Today, The Conscious Cat reached a milestone I never could have envisioned, not even in my wildest dreams. Today, one single blog post reached 10,000 comments.
It all began on August 17, 2009, when I wrote a post titled Tortitude – the Unique Personality of Tortoiseshell Cats. The post features one of my favorite photos of Amber and Buckley, and rapidly became one of the most popular posts on this blog.
Comments began pouring in almost immediately. Turns out there were a lot of people out there who loved these cats as much as I did, and who were sometimes delighted, sometimes puzzled, and occasionally frustrated, with their strong personalities. Within a few months, a Google search for “tortoiseshell cat” showed the post halfway down the first page of search results. A search for “tortoiseshell cat personality” returned the post as the first search result.
While there were always new tortie lovers either sharing stories about their beloved cats, or asking advice, some kept coming back again and again. Before long, a lively dialogue had erupted among a small group of regulars. They came from all walks of life. Their ages ranged from a senior in high school to a grandmother in her seventies, their occupations from artist to attorney.
This incredibly diverse group of people came back to the blog, day after day, to share stories of their torties. As we all got to know each other better, what began as an online forum for cat lovers turned into online friendships. We shared joys, and we shared heart break. Some of us met in person at a very special book signing last year, and found that the friendships born online as a result of our torties translated to real life friendships.
I can’t wait to see where this post is going to take all of us. We love it when new tortie lovers find the post and join the discussion. We’re particularly delighted at the romance that is brewing between two of our members who met through this blog post. Who knew torties could be matchmakers?
The story of the tortitude family is an evolving story, and it’s being written one comment at a time.
Special thanks go out to Bernie, Steeler, Jay, Stirfry, Glen, Kasey, Harry, Julie, Rachel, Brooke, Bernadette, Cookie, Kelly, Lynn, Monkey, Sue, Nikita, Luna, Betty, Columbia, Sharon, Doodlebug, Shannah and Emma. You, and all the others who commented on this post over the past three years, turned an ordinary blog post into an extraordinary community.
Coming across this post today made my day. tortitude is a real thing ❤️.
My girl Esther which I adore with all my heart is a handful but truly… she does give love tenfold to make up for it.
She is extremely sensitive, so intensely sensitive to energy + sounds ( if it’s too loud you will never see her, she really loves soft music , she literally unwinds & glows ).
& it’s true she only bonded with me, no one else matters. When she spoons me it’s the most intensely loving nuzz session <3
Her sensitivity worries me a lot though & I've literally gone through so many measures to make her feel calm. As a kitten she had one of her eyes swell & leak when stressed out, it still occasionally happens. She also had a mysterious swelling on her forehead that she scratched to the point I needed to soothe her wounds daily with cold green tea to heal ( vets couldn't define what happened, theory is allergies or a reaction to antibiotics she was on because of mysterious lymph node swelling in her leg ).
She is all healed up now, but still has some only delicately fur covered spots on her forehead where the worst wounds were that I still stress almost look like they swell when she's seemingly stressed. I'm kind of a hypochondriac with her health. I love her to bits.
She is the softest little soul full of so much love, but also so twitchy & very sentive. I'm grateful she ended up with me so I can take care of her because I understand all of her quirks. ❤️
It sounds like the two of you are meant to be together, Mar.
<3 I think so too 🙂
I am a lifetime multi cat person. I was down to one cat, a beloved old diabetic guy. As he was very used to other cats, two months ago I rescued a cat thought to be around six. Turned out she is a torty which was a first for me. She had been at the shelter so long, was so shy and anti social, they asked a local Rescue organization to socialize her. She did not present well for adoption, Well, we found each other and to this day I do not know why, I named her Contessa (Tessa) a very regal name. I felt she had been someone’s Queen. She spent one month under a duvet as a big lump, and another two weeks in the closet. She stubbornly refused to eat any food other Temptation Treats, which I call cocaine for cats. She is very overweight. A standoff happened and she will now eat the regular high quality kibble |I get for the old guy. Will not eat the tasty wet food he loves. She hisses at the old guy so I assumed she never lived in a multicat situation. When she began to let me touch her she headbutted a lot and would suddenly swat me. I thought perhaps she had a sore tooth but the vet says she has lovely, healthy teeth…
So reading this tortie blog, perhaps I have taken in a cat with tortitude. Her infrequent meows are loud and raucous. I live alone and suspect Tessa would like to be an only cat. I now know why I felt she needed a regal name. I am looking forward to the great adventure of sharing my home with another strong female. I suspect she will become a loyal and interesting companion over time.
ok long story short. we hv a 3 year old tuxedo resident cat and a new 2 month old torte. 1st week was bliss and now its been 3 months in and I at a loss and getting very grossed out and discouraged by our torte baby! She is displaying some very weird behavior. her toys aside and her scratchers ignored, she seems to be doing some weird things with her poo and clumped up pee. I tried using a door bound and covered litter but to no avail! She still somehow flings out her poo and clumped up pee from the litter box and it is everywhere! everyday! I am at my wits end and need some advice on how to make this stop! it is disgusting!
