Last updated November 2025
In August of 2009, I wrote a post titled Tortitude: The Unique Personality of Tortoiseshell Cats. The post describes some of the unique traits that many of these beautifully colored cats seem to share: 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.
The post still gets hundreds of views every single day, and has generated more than 14,500 comments to date. It has become more than just a source of information for cat lovers looking for more about cats with these distinct orange, tan and black colors: it has become a place for people to share stories about the torties in their lives.
As someone who has been owned by four torties at this point, not counting my first office cat at the animal hospital I managed, I’ve become somewhat of an expert on these special cats. And while Virginia, Amber, Buckley, Ruby and Allegra all had or have some degree of tortitude, their personalities were and are also very different. This appears to be true for the torties whose guardians have shared their stories here on the site as well.
What is a tortoiseshell cat?
Contrary to what some people think, tortoiseshell cats are not a breed. They are named for their distinctive coloring – a combination of patches of black, brown, amber, red, cinnamon and chocolate. The size of the patches can range from a speckled pattern to large splotches of color. Tortoiseshell cats have have very few or no white markings, as opposed to calicos, who are tri-colored cats with larger areas of white fur. Sometimes, the colors are more muted. These torties are known as dilute torties. Very dark torties with a lot of black in their fur are often affectionately called “chocolate torties.” Occasionally, the typical tortoiseshell colors are also seen in a tabby (striped) pattern; these cats are referred to as “torbies.” Tortoiseshell is not a breed, the distinct markings appear in many different breeds.
The unique genetics of tortoiseshell cats
In addition to their unique personalities, torties also have unique genetics. A cat’s main color is determined by a primary coat color gene. The tortoiseshell pattern is determined by two co-dominant genes, in other words, two genes that are expressed at the same time and affect each other. In a bi-colored tortie, these two genes comingle to produce the characteristic brindled tortoiseshell pattern. In dilute torties, these genes are modified by a recessive gene, which results in softer coat colors. Black becomes grey, orange becomes cream.
The vast majority of tortoiseshell cats are female, because two X chromosomes are required to produce black, gold and orange coloring. Male cats only have one X and one Y chromosome, so technically it’s genetically almost impossible for a male to inherit the tortoiseshell coloring. A male tortoiseshell has an extra X chromosome, making it an XXY. According to a study by the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Missouri, only 1 in 3000 tortoiseshell cats is male.
A tortoiseshell cat may have a distinct tabby pattern on one of its colors. This pattern is driven by yet another gene. Tabby cats, also referred to as tiger cats, are cats with a coat featuring a pattern of distinctive stripes, lines, dots or swirling patterns. These cats are known as torbies, and, like all tortoiseshell cats, are predominantly female.
Tortoiseshell Cat Folklore
Tortoiseshell cats have a mythical folklore in many cultures, much of it centered around the rare male tortoiseshell. The Celts considered it a good omen if a male tortoiseshell stayed in their home. English folklore has it that warts could be healed if rubbed by the tail of a male tortoiseshell’s tail during the month of May. Japanese fishermen believed that male tortoiseshells protected their ships from storms and ghosts. A Khmer legend in South East Asia has it that the first tortoiseshell arose from the menstrual blood of a goddess born of a lotus flower.
Torties are thought to bring good luck in many cultures. They are sometimes referred to as the money cat.
Tortoiseshell cats were believed to have psychic abilities and see into the future. It is said that those who dream of a tortoiseshell cat will be lucky in love.
Are tortoiseshell cats really different from other cats?
Speaking from personal experience, it appears that no two tortoiseshell cats display the exact same amount of tortitude. Virginia had definitely read the book on tortitude. The first time I met her, during my interview for the hospital manager position, she greeted me by walking over to me, looking up at me, and then digging her claws into my legs to use them as a scratching post. Amber was the “anti-tortie” – she was a gentle, calm, almost shy cat, but she was a bit headstrong. Buckley’s tortitude manifested in her exuberance. She loved everything and everybody. Allegra is highly sensitive to the world around her, and often quick to react to something that she perceives as a threat. Ruby is the most high-spirited cat I’ve ever had. Of all my cats, she is the one with the highest dose of tortitude.
The experts weigh in on tortitude
I decided to check with some other experts to get their thoughts on tortitude. “I often tell clients that torties are the redheads of the cat world,” says feline veterinarian Dr. Fern Slack, who owns Uniquely Cats Veterinary Center in Boulder, CO. “They are beautiful, but short-tempered and quick to wrath. Of course they are not all like that, any more than every redhead is – but I always approach a tortie with a tad more circumspection than any other coat color.” While Dr. Slack takes a cautious approach to her tortie patients, she adds “I’ve always thought that the price you pay in tortitude, you get back tenfold in love.”
“There is no evidence that there is a link between color gene and personality,” says the late Dr. Elizabeth Colleran, a former president of the American Association of Feline Practitioners and former owner of two cat hospitals. “It is true though, that almost all tortoiseshell cats are females, and some people perceive females as being more headstrong than male cats. However, the real determination of personality is naturally a combination of genetics and environment.”
Jackson Galaxy has worked with his share of tortoiseshell cats in his decades of helping cats with behavioral challenges. “In my experience, tortitude is a very real thing,” says Jackson. “And now that there is a a study correlating coat pattern with behavior, our characterizations have been validated. Of course, anyone who knows me, knows I try not to talk about cats in generalities.” Jackson feels that torties and calicos are more energetically sensitive. “I think that’s part of the reason why their personalities are always on full display,” he says. “I’ve always said that cats are energetic sponges. Torties, however, just seem to soak up more, which is why they’ve got so much to say.”
Tortoiseshell cats are special
Those of us who love torties embrace their unique personalities. It is important to remember that every cat, regardless of coat color, is an individual. Not every tortie will exhibit the traits attributed to these beautifully colored cats, but the majority seem to live up to their reputation. As far as I’m concerned, tortitude is real. And while torties may, at times, seem like they have split personalities, going from purring away in your lap to suddenly racing around the house like a crazy kitten, those of us who love them wouldn’t want them any other way.
I have had cats all of my 51 years but had never had a torbie until Tess came along. My husband and I found Tess in front of our local bookstore in early July. Apparently, she’d been dumped and had wandered up in hopes of something to eat. She was sick and half starved when we found her. We took her to our vet, got her well and had her spayed. She is terrified of my husband (the nicest man on the planet-lol) But she ADORES me. She is NOT a cuddly wuddly lap cat. She loves to play…she’s ALL about the play! But she’s loving in her own way and doesn’t like me to be away from her for even a short time. Vet says she’s between 1-2 years old though she has a very small build. (Almost as if she hadn’t received adequate nutrition as a baby). We are having serious issues with her biting and scratching (now I understand a bit more about tortitude)…and since I’m a diabetic, that’s a problem for me! If you read this and have any ideas, I’d love to get an email from you…I’m at my wits end. I love her but HAVE to nip this behavior in the bud. Thanks so much~
Lynnie, you may find some helpful information in these two articles, one on play aggression: https://ingridking.com/2012/02/23/play-aggression-in-cats-biting-the-hand-that-teases/ and one on petting aggression: https://ingridking.com/2012/02/08/petting-aggression-in-cats-biting-the-hand-that-loves/
It sounds like Tess has a lot of excess energy to burn. Try structured playtime with her, 10-15 minutes, two or three times a day. Really get her tired out. Use interactive wand toys to keep your hands out of reach.
