on a sofa all day. I agree that there are various dangers that they have to deal with, but dangers have always been there, just different ones, and cats are generally bright enough to deal with them. I have lived in several cities and seen plenty of live cats and very few dead – ie, run over – ones, and if they go out from an early age, they learn that this dog or that fox are not such a good idea to get close to. A cat should have a cat flap or some safe place by the house just in case it gets a scare but other than that, I think they should go in and out as they please.
However, I would add something on a related topic. I currently live in Ireland and there seems to be a different attitude here to the UK where I grew up. Here, cats, even domestic pets, seem to be treated much more as farm cats, and I have heard several stories where people put the cat out before they go on holiday, and if it’s there when they get back, well, then they still have a pet. We took in one cat a couple of years ago, (Icy – I have posted about her before) and my theory is that she was left to fend for herself when her owners moved away – can’t take the cat with us, so we’ll just leave it in the garden… She had a terrible flea allergy and had spent at least one winter with only half her fur, but now she’s an enormous fluffy lump of a cat who spends half her time asleep on the window sill and half patrolling her territory of gardens. She gets very grumpy if she isn’t allowed out, and is very reluctant to use her (indoor) litter box. Different countries have different attitudes, but I think that a cat that can come and go as it pleases is the happiest cat, and I hope that’s what we’re all aiming for.
Kasey was indoor/outdoor in her old life at one of our company’s facilities. She does not mind being an indoor cat at all now, she seems very happy. The only time she wants to go out side is when I am out there, close to the house where she can see or hear me.
I am a very big proponent of keeping them indoors, this is borne of experience and a lot of thought on the subject.
I am a bit of an outdoorsman and know it is not like Disneyland out there. The world can be a harsh and cruel place for small animals.
In our area, it is rural enough that the threat ranges from coyotes (and other wildlife) to vehicles. In town, there are vehicles, dogs, and more nasty elements of our own species.
While fairly being resourcefull and tougher than they look, a domestic cat is too small to defend itself against many threats, not always aware of traffic and sometimes too trusting against those sick people who would harm them.
Consequently, our cats are indoor cats.
Veni,
I’m a proponent for keeping cats indoors if at all possible. Daniela Caride, one of my recurring guest bloggers posted an excellent post on the topic here on The Consious Cat recently: https://ingridking.com/2009/12/28/how-to-keep-your-indoor-cat-happy/
It sounds like your kitties are very happy being indoor/outdoor kitties, and perhaps that’s the best solution for them. However, since they do have each other, if you’re considering making them into indoor kitties, the transition might not be as difficult as you might think. You won’t know until you try.
I’m sure others will weigh in on the topic as well.
yeah lol, i always wonder that as well!! she sleeps at the end of the bed sometimes and watches the cage like crazy. when the iguana moves shes up and watching him! really funny to see..
Hi Tortie Community,
I have a question that I suspect with spark some lively discussion. My three kitties are litter mates, and two of them torties. I adopted them as feral kittens after they were weaned. For the first winter few months, I kept them inside. But as the weather warmed, I let them outside, and now they are indoor/outdoor cats. They stay close to home, usually on my property. But as I hear of kitties 19 years old and even 22 years old, I wonder, “Will my in/out kitties live so long?” I work all day and live alone. They have each other in or out, so should I let them out or keep them in? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Lianimal, thanks for ordering my book – I hope you’ll find some helpful hints to integrate Monkey and Peaches. I’m guessing it’s a combination of Monkey wanting to play with and also establishing her dominance over Peaches. Hopefully, they’ll work things out eventually.
Shirley, it can take a long time and a lot of patience to tame a feral, but it definitely is a good sign that she feels safe watching you through the window. Keep us updated!
Becky, I think Ziggy is a perfect name for a tortie, and your Ziggy sounds like she’s got tortitude in spades! I wonder what she thinks when she’s watching the iguana.