If she hasn’t had a recent veterinary exam, please take her to your vet as soon as possible to rule out a medical issue. How many litter boxes do you have? With two cats, you should have at least two, ideally, three. I do not recommend covered boxes.
It also sounds like she’s bored – at her age, she’s going to have a lot of excess energy, and she’ll need help to burn that off in appropriate ways. Try structured play with her, 10-15 minutes, three or four times a day. Really get her tired out at each session.
first go and read Ingrid’s post today about our milestone, Tortoiseshell cats, one post, and 10,000 comments, then click the link in that article to read the now-famous post and join us for the next
Hi-I just ‘adopted’ 2 adult cats from a family that was expecting their first baby. I couldn’t understand, at the time I took these tow cats in, why someone would give up their pets just because they were having a baby. An adult lifetime owner of cats, it was beyond my comprehension because I raised 3 children while having a cat or cats in the home. I must note that one is a 2 year old tortie and the other a domestic gray and white, 6 year old male. After easing the two displaced cats into their new home and family, I gave them a little more freedom to roam. The tortie’s personality is very unique. I thought, at first, is was because she is young and still not familiar with her surroundings and family. Now, I know different. This is her quirky, but cute personality. One minute she is lapping up affection on my lap, the next she is batting at me. It has been an adjustment for me as our family had, up until 4 years ago, 2 marmalade cats that were a part of our family for 17 years. They were brothers from the same litter and were great companions for us. They both became ill and were euthanized within 6 weeks of each other. A very tough blow for my sons. Anyway, my youngest son got word that a classmate of a friend was looking for a new home for their adult cats. I met with the owner and the tortie seemed very friendly and affectionate. The other a little more skittish and shy. We decided to give it a trial run. This has been an experience so far. They are acclimated and seem to be quite content. However, the tortie that we renamed ‘Missy’, short for mischievous, is quite the handful. I can now see way the young ‘mother to be’ was wary of having such a spirited cat around her newborn. Definitely unpredictable behavior and always into something. She does make me laugh, though I do things ‘cautiously’ with Missy. The other cat, the 6 year old male is much calmer but has picked up on some of her unpredictable reactions and behaviors I think. It is still early in our road together, but so far, pretty good.
Welcome to the wonderful world of tortitude, VR!
I have a torie too . She is very smart can open cupoards no problem. I live in a condo and someone new moved in above me about a month ago . This person makes a lot of noise night and day . My poor cat runs around like crazy as soon as she hears the noise from above. I tried to calm her down and she bit me. She wants to hide under the bed all the time . What do I do to correct this problem. Her name is Kessa .
You can try various means to reduce Kessa’s stress, Teri. I would use Feliway plugins, play classical music or music engineered to calm cats during the day to mask the noise from upstairs, and if you’re open to holistic remedies, try Stress Stopper from Spirit Essences.
Hi This is Teri after reading this site went out and got pet remedy , they did not have the other one .Kessa seems to be calmer now . The person is a renter and I was told by our resident committee she will be asked to leave. I have heard no noise from above since last night . I think the reason she bit me is because she was very scared. I now know not to pick her up when she is very upset. Thanks Teri
I’m not sure if I would feel comfortable giving my babies any type of rescue remedy, stress stoppers or spirit essences. I don’t like to give them anymore than what they get in their diet. I do believe in turning on the tv, calming music and just giving her space.
I have now left TV on for Kessa while I am out . also i go to utube and turn on music for cats she loves it so do I.
Teri. I’m with Kessa. I like my peace and quiet. If you embrace Feng Shui get a wind chime (at least 5 chimes) and hang near the most noisy area. It does not have to make any chiming sounds. The chimes themselves will break up negative energy in the atmosphere. I hung one in my bedroom near wall where noise was a problem. Embracing the effect can bring results. Hope things settle down for both of you.
Thanks good idea I will get one love chimes myself . She looks like your cats. an get into things at times .loves my two grandchildren who are 3and half and 6 months old .
Thanks good idea I will get one love chimes myself . She looks like your cats. an get into things at times .loves my two grandchildren who are 3and half and 6 months old .
well, it may not be practical, but, I say ask the loud neighbor to move!! tell kessa all will be well as soon as the loud people leave!! lol. we wish!!!
Hi!
A week before Thanksgiving 2016 I adopted from the shelter a 7 month old 3.5 pound tortie girl who was sicker than a dog. I got her back to health and now she is the sweetest and most loving terrorizer I’ve ever had! Every night their are continuous loud crashes, she climbs up the screen on my sun porch, she climbs my blinds, digs in my plants, eats my roses that I set up high, boxes the other cats and dogs on her hind legs, continuously is into something and then looks at me like….what? I didn’t do anything!!!
Now, 9.5 months old and 6 pounds, she throws her tail in the air, turns her face and gives you that huh! I have tortietude look!!!!! Depending on her antics from the prior moments, you either laugh or sigh! She definitely keeps this family of 4 American Eskimo dogs, 2 cats, husband and I always running after what she has broken, who’s hissing, who’s chasing as she plays extremely well the the fluffies on our toes day in and day out! And….the best part of it is….I wouldn’t want it any other way…except I really love my sleep although she doesn’t seem to think we need it!