My Khaos I have had for two years and just now learning about her bread. She is a Dilute Tortie. She is absolutely beautiful. She was basically dumped off. I have never had a cat to her magnitude of personality. Unique to say the least. I am not sure I have ever heard her meow…all she does is hiss. Never understood why until your articles. Six months ago she did have a drastic personality change and became very aggressive. After a few days and many wounds i was able to get her into the vet and found out she has an under active thyroid. I was wondering if this is a common thing with this breed? Now that her levels are normal she is a treasure to have around. Her ways of communication are by purring and growling or hissing. She uses her paws like hands. And yes, very territorial of me. However, when i do have guests…she thinks they are there for her, specifically to pet her. Thank you so much for your article. I am looking forward more education about this bread. Sure wish I could share a picture of my Khaos with you!
Tortoiseshell is actually not a breed, Catt, it’s simply the name for torties’ beautiful coloring. As the article explains, the tortie markings can appear in many different breeds. There is no link between coat color and hyperthyroidism. Aggression is a symptom of hyperthyroidism, as you found out, which is why it’s always critical to rule out medical issues when a cat exhibits sudden behavior changes.
We’d love to see photos of your Khaos – feel free to post on our Facebook page (see link in the sidebar.)
Oops…breed, wrong word. Thanks for clarifying. And Thank You for the thyroid info. Am enjoying getting to know Khaos all over again now that we have her health back in order.
Khaos is beautiful! Thank you for sharing her photo on our Facebook page, Catt!
My first tortie was a longhaired black tortie kitten whom I rescued from the alleyway behind my then apartment building in Long Beach, California. I called her Spooky. She seemed grateful to be rescued, and would attempt to nurse on my neck. She was very sweet. She didn’t live to be old, running under the wheels of a car when only about 2 years old, when I had brought her back to California.
I currently have 9 cats, 3 of them torties. My oldest one, Friday, is a gorgeous red tortoiseshell. Her only white markings are her whiskers. She is still going strong at 14 years old.
My next oldest cat is Mocha, a tortie-and-white. She’s about 10 years old, large, and very longhaired. She’s also pretty mellow.
Had a couple of small DSH black torties. One of them had to be euthanized when she came down with a prolapsed rectum. There was no way I could afford the expensive surgery to correct the problem. I cried most of the night I had to have her euthanized.
Later on I adopted another small DSH black tortie who was in the middle of her second pregnancy. I called her Millie. She wandered off after we moved to AZ.
I still have two of her grandchildren: A black DSH tortie I call Dolly, and a B&W tuxedo boy I call Sylvester.
Yes, 9 cats are “too many.” But I love them all and they like me. I think it’s fun to snooze with cats!
3 torties! You are surrounded by tortitude!
My black tortoise likes to go outside but when it’s night and she wants back in,she calls at the window until someone gives in and let’s back.Usually it’s around 5 am that she gives me a wake up call!
I recently adopted a chocolate tortie kitten and named her Sabrina; she is 6 months old now. She is extremely affectionate; she likes to sit on me or any visitors, and she purrs almost non-stop. She is also extremely energetic just as I would expect for a cat to be at that age, but she is definitely very, very stubborn. I also have a 3 year old black cat named Salem, and I have noticed that he was far more willing to learn the rules of the house than Sabrina. She defiantly hops back up on the kitchen table minutes after being told to get off of it; she scratches on the rug despite having a cat tree and a scratching post; and when I tell her, “No!” she always responds with a very indignant and loud, “Meow!!!” She actually isn’t very talkative, but she always has something to say when I try to correct her behavior. She’s a real stinker, but I’m glad to have her in the family. 🙂
Yup, that sounds like tortitude, Laura. 🙂
I just took in a torti about a month ago, rescuing her from some kids who tried to throw rocks at her outside my apartment complex. She’s about 10 weeks now according to the vet, so really young but sooo full of personality. A lot of what you described sums Roxy up completely. She can go from purring in my lap, to going crazy running around. I have a pet hedgehog and anytime I am holding him, she does everything she can good and bad to get my full attention. Whether it be bumping my hand or going for the blinds because she knows already she’s not suppose to be in them. She can be the most affectionate kitten and then go to being a little stinker. I use a water bottle to deter her from scratching walls or blinds and there has been a couple times I have sprayed her and shes looked dead at me and did it again with even more determination. Only having her a month I already see what people say about tortitude…shes got it 100 percent and I love it. I also see how smart she is, she’s got her favorite toy already and she will bring it to me to throw for her, bat it around and them bring it back up on my lap and look at me waiting for me to throw it. She catches on really quickly with things, the fact that she was way too young to be away from momma when I took her in but still had no trouble adjusting to the kitten food or litter box amazed me. She’s a special little girl full of spunk. 🙂
Your little girl definitely sounds like she’s got tortitude and then some! I would encourage you to discontinue the use of a squirt bottle, not only do they not work, as you’re already seeing with her, they can damage the bond between cat and human. Here’s more information: https://ingridking.com/2012/03/29/squirt-bottles-punishment-and-cat-behavior/
My daughter was two when we adopted our tortie, Jasmine. They picked each other and for the past 10 years, these two have grown up together and are inseparable. Jas sleeps in my daughter’s arms every night and lets her know, in no uncertain terms, exactly when bedtime is. God forbid my daughter not be home because Jas will wander around meowing very loudly calling her name. Seriously!! I simply have to let Jas know that she will have to bunk with me for the night though I know I am her second choice. Jas is very affectionate to her people she loves, likes to lick, is a lap cat, loves hugs, likes to be warm, pudgy and heavy, shy of strangers, moody & sensitive, scared of thunderstorms, territorial of “her” bedroom and bed (my daughter’s) and we love our tortie very much. Recently it has occurred to my daughter that Jas is getting older and she worries about the day they will have to say farewell. I tell her that we just have to live and love for today and not worry so much about tomorrow – To enjoy and live to the fullest each and every day blessed to us.
Jas sounds like a wonderful cat, Val. You are so right about living in the moment, and cats are so good at teaching us about that!
I had my Hailey for over 12 years before she passed and she ruled the house for those years. My brother left for college before she joined us and whenever he visited we would have to keep his door closed or she would use his bed as a litter box in protest over sharing the house with him. She would also give me verbal abuse if I went away for more then a day or two and yet would regularly disappear and only turn up when you brought the food out. The good food of course, god help you if you gave her something she didn’t like to eat because she was one very picky eater.