hello
i have a tortie as well, her name is ziggy…i thought it was a male at first..so i named it after david bowie but she proved me wrong ha, so the name stuck. ziggy is multicolored with the cream and black, and some browns with red. very pretty girl! she is probally almost a year old and she is very talkative. she meows loudly whenever i get up from the chair or even when i get home from work. she will follow me everywhere and i usually end up stepping on her because i dont see her. shes very hyper and usually gets into mischeif alot lol. ziggys curiosity gets the best of her, especially with my plant that has been knocked over numerous times lol. ziggy alos has a very big foot fetish! she will bite and attack mine and my fiances feet when we are sleeping. kinda startles ya lol.. her favorite toys would be the milk jug tyes. ziggy had a couple of “brothers” as i call them. my other cat, madrox, which is a big male bombay…they didnt get along at first…hissing,growling…all that fun stuff, but after a couple of days they were best friends. they play so much and run around the house for hours! her other “brother” is a new addition to the family. a green iguana…she seriously loves that thing. she will lay in front of the cage and just watch it. whenever it moves she follows it, almost like shes stalking it..ive introduced them by letting her see it and smell it…she wants to play with it but not yet lol. mabye further down the road haha. but thats my ziggs and i hope you like reading about her 🙂
Lianimal and Ingrid,
Thanks for the tips on taming ferals. First I have to actually see her when she is eating. This morning, she was coming on to the patio before I had a chance to get the food out; she must have known that I would eventually get to it, as she sat on the patio looking in at my husband and me. Of course as soon as my husband opened the door to get the paper she streaked away, but did return at some point to get her morning meal. So I guess that is a good sign that she recognizes us and allows us to look at her through the window at least! I am assuming it is a female from Ingrid’s comments, but she’s been around for almost a year now and I’ve not seen any indication of her being pregnant – so maybe she was spayed by someone at some time. I’ll post again if I have any additional breakthroughs!
Glen, Verminator…lol, love it! Hatchet Head used her hunting skills as an intimidation tactic….sort of a “Godfatherish” way of showing dissapproval. I was young and quite a partier when she owned me, and would occasionally go to house parties that lasted all night. Invariably, I would come home to find mouse heads lined up on the doorstep…sometimes just two or three, but on one memorable occasion there were 6. As far as Monkey goes, I haven’t seen a spider or centipede since she moved in. She’s not allowed outside, so I don’t know if she shares Hatchet’s flare for drama.
Ingrid, The only problem I’m having with Monkey’s Tortitude is the way she harrasses my poor 10 year old tuxedo cat Peaches. I’m not sure if she’s doing it intentionally or if she’s just trying to play and Peaches isn’t having it, but Monkey just has to walk into the room anymore and Peaches goes into a huff. I ordered your book, hoping that since you actually managed to combine TWO of these beasties, I would find some tips on integrating one.
Shirley, Your stray sounds absolutely gorgeous. If you want to tame her (I’ve tamed a few ferals, including Hatchet, my first tortie. It isn’t that hard, it just takes patience) here are a few tips;
When it gets nice out, sit outside with her while she eats. Start as far away as she needs you to be to not scare her away from the food. Gradually move closer as she gets more comfortable, and start singing to her in a soft, soothing voice. Don’t worry if you can’t sing, they don’t care. I’ve found they respond really well to Patsy Cline…I guess it’s something about the rythmic flow. Eventually you should be able to sit right next to the food. After you’ve done that for several days, you can try to gently stroke her back. She might run off the first time or two. If she does, just sit by her for the next day or two, then try again. She’ll eventually come around, and you’ll have the most loving, loyal pet you could ever imagine.
Shirley, it sounds like your stray might be a blue/cream or muted blue/cream tortie. If that’s the case, your stray would most likely be a female. Since you’re asking about brindle, it could also be a “torbie” – a mix of the tabby cat pattern with tortoiseshell colors.
I’ve been a cat lover all my life and have had the privilege of being owned by several. Recently, I’ve had a stray come around that is very oddly colored; blue, peach, mottled coloring (no white that I can see), longhaired and fluffy coat, and very afraid of people. I’ve been leaving food out for him/her (not sure which), and it has become accustomed to finding it’s “meals” but still runs if it sees me. Is this possibly a tortie that has a different coloring or woud it be called brindle? I’ve had Abyssinians, persians, and general domestic cats throughout my 53 years, but have never seen one this color before.
“nd was the most effective hunter I’ve ever seen besides Monkey, my current tortie (and personal weapon of mass destruction).”
Thats a good one.
Funny, I was thinking about Kasey’s previous life at one of our company facilities, before I brought her home.
Before she was injured (back leg, she is OK now but can’t jump or climb), she was unbelieveable in what she would drag home.
I thought she should have been refered to as “THE VERMINATOR”.
She is a very contented indoor cat now but the old instincts are there, this “old lady” will chase a string like a kitten as long as I keep the game going, I get tried of it before she does.
I love thinking of tortitude “Diva-ishness, Lianimal! They definitely are in charge, and not shy about letting us know. Some may be more subtle about it than others, but there’s never any doubt about who rules.
Cleocatra and Naomi both sound like they exhibited signs of Tortitude. Not all of them are overly fiesty.
My first tortie, Hatchet Head was sweet and loyal as could be to me. But she ruled the other animals with an iron paw, and was the most effective hunter I’ve ever seen besides Monkey, my current tortie (and personal weapon of mass destruction).
I think “Tortitude” is really just a general “Diva-ishness” of attitude that can manifest itself in subtly different ways. Whether they’re impish and wild like Monkey, or sweet and calm like Hatchet, there’s just this “I run the show” kind ofvibe to them lol