I am her human as she comes in for hugs and she loves and I mean loves to be held close with kisses all upon her. She lets my husband pet her from time to time, although she could really care less! I laugh…he doesn’t! I just tell him…welcome to the world of Tortietude, honey!!!
“the most loving terrorizer I’ve ever had” – if that doesn’t describe tortitude, I don’t know what does, Leah!
You aren’t kidding are ya!!! This little girl is named Josie Outlaw as that is EXACTLY what she is!!! Although, just like the white fuzzies, she is always with me…even in the bathroom! One of a kind in one lifetime!!!
I enjoyed this description. I have a Tortie she was rescued at 4 weeks and I have her ever since. She is beautiful I love her but she is a psycho. One minute she’s playing with my toes and licking me the next minute she’s biting and running around the house like a lunatic. She’s extremely funny. I have to lock her out of my bedroom and let her roam the rest of the house at night other wise I won’t get any sleep! Oh and she loves our 3 dogs in the home but also enjoys terrorizing them
I rescued Maracanda from the ice and snow after she had survived half the winter. She has no tortitude at all. her only fault is a speech impediment, she can hardly meow, perhaps a good thing, but she can’t purr and that’s not good. I can’t imagine a better cat in any respect-except the lack of purring. I’ve had her for 5 years and she was probably 2-3 years old when she adopted me.
Wait for it as it took my Josie Outlaw about 1.5 months to really start to shine….
My tortie, Lucy, came home to me at about 3 months. She does not display any of the attitude that is described by others regarding their Torties! She is a beautiful cat and is calm, sweet and affectionate. I am her “person”. She tolerates others but shows them no attention. She is my sweet girl all day, everyday! Lucky me!
Be thankful that lucy is “normal” My new addition is just a year old, and oh my gosh!! i had to put down my cat of 14 years from cancer and she was a rescue and also was deaf. Loved our cat maxwell. although, a total change to this tortie. Our maxwell, was not a normal cat. she was so affectionate, the kids dressed him up when he was young. Because he couldnt hear, he stayed and loved up on everybody at parties. She couldnt walk atop the sofas, couldnt jump from the table to the sofa…….Then came Log…oh my… i had to keep calling my girlfriend and ask her “is this normal for a cat to do this?” Shes like no. She DOES NOT STOP! she has fallen two stories, 3 times, in our foyer cause she insists on walking on the banister. Every thing she can walk on, she does. My husband is calling her a dog because now she fetches and brings it back to you and drops the ball at our feet. Talks ALL DAY LONG! Loves being under the covers, but when she done with you….shes done. I cant say enough about the huge personality this cat has. Very entertaining is a mild word for this cat. Her new favorite thing is to chase the flies that get in the house now. She jumps, no joke, 4 ft high to catch them. Does not give up until she catches them! RIP to the dragon fly that got in our house this morning. Carried it all over for about 20 min. Not a dull moment. I do love her though. ♥
My beloved tortoiseshell cat passed away 5 days ago. Rip my dearest friend of the last 10 years. My heart and my hove have never been so empty…
I’m so sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you.
Thank you, Ingrid. This cat always had a special place in my life. She has appeared in my home when I was caring for my mother, who had stage IV cancer. One evening I heard a kitten cry outside, but did not see anything. Next day I heard it crying again, but the voice was getting weaker and weaker. I went out, found this ~3 week-old kitten – hungry, tired, scared – and brought her home, hoping that she would make a nice companion to my mom. I knew nothing about tortitude then… (in fact – I knew nothing about it until my cat died and I started browsing for pictures and reading about this type of cats). to make a long story short – the kitty was true devil in disguise, in terms of her energy and presence. Not exactly the best companion, for a weak and sick woman, but at least she got distracted from thinking about the illness. Mom died three months later (no, it wasn’t cat’s fault…). My grief was enormous – on the one hand, we have always been very close, on the other hand – the only closer relative was my father, living with another family for many years. no brothers, sisters, grandparents – nothing. Just a furry devil in my lap. During this period of grief, she became my biggest comfort and the sole purpose to go on (I’d have drunken myself to death or done something equally stupid, if I didn’t have to take care for this cat). She has exhibited all the tortie traits I keep reading about, except one – she never intentionally hurt me. To the contrary – she would follow me whenever I went (in the apartment, she was an indoor cat), greet me whenever I came home, sleep in my lap or by my side, whenever I lay down, etc, etc. Otherwise – she did all the tricks that tortie owners talk about – climbing, breaking things, jumping, leaping, attacking strangers and so on. When I met my present wife and she came to live together (with her daughter) – the cat went bananas – she would attack them, bite and scratch them and so on. eventually this ceased, but the only human being she absolutely unconditionally loved and adored was me, and I did my best to pay back. And so, this dear friend of my suddenly started feeling unwell last Friday and stopped eating alltogether, we have spent Saturday and Sunday at the vet clinic, trying to identify the problem and keep her hydrated. On Monday I brought her to the vet again for intense monitoring and testing. the vet told me to leave, promising to call. I went out only to return an hour later (I just couldnt do anything knowing she was in there, alone) – the situation was unchanged, they still did not know what was wrong, although there was a suspicion that there might be cancer somewhere (echoscopy revealed enlarged liver, the tests showed elevated enzymes and sugar – not too good, but definitely not bad enough for the cat to be in total lethargy). I left the vet’s office and drove to get some sleep, as I havent slept for two days. About an hour later I received a call that my cat has died. It turns out it had cancer of the stomach, which most likely ruptured or whatever happened – but this explains why the entire process was so quick.