Torties do seem to be particularly skilled at the verbal abuse thing, Aisling. 🙂
M cat name is Tessa the last 2 weeks she hiss and growls
And coms at me I have to put her in room till she comes down, is there any thing else I can due???
If you haven’t already done so, take Tessa to your veterinarian for a thorough check up. Any sudden behavior change can be an indicator of a health problem.
I first met Callie, my tortie at an animal shelter last spring. She wasn’t a kitten but more like a “teenager”. I told her she was by her markings either the homliest or most beautiful cat I had ever met but to me she was beautiful. I took her home, gave her much loving but she will not sit on my lap or let me hold her. I feel she may have been mistreated in her early life since she has a mishapened tail and does not meow… all she has is a garbled squeak but a wonderful purr
Thank you for accepting Callie for who she is, Sonja. Not every cat is comfortable being a lap cat, or even being held, but going by her purr, Callie sounds like a happy girl!
I think that must be a Tortie trait. Our Luci, also a rescue cat, does not want to be held or sit in you lap. She approaches me frequently by touch my arm with a paw when I am sitting in a chair or demanding to be petted when I go to bed. Likes her tummy to be scratched. And, trimming her claws — a real challenge.
I currently have two Torties. No lap kittens here. They each want to be petted and stroked, on their schedule. Each has a different vocal sound. One is a high pitched meow, some say she sounds like a little kitten. ( she is 3 years) the other does the mew mew low and sounds like she is gnawing on something. I had my soul Tortie Steeler. Now there was a Tortie so fantastic. She was a one person, tear others to pieces kind of Tortie. She was lovable and as all my cats are, we was my first rescue. She was a throw away and she chose me to live with. I will forever be grateful she chose me. She passed to soon. Now for the claw clipping. I dread it also. Steeler would not co-operate at all. I had the vet do hers. Now I have Justice and DaJudge and a Russian Blue called Freedom. Now, I just today trimmed DaJudge’s front claws. She was a doll. I did Justice’s on Saturday. No problem. Freedom, well, 2 out of 3 isn’t bad. She goes to the vet.
I’ve had two torties one when I was growing up, who was my best friend through some really traumatic times and I confess I wasn’t a cat person having had a dog at young age but this tortie really shocked and impressed me she used to come up to the door and scratch but I never had the key my parents did so one day I actalty pointed towards the back and said go around to the other door and to my surprise she then always used the back door from then on. I was shocked and stunned by her intelligence and it made me completely change how I looked at cats. Recently myself partner took in a young tortie grey who had been neglected and she is so damn clever, I mean you can’t get anything past these cats and they know how to get your attention also one thing I’ve noticed is they have deep companionship’s with you and are really loving towards you and they can also recognize if you’ve done something by accident like step on there tails and don’t hold it against you for ages like other cats. I think torties are the best breed out there and everyone should have one.
I love that a tortie turned you into a cat person, Gabrielle. 🙂
I just adopted my first kitten, an 8 week old diluted tortie female. Her name is bella, she is about 3 months now and she is the most adorable and affectionate cat I have ever encountered. She loves being held, pet, and always sleeps by my head or legs! She is an energetic little bundle of joy that wakes me up everymorning by pushing her head into my face. Its always super early but i can never get upset because shes the CUTEST THING IN THE WORLD!
Bella sounds wonderful, Gene!
We have a rescued tortie, and quite frankly, she’s the devil. She gets along pretty well with me, unless I’ve somehow irritated her. At that point, it’s on. I’m bigger and louder than she is, though, so when she hisses, I hiss back and make her back down. I’ve only gotten scratched by her twice. My wife isn’t as big or loud, and has been scratched more times. My Mother in Law was holding the cat, attempting to calm her, when Princess (The cat) hooked her lip with her claws. It was kinda ugly.
But when my wife is crying, she’s up there fiercely trying to placate her by cuddling and purring. She likes to hang out with me in the computer room, and she loves being petted. She’ll even let me pet her stomach as she squirms and rolls around. She can be very charming.
She absolutely doesn’t get along with our other 2 cats though. She hated my Mother in Law’s cat when she lived with us as well. She got along with a small dog at the yarn shop (went out of business, so we took her in) that she came from. The owner had 4 large dogs at her house, as well as the small one at the yarn shop, so was worried that Princess (Then called stitches) wouldn’t fit in. Now I have a better idea as to why.
I’ve was told as a kid that you should never hiss back at a cat. It scares them and makes them more aggressive. JS.
You are absolutely correct, Patty.
My tortie is the most loving, outgoing cat ever! She lived on the street for a while, following a man to his job every day. He turned her in to the shelter, where she first met me. She ran UP my torso into my arms the day I met her as if to say “Take me home!” (She’s never done that again).
She requires a lot of love and attention but she’s not too fiery. My fat male tabby, on the other hand…
Hi there! I was reading this article and these comments with my tortie Agnes. We adopted her at 9 weeks old, and got her from a vet. They said they found her in a box. We decided to adopt Agnes because I had to get rid of our dog Lily and I felt sorry. She did have brother, and when we got her I was so excited. She is now 2 yrs old, and she is the most affectionate cat I have ever seen! She has started curling up right against me on the couch. She has never been too playful
With toys, but we have invented a game called ‘nip’. She sits in the bedroom on my bed, and we poke her and pull our hand away quickly. If she catches us, she gently will bite your hand. But if she bites a little to rough, she will lick you saying sorry. We’ve been doing this since we got her. She trills and meows (she is very mouthy!) And will purr up against you. Whenever she hears us coming home,, she’ll rush to the door. (We can hear her coming due to her having a bell on her collar!) She is just the sweetest thing. And thank you for posting this article!
Agnes sounds like a real sweetheart, Amber.
Hi there!
I am writing to join the tortie community! And also to ask for any advice about how to make my tortie (Pumpkin) the happiest cat she can be!
I’ll write more about my cat situation in a moment, but, mostly I am wondering about how to show my tortie that I love her, even though it’s not always obvious how to do so, as she is not the most affectionate. I also do not want her to feel like we love our other kitty more than her.
I am a first time cat owner. I adopted Pumpkin from a rescue about 2.5 months ago. At the shelter, she was in a very small cage. As soon as we opened the cage, she nose-kissed me, and came into my arms. She was about a year old. At the shelter, they said she was about 1 year, 4 months, but I think she may have been younger, because, since she came to us, she has grown quite a bit!
Since we adopted her, it’s been a wild, rewarding ride. From the beginning, Pumpkin has been less docile than she was at the shelter! She doesn’t like to be held and is not a “lap cat” in the standard sense. There is no way we can ever get her into bed with us! She does LOVE to sprawl out on my husband’s legs though, and sometimes sits by my feet. She also needs to always be in the same room with me, even though she is not a big snuggler. She is also the sweetest nose kisser. She will get right up on her back legs and bang her nose against ours! She is very smart and tentative. . . .she carefully pokes everything she sees with her paw. I love her unique personality and wouldn’t change anything about her for the world.
But she also seems to have a difficult time sometimes. . . .and I want to make sure I am doing everything I can!
After we adopted her, we worried for a bit that she was bored (even though we played with her), so, we sought advice and ended up getting a female tuxedo kitten (5 months) named Hummus. Hummus is, in many ways, very different from Pumpkin. She is very affectionate, vocal, and sleeps with us every night.
We wanted to introduce them slowly, but this proved to be impossible, as Hummus would literally not detach herself from my body. Pumpkin was reasonably upset for days, with hissing, a lot of looks of betrayal, etc.
Since then, they are playmates! They chase each other around the house and rough house (but not too roughly). I am so impressed with Pumpkin’s ability to back off and swat lightly. We have no fear of her harming Hummus. Sometimes, they even sleep in the same place (but with little touching!).
After about a week and a half of having Hummus, Pumpkin had adjusted. But then, she started peeing a little by the bed–on my clothes, etc. She also seemed depressed–sleeping in the same spot all day, her coat a little matted. I bought some felliway spray and stepped up our play time and there hasn’t been any peeing for a week (also, Hummus will go in Pumpkin’s litter box, which I think upsets Pumpkin). Her coat is all poofy again and she has a spring in her step.
Since getting Hummus, Pumpkin as also become a lot more vocal. She never made noises before, but now she makes kind of unpracticed meows/chirps. I don’t think she probably had anyone to vocalize with before.
I don’t know much about Pumpkin’s history. But I do know she was in the shelter for at least a month before I adopted her, and either in foster care or a high kill shelter before that. Part of me suspects she was a stray.
Here’s what I worry about: it’s very hard to show Pumpkin affection in any obvious way. Thus far, she is uninterested in wet food (which Hummus loves!), mostly uninterested in any toys (except for the bird catcher!), mostly uninterested in treats, and not at all into being picked up. She does accept petting, but sometimes bites, which I believe is sometimes playful, but often from being overstimulated.
I feel like a bad cat mother though, because, unlike with Pumpkin, it is so easy to give Hummus what she needs because she asks for it, and loves attention, treats, food, whatever you throw at her.
And then poor Pumpkin seems to want affection and love, but is sometimes so hostile when we give it.
I do not want to project human emotions onto my kitties, because I know they are unique, but I worry about Pumpkin getting jealous/hurt over our relationship with Hummus. For example, Hummus gets right up into the bed with us, purring, relaxing, and Pumpkin will sit about a foot away and just sit and watch. We’ve given up picking up Pumpkin, because she will scratch and hiss.
But we want her to know she is welcome and that we love her just as much as Hummus. I in no way “need” her to get in bed with us if she doesn’t want to. . . .but sometimes she seems like she wants to, but doesn’t. Also, when we first got her, she would go into small places and seem to not know how to get out, even though she physically could. Sometimes she just seems so riddled with anxiety. . . .
I have figured out that the absolute best way (that I know of) to help Pumpkin’s anxiety/depression is to play with her A LOT every day (letting her chase me and the bird catcher around the house!). Like I said, she is more likely to sit on my husband than me, but I am definitely her #1 playtoy.
So I play with her, give her gentle pets, and speak to her in a gentle way. I do not get mad at her when she bites me. I always give her space, then come back to her and just sit quietly a while later so she knows everything is okay.
I suspect she had a rough life before coming to us. . . .given her anxiety and her odd vocalizations.
So, does anyone have any advice about how to best help my (stray) tortie feel loved? I just want her to know I love her and am here for her. I do not need her to change or be anything other than she is, but I do not want her to suffer from unnecessary anxiety.
Thank you so much!
Welcome to our tortie community, Sophie! It sounds to me like you’re already doing everything right with Pumpkin. I especially love that you wrote “I do not need her to change or be anything other than she is.” I think you just need to keep doing what you’re doing, and give her time to relax and settle into your home. I think you’ll see her become more confident with time.Not all cats will want to be lap cats, nor do all cats need the same amount of affection.
It does sound like she is showing some petting aggression from being overstimulated, this article has more information: https://ingridking.com/2012/02/08/petting-aggression-in-cats-biting-the-hand-that-loves/
Thank you so much for this resource! I found it very informative! and it sounds just like Pumpkin. . . she is very sensitive!
I would never want to change her. . . .of course there is a small part of me that wishes she would like sitting on my lap, I just want her to be her own unique self. Also, there is something so fulfilling about nurturing her on her own terms. She requires a lot of careful consideration, which makes it all the more rewarding when she rewards us with a nose kiss, a head bunt, or a greeting at the door. I love figuring out ways to make her feel special.
Two other things. . . .mostly because I have become so interesting in learning about my cats’ behavior!
–Like I said before, she has become more vocal since we brought Hummus, our kitten home. This only became apparent after about two weeks of having Hummus, who is very, VERY vocal and always asks for what she wants! What I think is super neat is that Pumpkin’s vocalizations are getting more and more common! They almost completely consist of trills (no meows) and she almost almost does them in front of the door of the closet where she knows we have her favorite toys.
So, I am wondering if perhaps having Hummus around has encouraged Pumpkin to vocalize more? I know there is no way to tell for sure. . . .but we had her for two months and she made no sound at all. . . .but now is making these trills!
My other comment/question is this: last night a new toy arrived in the mail. It is a mouse that beeps when you squeeze it and as a tiny bit of catnip inside. Pumpkin LOVES this toy and she has never been interested in anything except “da bird” before! But the most interesting thing to me is that the toy makes her more affectionate as we play with it. She starts trilling and head bunting me as I move the mouse around and rubbing herself against me. She head-bunted Hummus as well (it was so sweet!). She has had catnip before and it usually makes her more aggressive (in a harmless, playful way). There is just something about this one little mouse that makes her so happy. Regardless of what it was, it was a real joy to see!
Thank you so much again for responding and for this lovely blog!
It is possible that Pumpkin is vocalizing more now that Hummus is part of your family – and trilling is a happy sound, so it’s all good!
That’s so sweet that she loves that new mouse so much. I’ve found that many cats have one special toy, and they often treat it like a baby, to the point of carrying it around. I wonder whether Pumpkin will start doing that wit her mousie? Here’s a post I wrote about Allegra and her special toy: https://ingridking.com/2012/03/07/allegras-baby/
Hi Sophie,
You did say the little mouse had nip in it? Well let just say Punpkin is enjoying a little kitty high with the nip. It does have a tendency to make them lovable, and purring. Even rolling on the floor as if they are feeling just “so fine”. Yep that is nip. My 2 forties have the nip gene and I have a russian blue also with the nip gene. I grow my own. Best calming influence they have. Not all cats have the nip gene. But when they do, and they get to have it, it does seem to make a difference. There is no danger in giving the nip. Fresh nip in the summer is nice. Jay Davenport brought it to my home and planted an small crock. Well it grows like crazy. I will have a lot to dry for my girls to last the next 4 winters. Just let her enjoy herself. As for toys, my youngest Tortie, loves the catnip pickle. My precious Steeler, who crossed the bridge, in 2012 loved that pickle.