So here I am now – a grown up man weeping for the past five days like crazy, because… because this cat was the last and only close friend I had. No parents or grandparents, no brothers/sisters, no kids. and now – no cat, who had been loyal and loving me to the point of total possession for the last 10 years. oh yes, and today is my mother’s birthday, while next month is exactly 10 years that she is no longer here. and my father – he died 10 months ago. fate has a fairly sick sense of humour, i must say.
sorry for the ramble, I had to write it down somehow and that is only the small portion of it. very few people around me understand what does it mean to loose your pet and no one has a slightest idea of how close this particular cat was to me.
below are some pictures of the beauty, make sure you copy all the link without any spaces.
regards to all Tortie owners, may your cats be well
https://saugykla.teo.lt/Shares/Home.aspx?ShareID=39bcac96-12cd-4c35-a486-950776b80da6
I’m so very sorry for all you went through. It’s always hard to lose a cat, but when it’s a soul cat like yours was, it’s devastating. Add to that that she died so unexpectedly, and I can’t even imagine the pain you’re in right now. Be gentle with yourself as you mourn your beautiful girl.
Thanks for your warm words. I failed to be with her at her last moments and I can’t stop blaming myself for that. Well, at least she was buried properly – on a nice hill between old pine trees in my summer cottage. A hill of cats, as I sadly joke, as my previously owned cat (aged 15) was also buried there.
thank you.
Just wanted to say this moved me so much. I’m sorry for your loss — even as this is an old post. You never forget a soul friend like that. I miss my boy Oscar, my first feline rescue who adopted me. The beauty of this grief is you learned you can connect with a being to that magnitude whatever form they manifest in this life. Hopefully you can give another beautiful cat a loving home as you sound like a beautiful friend to have.
mrt, I don’t know if you still read this blog or not, although I hope you do, but I wanted to thank you fo sharing your wonderful and heartbreaking story about your Tortie. And the pictures were lovingly taken, I can tell. She was beautiful and was lucky to be loved by you! I hope you are doing better and have another Tortie love in your life
I really have not said much about my Tortie, Shea but she is all and then some. She at fi st was adopted by my brother and sister for my Mom. She doesn’t d not Meow at first for the longest time and once she realized she was staying with Mom she started chatting away. My mom did hav to give her to me and my husband for some type of moving but as soon as she came into me and my husbands apartment she made herself at home. Her tortitude came out shortly after we got her. She always Eskimos kiss to my hubby but not me. Her meowing is so loud and my husband she has got to learn that she cannot do that. Yeah right! You don,t own a Tortie Shea owns us. One quick thing I need to say before I comment again. I always call her Princess because she knows she is. When I asked her who was a pretty princess? Not sure xpecting the answer she gave me. She said clear as day “Mommie”. What a sweetie
“You don’t own a tortie” – you are so right, Debbie!
She still says Mommie is a pretty princess. She loves me so much and I do her. She is such a good cat except for her loud screaching meows. She is the first cat that has owned me that will only eat cat food which is good. Don’t have to worry about opening my peanut butter or eating cheese in peace.
I am now an owner of a tortitude…she is so different than my Main Coon and Ragamuffin boys I had before her. She has a lot of spirit but she loves everyone and loves attention. Her headbutting to get petted cracks everyone up that meets her.
She was returned at the human society and the day i went to get a cat i had liked before she was there and picked me out. The other cat was claimed that morning so i was asked if i wanted to visit another she meowed at me so i took her to the visit room, we hit it off from that moment on.
I wanted to rename her from what the HS gave her, i tried a few names, when i said Princess she responded to me, so she is now my little Princess that rules the house.
I found out she meows for me when i leave the house that makes me sad, she is my shadow when I am home.
She is very different from all the many cats i have had in my life with her, she has a fun but quick turn attitude, but she is my buddy for life.
She does not like other cats, but loves my parents dog, go figure….she cracks me up and love her….she is only now just 2-1/2 yrs old and we have many many many years to grow old together.
Princess is a purrfect name for a tortie. 🙂 She sounds wonderful.
So glad to hear all the wonderful stories about the torties. We have been feeding and providing shelter for a feral tortie who is also a ringtail for the past three years. She is very skittish and is never closer than five feet away from us when we feed her at our back porch. Many times she will come to sit on the mat in front of the door and look through the screen door with many blinks at us and we respond with slow blinks back to her as well. I can definitely see how her personality seems like she would like to make friends, but still does not trust us completely. She has started doing a lot of stretches, and sometimes rolling around in front of us. Wonder if she’ll ever let us get near her…guess that’s the tortie in her!
It sounds like she’s slowly coming around, Carol. You never know, one day, you might be able to pet her – or she’ll walk straight into your house!