I don’t think the catnip explains why Pumpkin loves this particular mouse so much, as opposed to other toys.
I’d also like to add a caution to giving catnip to cats: some cats will react by becoming aggressive, so it’s always a good idea to proceed with caution the first time you give catnip to a new kitty.
Sophie, I enjoyed reading about your Tortie. I agree with Ingrid on how you are working with Pumpkin. I am a little late looking in on this page, but, trust me, she is behaving like a lot of Torties. I have 2 and they have been with me since they were 5 to 6 wks. old. They come to me when they are ready. I just give them their space. Now they are almost 3 but they are loving, in their way, and give love and plenty of it when they are ready. They are not lap Torties. They will sit next to me or even lay on my bed, but they do not lay on my lap. They are vocal and follow me throughout the house. So you are going to find Torties will show love in their way and they are bonded to you, without you realizing it.
Thank you so much for posting this! It is so much fun to talk to people who have similar cats!
Pumpkin is definitely bonded to us. . . .especially my husband (uses his legs as a perch) and me (as a playmate!). But this bond, as you put it, is very unique. I always expected a cat to be either aloof or snuggly, but Pumpkin has taught me they’re much more complex than that.
She sounds very much like your torties. She usually sits next to our feet.
I find everything about Pumpkin to be rewarding, especially the more I try to learn about her and accept her on her own terms. When she shows affection–through bunting, or nose-kissing, it is so rewarding. It is also rewarding to have tried (and succeeded!) at easing her anxiety and at least, for the time being, easing any litter box problems.
Thank you for sharing you own tortie experiences!
I have a 16 year old female short hair tortoiseshell Kitty! My cats nickname is HEART OF GOLD! No temper on that one! BIG BIG BIG HEART! easy to make happy! She always want to get pet. When there’s visitor she is all in there business, pet me! notice me! She love everyone. We adopt a black cat that was abuse, not once was she mean with her. Let her in her home with no problem. The Black cat is more bossy with her but she does n`t mind, she loves her sister. and when my Tortoiseshell cat is sad or scared of car ride my other kitty takes care of her. It`s a real family at home! I find that tortoiseshell cats live longer! There stuff cats! That cat does n`t need to own anything or have all the attention, she just to kind hearted. Give her attention, talk to her and she will answer back. when your sad, she wont leave you alone. WE LOVE HER! Sorry but this is my notice in cats… Temper i find is always better with short hair cats. We have a long hair cat, don`t get me wrong she is a nice cat NOW but i find them they take longer to be nice. I need always more training and trust issues with them to deal with before they understand sharing and understand that no one is here to hurt them or take there place. None of my cats are independent. I come home there at the door. there always around me. Sorry to say but most of the time a cat has a temper problem it`s because you ALOW IT! Never back down with my cats. I`m not scared of scratches. most people have that problem cause there scare of there cats when there angry. You just need to show you don`t give a crap and this is your house. It`s worth it because my cats are happy together and with us because we have full trust in each other and they know it`s MY HOUSE not theres. Cats are bossy by nature. My tortoiseshell cat is the first cat i ever seen not wanting to be a boss. She is so kindhearted!
What a sweet nickname for your tortie, Vicki!
I don’t agree that cats are possessive by nature (although some torties sure are! 🙂 ); just like humans, cats’ personalities vary. I don’t necessarily recommend not backing down if a cat becomes angry – it can backfire and cause increased aggression in some cats. It sounds like it’s working for you in your home, and that’s what matters.
Vicki, love that nickname. I have 2 three year old Torties. I let them have run of the house. I know they can have their little quirks, but I don’t allow the scratching or nipping. They went thru that stage and with a little stern tap on the top of the nose now and then, there is no more scratching or nipping. They learn to have limits on behavior. I have had 3 forties so far and my 1st Tortie was Steeler. She was a rescue (as all my cats are). She loved me and only me. (One exception was Jay, but that’s another story). My Steeler was an attack cat to people, she would stay clear away from them when anyone came here. She would lie in the sunroom and if a stray cat came onto the porch, she let it know it was not welcome here. Now these two I have learned no showing attitude with scratches and nips. We all are fine with that.
I adopted a tortie kitten about two weeks ago, and she definitely has tortitude. She is so sweet though and definitely cuddly. Also quite social. I’m so glad I got her. This article also made me laugh because I am in fact a redhead, and the post says that torties are the redheads of the cat world! 🙂
Sounds like you found your match, Allison! 🙂
We got our tortoiseshell kitten 6 months ago from a shelter. She was in a cage and poked her arm thru the cage to get our attention. We cuddled her but she was quite fierce and her claws came out. We took her home and she had caught a cold and was scared as we had young children. Six months on and she has a big personality and is very social. Loves being around people and loves the children. She is so gentle and won’t hurt the kids. We all love her to bits.
I’m so glad you gave your tortie time to adjust, Fiona. She sounds wonderful.
Allison, yes, Torties can be the “redheads” of cats. They are also the most beautiful and lovable when they are in the mood. I have 2 and I know how they can be and are.
I adopted a torte kitten a few wks ago from the shelter she was 2 months old. I was hoping for an affectionat cat to sit on our laps and love on us . It helps me with anxiety and is therapy for me and one of my kids . SHe is beautiful and I love her and her beautiful loud meow. But doesnt care to lap with us or to be cuddled. She will let us pick her up and give her a squeeze but then wants back down. Is it too early to tell or should I rehome her while she is still a kitten and easy to rehome. I dont want to give up on her so easily but i do want the best for her and know at this point it would still be easy to rehome her. I have too yellow labs and another cat that is actually her mom as i adopted her at the same time. due to there sensitive nature it has also crossed my mind that maybe she should be in a home with out so many other animals. or maybe she is getting all the affection she needs from her mom. any advice would be appreciated.
Not all cats like to be lap cats. Your kitten is still very young, and she may mellow out as she gets older, but there’s no guarantee that she will be a lap cat. Only you can decide whether you’ll be willing to accept her for who she is. If you decide to rehome her and look for another cat, I would recommend looking for an older (young adult) cat. You’ll have a much better idea of the cat’s personality once they reach 2 or 3 years of age.
I was reading this article with my tortie cat Gabbryelle and it sounds just like her! I’m almost 16 and I’m an only child and felt lonely being by myself most of the time so when my boyfriend’s cat had kittens I had to have one! So in April I got my first kitten Xziah who is a blonde male, but shortly after I brought him home he seemed lonely as well. So when my boyfriend said that his cat was pregnant once again I got excited. This time I knew I wanted a little girl. she was born in August and was the only female out of 6 kittens and I instantly fell in love with her. Xziah did as well because as soon as I brought her home. Being that he is her biological brother I thought it was just adorable. She is completely different from him though. He hates crowds and the outdoors and rarely meows but purrs 24\7. Gabbie on the other hand is outgoing loves people and tries to sneak out any chance she can. She is a little princess who has to have the last word and will not enter a room without her announcing “I’m here” but you’ll never hear her purr. I’m leaving for college in 3 years and plan on getting a house on my own so I can take them with me but Gabbie has taken a liking to my father. She cuddles with him and sleeps on his chest and I’m worried taking her away from him will make her depressed or stray away from me or Z (the male cat)
Gabbie sounds like a wonderful little girl, Sierra!
I have a tortie named Cocoa, she is just a cute little fur ball who loves almost everything, except other cats, when we first found her she was most likely a stray or a lost pet considering the fact that she had a white collar, which could have been a flee collar, but I’m not sure, she’s an outdoor cat of course, I kinda understand why she doesn’t trust other cats, because all of them fight her almost constantly, and I have no idea who did it but Cocoa was declawed before we found her, so its hard for her to defend herself, there are at least four cats that she doesn’t like Shadow a male black cat, A male long haired gray (who I’m completely allergic to) cat named Grey(duh), a fat short haired male brown tabby who I haven’t figured out a name for yet, and a small white haired cat(Idk if male or female, most likely male) who I named Winter. The only one I never seen fight Cocoa was Shadow, he’s the one I’ve seen the most around the house, Winter however I’ve seen him twice, the first time he was meowing really really loud in my backyard, so I went outside and tried to let me pet him, but when I tried he went through the gap in the fence. Then the second time he was meowing really loud again so I walked outside again and tried to pet him again, but this time, Cocoa came and started to meow angrily, and her tail swishing in anger, she probably told him to go away. And that’s the last time I saw Winter. When he left Cocoa actually looked proud, or just happy, because after that she was completely lovey dovey. Her last meeting with Shadow ended in whole chunks of fur missing in Cocoa’s back, shoulders, and neck, and yes she was OK after that that event was actually two weeks ago, and I haven’t seen the other two in a long time so I think there off our tail now. The worse part of all, Cocoa hasn’t been home in about four days and I’m really really worried! Please, be okay Cocoa
I live in Fremont, Nebraska,I am thirteen years old and thank you for reading
Since Cocoa is declawed, she had to have been someone’s pet at some point. I hope she comes back, Koarah. Declawed cats should never be allowed to be outside, they can’t defend themselves, as you saw when Cocoa got hurt in the fight with Shadow. I urge you to bring Cocoa inside when she returns and get her used to being an indoor only cat.
I have a Maine Coon male cat 3yrs old and is very loving and quiet but also loves to talk to me …I have another older cat that is a Noweigan Forest and they get along well but the older one is an outdoor cat mostly…I am thinking of getting another kitten and wondering what type of cat would be most compatible with my Maine Coon….I was looking at a Tortoiseshell kitten but now that I have read about their personalities I am wondering if this type of kitten would not be the best to intergrade with my other cats….can you offer some advice on this….would appreciate a reply…
Thanks,
Bernice
Unfortunately, there’s no way to predict whether cats will get along, Bernice. The best you can do is match personalities. Older cats often don’t take well to newcomers, but it depends on their personality. I wish I had a better answer for you!
Ive had and have tortie cats and ive been a vet tech for over 10 years. Tortie cats definetely have tortitude.
They are wild, can be very aggressive, very strongminded, usually fearless, they are smart, have a great sense of humor and to the person they choose to love they are VERYVERY sweet, loving, caring and protective.
Tortie cats are great. I love m <3
When I worked in veterinary hospitals, torties often had their charts marked with caution stickers. 🙂 They are unique, that’s for sure!
I met my tortie, (I Love)Lucy Lu, a month ago at a rescue and brought her home 2 weeks ago. I have to say that I fell in love at first sight and was very impatient to bring her home! she is mostly black and orange with paler gold markings on her chin, tummy and two paws. her face is divided directly down the middle … Black with orange on the right and orange with black on the right – a dividing line between them! so exotic and so funny at the same time.
I am thrilled to say that Lucy and my 11year old Yorkie are absolutely fabulous friends already! They lay on my lap together and Reagan puts up with her no matter what she does! She is ver sweet tempered, very loving and very entertaining! I am in Love with. Lucy!
Lucy sounds gorgeous, Marci! Post photos of her on our Facebook page, we’d love to see her. I love that she’s already sharing your lap with Reagan.
I’m so jealous! Haha I’d give pretty much anything if my Tort, Runtessa Beautessa (Tuss for short) got along with my fox terrier mix, Ivan, and didn’t attack him at every opportunity. Lemme tell you, my poor dog is terrified of her….There is a lot of animal maneuvering and herding at my house, lol. She used to tolerate him at best when we lived in a different house. As soon as we moved, she became extremely aggressive toward him. She literally hunts him. She’s 16 and at this point there’s not much I can do, although I haven’t tried reintroducing by taking her out of the house and bringing her back in. I just haven’t wanted to put her through that (or the kennel for that matter haha). My Tuss also has a divided face starting from the nose. Cinnamon on one side black on the other with speckles of the opposite, almost like a yin yang. Totally fitting for her Tortitude lol
What a great name, Bree! I’m sorry she’s terrorizing your terrier.
(I Love) Lucy Lu just completed her third week with us. She and Reagan are co-existing nicely – sharing my lap as well as most other things of interest to them. perhaps it is working so well because Reagan grew up with a cat and also is a very sweet boy! I have to say that Lucy is also very sweet … Not yet showing many signs of tortitude! She’s purring on my lap as I write this! It is truly a joy to have her!