I live in a mobile home park. One little kitty was always out and about from mobile to mobile. This most beautiful tortie was left to fend for herself. Several people told me she wouldn’t stay indoors, she wants to be outside. Last Feb. while in our coldest here in FL we brought her in. She has NEVER tried to get back outside. She was bloody raw on her tummy from flea allergy. I treated her tummy and her beautiful fur grew back. She does have tortitude and we love her very much. Her name is lucky…we are the lucky ones!
Thank you for taking the precious baby inside, Sharon!
Our tortie showed up in our backyard one day. At first we couldn’t get anywhere near her but now 2 yrs later, she has fully adopted us. She is so unpredictable and headstrong. She knows she is not allowed on the dinner table but that doesn’t stop her! She may purr or hiss at any moment. And yet she can also be super affectionate. She loves a good head butt.
I have a little girl named Angelita or Angie for short. She’s tiny but boy has she got tude! She can go from sweet and purry to a temper tantrum in a split second! It has taken time but I am learning to read her better and anticipate when she’s going to flip out. One good thing is that I can usually stop it by just saying stop firmly and walking away. Then she goes out of her way to cozy up to me like a guilty child. I have had many cats but she is by far the most unique and I love her to pieces. She’s kind of a mix between long hair short hair and straight hair and curly with a ruffled butt if you can picture that!
Angie sounds beautiful, Laurie! Feel free to post photos of her on our Facebook page, we’d love to see her! I love how you have her tude figured out! 🙂
This cracks me up reading all these post. I found a beautiful Torti while visiting a friend. Upon much looking, no other cat was to found of any age. She was approx. 8-10 weeks old and had the loudest and most feminine scream I’ve ever heard. I’ve actually never in my life of owning cats and Being around cats have ever heard this sound. I already had cats and most have passed as of the moment I found her. I was down to my youngest one only and he did not do well with newcomers. (i had tried multiple times) so I swore I would take her home, feed her, bathe her and place her on Facebook to find her a great home. Well, here we are over 3 years later. I love her with everything I am and then some, attitude, unpredictability and all. I at first wondered if she had a mental disorder, pehaps bi-polar. Lol. (all that as are torti owners know what I’m talking about) and they told me the sooner I got her spade, the better she would be. WRONG!! She held a grudge for months. She teased and tormented anything and anyone in her path. She would not hesitate to sit on her corner play gym high on the perch and slice your face/ forehead as you walked by all while looking so innocent until she made her move. I have yet to figure this out with her. The only thing we have found is don’t allow her access to anything that puts her higher than you are. Then she doesn’t attack like that. But the minute you Give her something tall to play on, she feels superior and it then becomes her world and you are the prey. Also, an ever going issue with her is while holding her, she will be just a lovey dovey as a cat can get then out of nowhere lean away from you while starring at you like she has no clue who you are or why you are holding her. At that moment, that is her sign to slowly look away…don’t make eye contact and put her down. I have discovered that giving into her was more or less instigating the behavior. So what I have done over the past 6 months is when she starts to lean away from me, I put my hand across her chest, which naturally holds her arms from being able to make a sudden upward movement. Which in turns saves your face from her wrath. I am her human. I am who takes care of her and the only one beside my youngest that can pick her up or have anything to do with her. However, she does know that the hubby goes and buys her treats since he normally picks them up on his way home. So her routine is to go to his side of the bed when his alarm goes off to wake him up. Which then means feed me human. Lol. So he gets up, does his normal morning routine. When he sits down to put his boots on, she jumps on his lap, paws on chest and gives Eskimo kisses. That means she wants her treats (which is all she will eat. She refuses to eat regular cat food) he cannot pick her up, attempt to pick her up, or move her. She shows just enough affection to win his heart and get everything she wants. And then after she eats he lets her outside where she spends the day hunting. She stops in periodically and normally I have to go get her from her hunting spots at dark because she doesn’t want to walk home. I literally have to carry her home. Whether it be 2 blocks away or across the alley. (yes she owns me) but it makes her happy and in turn makes it easier environment to live in with her presence. Torti’s are definitely not the type of cat for everyone. You have to have patience. You cannot have a bad temper, or get frustrated easily. Because they take time, patience, consistent discipline, consistent routines, and tons of love (on their terms not yours) they will let you know When they want petted, fed, let outdoors, etc. They are the most vocal cat I’ve ever owned. Its hard to have to explain to neighbors or visitors not to approach her. Don’t pet her. Don’t pick her up. She isn’t your typical cat. Those that don’t know anything about Torti’s have a hard time understanding all of this. But I love her to death, worry more about her than any of my other cats due to her being extremely independent. But at the end of the day, she curls up next to me under the covers as if she is the sweetest most loving cat on the planet.
Your tortie sounds like quite the character, Kelli!
Help please! Precious, my tortie kitten of about 6 months will not stop meowing while playing at the same time. Is this OK? Is there something wrong with her?
Thank you!
Torties are known to be very vocal, Malika. It sounds like Precious is just showing her tortitude! https://ingridking.com/2014/09/30/tortitude-unique-personality-tortoiseshell-cats-fact-fiction/
Thank you Ingrid. She has kept me awake most of the night for 3 nights now.