Sounds like things are going really well, Marci! I’m so happy for you!
hi, i have a tortie with pure markings she is less than a year old her name is littlemissichief and she rules the house. i have another cat called princess smoochy poochy who is a tuxedo cat she is about 4 years old and i got her as a kitten. they have fought constantly since i got them both. my tortie eats her food like she has never been fed before and she will even take smoochys food from her. i leave food out all day so i know she isnt hungry and i worm them both regularly so its not that but everything is hers. my biggestproblem is how she is clawing at the wallpaper despite having scratch posts everywhere. i am in a rented property and she has wrecked every wall in the house, even eating big chunks of paper she pulls off. she is very active always running about quite the oppositte to the tuxedo who will just sleep all day every day, both cats are indoor cats never go out. missi actually sleeps on my stairs most nights like she is guarding me but she also plays games to tease me like every night when i lock up i have my front door and a second door just inside and every night she has to run in there quick scratch the wall and sits till i yell several times to get out she only moves when she wants to. she also does it when i open my bedroom door i dont let them in the bedrooms due to the destruction of the walls but if i open it she runs in quick as if to say “hahaha im in” does a full circle of the room before running out again she has full on tortitude and i love her to bits she likes sitting with her chin resting over my arm but she doesnt like to be picked up for a cuddle it has to be on her terms lol.
anyway is there anything i can do to stop them both fighting as its getting nasty now she is getting better it used to look like play fighting but im not so sure now although both can initiate the fight and is there anything to stop the wallpaper scratching and her constant need to eat everything from salt and vinegar crisps, toast, grapes, satsuma i have not found anything she wont eat and she will eat through the wrappers of sealed treats etc as if she had never been fed
Little Mischief sure is a perfect name for your tortie, isn’t it, Gill?
I would stop leaving food out and meal feed both cats, two or three times a day, You’ll probably have to feed them in separate rooms.
This article may help with the scratching problem: https://ingridking.com/2013/03/04/how-to-stop-your-cat-from-scratching-your-furniture-and-carpets/
The aggression issue will be more challenging to resolve, and requires an indepth analysis of your environment and both cats’ habits. Your best bet is to work with a feline behaviorist. If you can’t find anyone local to you, I can recommend Marilyn Krieger http://thecatcoach.com/ and Pam Johnson-Bennett http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/ Both offer remote consultations. I’m concerned that you say the fighting has been going on since you got your tortie. You may need to separate them and very slowly and gradually reintroduce them to each other.
I would also suggest regular, structured playtime with both cats if you’re not already doing that. 10-15 minutes, at least twice a day. Really get them tired out to help them burn off some of that excess energy.
I hope this helps!
I love them both to bits and they are both so different personality wise. I like to give my cats unusual names so littlemissichief really fits her. Thank you for the links I have had a quick look but I am in England though so I will have to find somewhere closer but they still make Interesting reading thanks. My grandkids are getting a bit upset now with how missi always scratches at their feet and one of them doesn’t like coming to nannas now because of that. I try to trim their claws but I live alone so have no one to help I think I will just have to book her into the vets regularly for trimming. I feed them tinned or pouches twice a day but just leave biscuits out all day with fresh water and they get lots of playtime their toy box is full of all kinds of things and missi loves to empty it each day the jingle balls are her favourite but she loves the track with a flashing ball inside I have 2of them in different rooms they also love my laser pen along with the toys on a fishing pole type stick I will read the links properly later when I get time and see if there is anything here in England I could try. Thank you
I have a question for you: I have a kitty that I believe to be a tortie. She certainly has the personality described in the post! But–she has a white chest (not a white belly and not white under her chin), white snow shoes on all four paws (but no other white on the paw), and the tip of her tail is white. Everything else about her is tortie in color and marking. Just how much white then makes a cat a calico vs. a tortie? Thanks!
That’s a good question, Laura, and there’s much debate around this issue. Based on your description, I’d call your cat a “tortie with white.” I know that sounds like a cop out! Calicos typically have white, black, red and gold spots, whereas in torties with white, the black red and cold areas have more of that marbled tortoiseshell appearance.
Laura, I also had a cat like you described. She was my 1st cat and the shelter listed her as a Calico. My 2nd ( and most know) was Stirfry. Definitely a Tortie with the attitude to match. I made lots of friends here on Ingrid’s blog and they had way more knowledge that I did about cats. Harry Shubin who has decades of experience – his first cat was a Sabertooth I think – told me Tabatha was a Trtie with white. From the top looking down – Tortie. But white paws and chest. He said the white tames the tortitude. Stirfry I think would pull out any white hair that would appear. She found her equals on here – Steeler, Kasey and Brooke. Unfortunately Brooke is the only one left on this side of the Bridge.
My torties name is Pearl, she is a rescue. My roommates at the time took her in but when I came home discovered that my adolescent roomies gave her milk and tuna and hadn’t given her a space to sleep or a litter box which is the first thing I did. Then I introduced her to my cat Fred, whom is a ginger (named after Fred weasly his brother George RIP was Fred’s twin). Pearl attached herself to me. A few months later I moved in with my bf who has 3 cats. It was rough but now the only trouble I have now is Pearl is so possessive of me that her and our other younger female (black cat) fight every time they see eachother. I try really hard to give them equal amounts of attention but Pearl is insatiable and insists on always being near me.
Possessiveness does seem to be a bit stronger in torties than in cats of other colors, even though there’s no scientific evidence of that.
I have a tortoiseshell cat and her name is frappe. When she was born from her mother and she had six brothers of 1 silver tabby, two oranges, 2 blacks, and one tortie… When I first saw her she was like the color of a mcdonalds frappe and thats where i got the name. as a month went by she had two brothers left ( we gave most away) and she was exploring a little, but we moved a couple weeks later. Then, her and her brothers were scared of everyone… everytime we try to get them they run so we let them be. After a month, one of her brothers left. She was devasted and crying everyday but she had the silver tabby left (now named tyga) and she is happy. in a couple more months she is still shy, her and her brother, and always run when we try to get them. One more month later they started getting confortable.They loved going to sleep by my brother and weren’t as scared to play around us. Frappe had a stop in the house (well all three cats did) there was a sheet in the closet and she slepted there or just watched sit around or get on my laptop and push on all the keys. And then one late night i was on my computer and she came up and pushed the keys. I pat her and she instantly fell in love (she never was pat cause she ran away all the time) and now she cries until i pat her and only me and sometimes she rubbed against my hand to tell me to pat her. I do pat her and give her the love she wants and is the prettiest of the cats even though everyone else calls her ugly even though she has these big puss’n boots eyes and is hard to ignore when stared at. Well thats my cat Frappe and comment on how you think of her and tyga. Sorry for mispells and punctuation errors if any. 🙂
What a great name for a tortie, Jordan. She sounds like a wonderful cat, and I’m so glad you were patient with Frappe and Tyga so they could stop being scared.
Greeting Jordan, Frappe sounds wonderful. As you found out – a Tortie will pick her human. And no Tortie is ugly. Those people are just jealous. Keep us informed as to how she develops and learns things.
Advise please….I picked up an 8 month old female tortie off of the street about seven years ago.. at that time I had an 18 year old female tabby cat. The torrid (Janis) was abandoned near a house that some people moved out of so I was never sure if she’d had a home or not. My ex was living with me when I brought her home and she immediately attached herself to him…..a few months later he moved back to England. (abandonment issues?) anyway it turns out she would spray by the doors if another cat came in the yard or if my brother brought his small dog over and she would spray some of my plants to keep the older cat away (I think)…the older cat died a couple of years ago and and she has not sprayed since. I have wanted to get another cat but I’m worried she will start spraying again. I’m hoping since she’s been on her own here for a while she’ll be the senior cat and maybe it won’t be a problem. it would break my heart to bring a kitten home and have to bring it back even after only a day! I welcome any comments and advice.