I have a Tortie, My other Cat chased her in, she was about 8-10 weeks, she started making the weirdest sounds now at about the age 5months, she is still tiny, well she is in Heat, My Maine Coon (Neutered) is going crazy, He’s 9 yrs old and verbal, every time he Meows Her Butt flies up and she starts making sounds than like a side winder snake she slithers close to him. So maybe she is in Heat..
We adopted 2 kittens: a gray tiger male and his sister, a tortoiseshell. Artsy, the tortie, has proceeded to have a huge personality. As I read these posts she is every one of them. She has tons of different meows and we really feel like she A) knows what we are thinking and saying and B) has a lot to say about that. She is so affectionate it’s hard to get something accomplished. And if you put her down before she wants to she will tell you off with her pissed off meow voice. She grooms you like you’re a cat, and will play like she is the dominant one with her brother who is much larger than she is. The cats live at our business, and she has trained our students. They buy her toys she likes and when she starts hers meowing all run to her to pick her up. I think her brother must think she is crazy. He is such a mellow cat in comparison. And yet her talking and paw lifting seems to be rubbing off on her. She is infinitely picky. Not certain foods, a particular mix of them, if she doesn’t want to eat there we are to follow her and place the food in her tunnel toy and must sit with her in order for her to eat. I train horses and can work with such large animals, yet an 8 pound cat is giving us a run for our money. We love both of them and thought her huge personality was just her. How awesome to hear that we are not alone!!
Artsy does sound like she’s got tortitude and then some, Sara!
I got my tortie, Annabelle.. Or Annie for short, 4 years ago. The day I moved out of my parents house.. She has gone everywhere with me and ended up being my first child lol.. She’s always been a small cat, even though she eats more then our two big boys lol. And is often described as a little pixie.. She runs around the house with such energy like she owns the place. I can definately see the “possesiveness of her human”. She is the sweetest and most loving cat though.and I wouldn’t trade her for the world.
Oh! She is a completely inside cat because she is so small, but she escaped about 3 weeks and now I am about 99% sure she is pregnant.
Annie sounds like a sweetheart, Mallory. I would get her checked out by a vet as soon as possible. They can advise you about the best time to get her spayed. Even if she’s an inside cat, she should be spayed to prevent health problems in the future.
I am originally from MA, but moved to NC almost two years ago. A couple months into settling a nasty thunderstorm (monsoon rains, lightning, etc.) blew through our small town. My daughter and I were taking out the trash the next day when we heard a mewing sound. Behold a tiny kitten had taken shelter under our truck. She was so small I still cannot fathom how she escaped or could have been left to survive on her own, let Lone how she managed to jump up under our truck during a storm so intense. To this day our Honey is the best thing to have happened to us. I have only had one cat before Honey and although I provided him with the same amount of love and care, Honey, our tortoiseshell, gave me a new perspective on having a cat in the family. I laughed when reading about “tortitude” because she exhibits the same behaviors (possessiveness, vocal, spunky). I just wonder if anyone else has notice their cat being incredible skittish or sensitive to loud noises.
Allegra is very noise-sensitive, Alicia. When I first adopted her at seven months of age, she was afraid of everything: thunder, the sound of the trash trucks going by the house, even a fork falling on the kitchen floor. I used Spirit Essences’ Safe Space for Cats for her, and it really made a difference. http://www.spiritessences.com/product-p/safe-space-for-cats.htm&Click=4413 She’s still a bit jumpy at times, but has become much more confident over time (she’s five years old now.)
I’m so happy to have found this site, and your blogs in particular! I was first owned by a tortie when I was just a child, I was blessed to have Pumpkin in my life for over 18 years! Even though we had numerous other cats before, during, and after Pumpkin, my love for her was by far the greatest. I later married a “non-cat” person, who was swayed to adopt one by our daughter. I found an ad for free kittens in our local newspaper, when I called I was told “they had one left, but she’s the runt, and no one seems to want her.” When I asked what kind of cat she was they said “she’s a calico, or a tortoiseshell, we’re not sure, she’s really timid, and hides all the time”. I said “I’m on my way!”. It’s no wonder she hid all the time, she was living in the home of an animal hoarder!! After moving 5 cats, 2 dogs, a ferret, and a cockatiel, we were able to move the sofa, and found her trembling in the corner! I scooped her up, handed the woman $20 (even though she was “free”!) and ran out the door. Now, eight years later, I’m sitting here with Chloe (the best cat in the world) on my lap, purring and twitching her tail, letting me know my attention has been diverted from her long enough! She DEFINITELY has tortitude, but I love her to the moon and back for it!
Chloe is a lucky girl that you rescued her from that hoarding situation, Stephanie. She sounds like a very special girl.
I have recently saved a tortie from a sure death. She is beautiful but I cannot keep her. Someone just dumped her out in the woods at my home. I already have so many cats and dogs I am at my limit for the ability to feed and medical issues I currently cannot take on another. She is so beautiful and sweet. I cannot keep her. I live in Osage Oklahoma and am willing to do what ever to find her the warm loving home she deserves. This is basically my last chance. If interested please respond!
Please contact a local no-kill shelter or rescue group to help you rehome your tortie, Lorraine.
Do you still have the tortie?
I live in Tulsa, OK. Do you still have her/him?
I adopted my Vv from the shelter when she was a little kitty. She is such a beautiful tortie. So affectionate, spunky and smart. 🙂
So glad to have found this site, I’m getting a 3-yr old Maine Coon tortie next week.
Oh I had a Maine Coon that adopted me as her Mommy. She would hide from everyone except me, my mom, and my best friend Teresa. How awesome to have adopted a Maine Coon Tortie. Do you still have her?
We adopted a Tortie she is about 12 weeks old loves to play and is really fast. also have a Taby 2 years old and Tux 10 years old. only male cat. he thinks Bella the Taby and Noelle Tortie are little sisters and a big pain. he could hit them i’m sure but he is laid back.Noelle has no fear of ether one. and the male will only take so much then like a slap her. and walk away. they all have time in twos to know one another and then all together for a while. they do have there human.
Bella likes Me she does not like wife to pick her up. Now Noelle is mamas cat and runs from me,
she was adopted by wife so that way. and Charlie He’s love all of us. James
Sounds like you have a very entertaining household, James!
I adopted a tortie 3 months ago. Last week I tried to bring another cat into my home and Ruby, my tortie, went nuts !! I never heard such sounds coming out of a cat ! Needless to say the second cat went back. that night Ruby actually kissed me on the lips. I guess she wants me all to herself.
It sounds like you didn’t do gradual introductions when you brought the new cat home, Mary? Then again, Ruby might just be a confirmed only cat. 🙂
We have a Ruby, too – she’s the third cat from the left on our site header, and she’s also on the cover of Purrs of Wisdom.
I lost my beautiful tortie 3 days ago. It hurts so much. She was the sweetest cat. I’ll miss her forever.
I’m so sorry for your loss, Lee. It’s so hard when we loose these beautiful babies.
I love this Tortie website! I am the proud mother of a young Tortie that someone dumped at my husband’s work when she was only a kitten. Our Tortie is loud and talkative! She jumps on my husband’s stomach really early in the morning to be let out. She keeps loudly meowing until he wakes up, When he finally gets up, she runs to the door to be let out, meowing loudly in a demanding tone. My husband tells her “no, it is too early,” and she meows back pleadingly. She keeps meowing. Right before he goes to work, he yells at her, “Bridget, I said no, go back to bed.” Our cat glares at him, gives him an irritated meow, and jumps into bed with me. It is hilarious! She does it every morning, and when she finally comes back to bed with me, she seems so indignant. Does anyone else have a tortie who actually talks and argues with her meows? It is hilarious!
Bridget sounds like she’s read the “tortie manual” for sure, Caroline! You’ll find lots of tortie stories in the comments on this thread: https://ingridking.com/2009/08/17/tortitude-the-unique-personality-of-tortoiseshell-cats/
Mine does!! All the time!! If you tell her NO! I swear she screams to the top of her lungs YES! And it literally sounds like YES! When she doesn’t want to do anything it sounds exactly like NOooo! Mine does spot of yours same routine of a morning. But hubby just started letting her get her way since he felt she was at least trying to be nice about it. Plus she will only use the restroom outside. So the he puts it to me is…you know how bad you have to pee when you get up. And what if someone told you NO go back to bed. And having to wait until someone decides to let you go. Lol. So when he explained it like that. It made sense why once he sent her back to bed she chose to make it as miserable as possible for everyone so I would get up And let her go outside. Lol.
My husband and I have always been animal lovers, specifically til now we have always had a dog. We recently lost our love back in April 2012 at the same time this tortie kitten (stray) would come up and eat from our dogs bowl…Long story short she got pregnant to the the best of our est. @ 8 mos. old ended up having 2 kittens 1 blk male and 1 calico. They are inside outside cats, been to the vet everything taken care of shots, spayed and heartworm, etc. So not to worry about that. We have never had a cat so we just didnt understand why she was doing whatshe was doing. I am so thankful to find this site because Gracie (MOM) is so hard to read at times. Even though she wants to be a woods cat, she is so loving and we have opened our hearts and door to her and her kittens. From what I have read she makes sense now.
I’m sorry about your loss, Susan. It sounds like Gracie and her babies came into your lives at just the right time, and I’m glad you understand her better now!
I adore my Tortie,however, she insists on going to the blinds and pulls on them, The minute I walk over there she runs as she knows she isnt allowed there. What do I need to do? I love her so but very hard-headed..Help!
Make the blinds unattractive to her, Vicki. You can use the same blind cord keepers people use to keep small children safe. When you notice her playing with the blinds, distract her with a toy.
I just adopted my first torte four months ago. She is pure joy and is my constant companion. Would not hesitate to get another one and glad I discovered your site. Thank you.
Congratulations on your new baby, Sandy! If you’d like, you can post photos on our Facebook page. We love torties there, too!
Your original post introduced me to tortitude, and boy does it ever fit my tortie, Kitty! She is hilarious and non cat lovers tend to like her as much as cat people do! I always knew she was a character, and it’s fun to learn more! She’s my best bud and I would recommend a tortie to anyone — anyone who didn’t have other cats, perhaps. 🙂
I’m glad you now have an explanation for your Kitty’s personality, Ellie!
Just looked at your blog for the first time. I had two great torties. One was Reeses, who passed away three years ago, and the other Snickers(my sweet baby), who just passed on last week after an amazing 15 year life. I miss the way she would come running to the door when I came home from work, and follow me around for about 20 minutes giving me a rambling, loud rendering of how her day went. She seemed to always be by my side when I needed her most, and more than willing to hear my laments (and comment to them, of course) Torties are a wonderful breed and if/when I am able to bring a new kitty into my life-it will most likely be another Tortie!
I’m so sorry about Snickers, Isabelle (and Reeses,too). Sounds like the two of you made you a tortie lover for life. I’d love to hear from you when you’re ready to open your heart and home to another tortie.
Thank you, Ingrid, for the kind words. I will in fact drop a line again in the future. Please continue your work with our kitty friends!
Amazing Ingrid-who would have ever guessed-although who could not love your fur babies and want to come back every day for a peek into their life. I adore your posts as they are always teaching me something.
Thank you, Esme!
Huge congratulations, Ingrid – Brooke says “thanks for being a pawn in the tortie plot for world dominance!”
Hooray! We are delighted. Emma says torties are taking over the world, it’s just a matter of when.
Love you all!
Shannah (& Emma)
Tell Brooke I’m always happy to be a pawn to a tortie.
Congratulations! I have a tortie Manx. She is the most beautiful, awesome and amazing cat I have ever had. She has such a wonderful soul. Torties are the best!
Thank you, Heather. Torties rock!
I can’t believe it….then again I can. We treat this blog more like a chat room lol…There you go Ingrid, you should make a message board or chat room
Oh wow, we made it! Sweet!
Thanks for being such a big part of making it, Lynn!
Congratulations!
Thanks, Debra!
That is amazing, Ingrid. You must be so proud!, Congrats!
Thanks, Sally! I’m so touched by the community this one post created.
Congratulations! I only discovered your site a couple of months ago and I love it, so informative. I have had several torties in my life and I love them, they are one of my favorites along with the humble but awesome tabby. We currently have a tortie siamese, don’t know if she really counts as a tortie, but we love her, our Caley girl. Again, congratulations!
I’m so glad you love my site, D.D.! A tortie Siamese absolutely counts as a tortie!
A very late reply to this, but my upstairs neighbour has a tortie Persian, and goodness, doesn’t she just have the typical tortie personality! Oddly enough, too, Sophie and my Gem are startlingly similar in patterning and colour – the only difference there is that Sophie’s eyes are amber and Gem’s are emerald green. Though of course, being a Persian, Sophie is a longhair, which Gem is not. They’re very alike in many ways, and Sophie seems to adore me almost as much as Gem – I can spend hours brushing her fur, which makes her bliss out and start rubbing her face on the brush, even a wire one. Our girls are certainly brimming over with tortie attitude… ♡
I have 3 of these stunning beauties! Multi was a feral cat at our shop (I had run out of names at the time for them all…) And Dot and Delaney are her daughters that were born in my home and no one wanted them when I put up her six kittens for adoption. They are each unique and so beautiful. I had only seen two Torties previous to Multi and now I see them all the time!
Congrats on the success of the post!
Thanks, Amy! Please post photos of your beauties on our Facebook page!
I absolutely adore my tortie! Thank you for celebrating them and congratulations on this milestone : ))
Thank you so much, Pam!
Hey Now, we are so proud to be a small part of your great accomplishment on the blog. We have all learned, laughed and cried over our Torties. I know the blog will continue to bring new Tortie servants to it for a long time to come. Jay and I say, Congratulations. WE never had a doubt. <3
Thanks, Bernie and Jay!
Wow! Incredible! Fantastic! Congratulations, you created a post that really filled a void that people owned by torties needed to have filled 🙂
Thanks, Lisa!
OMG, I jsut posted that today is the 1st anniversity that I got my Magjik, I named her that because of the Magic of her colors… she is a smarty panty(bc she is a girl) she sits on my Alarm clock to turn it on bc it is time to Feed magjik…lol sometimes she turns on the radio just to be a pain… but she will turn it off if I ask her nicely… and only if she is in the mood.. she will argue with me, and talk back… but she is my baby girl and always will be…lol
Magjik sounds like a wonderful girl, Sonja.
Thanks go to you, Ingrid! And congratulations too!
I’m so glad you’re a part of this, Bernadette!
I have a Totoiseshell Maine Coon and he is a beauty and has such a unique personality he really is a beauty.
Patricia, is your tortie really a male? That’s amazing – they’re so rare, and you’re the second person who has commented on this blog who has one!
I too have a Tortoiseshell/Maine Coon cat. She is the most beautiful, amazing, gentle cat I’ve ever owned. Or, I should say, who has ever owned me.
Lois, feel free to post photos of your baby on our Facebook page – we’d love to see her!
That’s so awesome!! Congrats!!
Thanks, Angie!
Well-done and congratulations to all of you!! That’s just wonderful, and those of us who read The Conscious Cat have learned a lot from you. Keep on keepin’ on!
Thanks, Margot!