It’s impossible to tell whether two cats will get along, and whether your tortie will start spraying again to mark her territory if you bring in a new cat, Heather. Your best bet, if you decide to move forward, is to do very slow and gradual introductions. This article may help: https://ingridking.com/2012/07/10/introducing-a-kitten-to-your-older-cat/
We have had our cat, Millie, for nine years. Found on a college campus, she was rescued and lived with a friend for about 18 months before she was re-homed to me. Millie might be called dilute tortie with white as she has tan stripes across her gray, but she also has the white markings of a tuxedo. She definitely exhibits tortietude!
When we adopted Millie, we already owned two other female cats, both of which were at least partially Maine Coon. She was sometimes aggressive with them, but they worked things out, and they just tried to put up with her. Over the years, both of them passed. The death of the second one seemed to deeply affect Millie. She had occasionally pounced on her humans, especially me, but once she became an only kitty the problem became much more severe. She was declawed by her former owner, so she only had her teeth for defense, but she used those teeth in combination with the pounce so that I became scared of her at times. We were concerned enough that we took her to the vet to “talk about her feelings.” The vet suggested that the problem was play aggression as these attacks seemed to indicate a desire for me to play with her. A complete physical exam did not reveal any other problem. Increased scheduled play did help alleviate the problem slightly, but Millie still drew blood a couple of times a month.
I should probably mention that, even with all the violent attacks, Millie has always been a very affectionate cat. Almost from day one, she got in the habit of greeting one of our kids when she came home from school. Initially, she met our middle child when she came home from school and demanded to be picked up. When that child left for college, she turned her attention to the youngest, and for the next four years, that daughter dropped her backpack and picked up the cat daily. Now, I pick up Millie and cuddle her when I come in from the gym. When I sit in a chair, she will climb up on my chest into the position she would have achieved had I picked her up. Still, she chooses the times when she will permit herself to be held or petted.
All of this aggression made us apprehensive about adopting another cat. Except for brief periods of time, we had always had at least two cats. As much as we felt that a playmate might give Millie the play she demanded, we were concerned that she was capable of injuring another cat. Like you, we felt that it would break our hearts to return a cat we adopted. Millie was an only cat for about a year and a half. Over that time, we did a lot of research. We kept hearing over and over that a male cat might provide the best match for Millie, and we also heard that yellow cats are the mellowest. We finally took the plunge and adopted a large orange boy — another Maine Coon — whom we named Sammy. During the two days we kept them separated, we often found them on opposite sides of the dividing door, curious about each other. When they finally met, there were a few minor hisses, but it wasn’t long before they were taking turns chasing each other through the house. This is the most positively Millie has interacted with any other cat.
Millie greatly decreased her attacks on me. About three months after we adopted Sammy, a routine visit to the vet revealed that Millie is hyperthyroid, and she was placed on medication. In the more than a year since then, Millie has only bitten me three times.
I share this long story to tell you that it is quite possible you will find a suitable feline friend for your cat Janis. If our experience is any indication, it seems that a male cat, especially a mellow one, may be the best match. Good luck.
Thank you for sharing your story, Martha. I applaud you for being cautious and for doing your research before bringing in a companion, and I’m glad it worked out so well for you and for Millie.
This could not be a more true post!!!! I have 2 torties and they both have their own streaks of tortitude. My first is Tela My wife bought her as our first pet and she instantly fell in love with me and I with her she is everything that this post claims. She is a traditional with her markings and has very pretty green eyes. The first time we left her alone for a weekend she took my wifes white winter hat and pulled my aloe plant out of the pot and put it in the hat!!!!she has softened up over the years with the dogs but she still crawls in to bed everynight and sleeps by my side and boy she purrs loud. Flash forward 6 years and I find or should I say she finds me, a big yellow eyed beautiful blue tortie (at the time I had no clue what kind of cat she was she was a kitten) we were at our grill at our apartments and she walked up rubbed my leg and cried so I picked her up and she went pee on me and then followed me home. It was not strange to see kittens around this place we had a lot of people just leave their cats so I let her stay in the house for the night she was the sweetest cat but the next day I had to put her back out because I could not have another cat we have 2 dogs and a cat in a 1 bedroom. I walk her about halfway through the complex and set her down and I tried to walk off and and get in my car she jumped on the windshield and cried so we took her in. After a lot of vet bill to clean her up and get her fixed the vet informed me that she was a tortie. It was hard to tell because she looked gray and she was little but after we got her back from getting fixed she got very sick and almost died after that she had a very bad attitude and was vicious she was not the same cat. My wife wanted me to “get rid of the spawn of satan” but I swore I could bring her back and right now 1 year later as I type this she is trying to help me type and push the flowers off of the table. Her colors have come out a lot and she is the most curious cat and she does some funky stuff but she loves me and followes me everwhere. She has major tortitude. Both of them talk a lot and let me know when they want to go out, want food or to just be pet also they are very smart and understand everything you say dont let them fool you. Thanks for letting me share and you post was on point.
Thank you for sharing your two girls with us, Keegan. I’m still laughing at the visual of Tela replanting the aloe plant in your wife’s hat! And bless you for hanging in with your dilute tortie despite her challenges.
Just wondering if someone could give me some advice…..I had two cats that I fot from the same litter. Pawdry, a tuxedo male and his sister simba who is a tortie. They were the best of friends. They are now just over 3 years old.
To mu utter devastation Pawdry went missing about 6 weeks ago. To say Simba is upsetbis a major understatement. She was always a very chatty cat but now she goes around the house crying all day, nothing seems to pacify her. She is not having her uaual midday naps but rather only admits defeat and sleeps when her little legs will no longer carry her about and her voice is hoarse from crying.
When I return home from work her voice is hoarse and I’m so worried. It kills me to see her is such emotional pain and loneliness.
I have considered getting her a companion but I’m unsure if she would take to another cat.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
S
I’m so sorry about Pawdry, Serena – I can’t even imagine what you’re going through. I have no doubt that cats grieve the loss of a companion, and it must be devastating to watch Simba like this. She might do better with a new companion, even though there is never a guarantee that two cats will get along. If you decide to adopt another cat, be sure to introduce the newcomer slowly and gradually.
you all are so right about the “tortitude” thing.i just got a female tortishell whom is pretty young,but she already the “miss universe” of the tortitude world.
Miss Universe would actually be a purrfect name for a tortie, wouldn’t it! 😉
actually that would be a good name.i already named her junebug,because of her color pattern and I just thought that would be a cute name.
I didn’t realize Torties aren’t a breed. Interesting! So how do tabby/tortie mixes happen biologically? My cat is a tabby tortie. She mainly looks like a tabby with black and orange fur mixed in. However if you see the bottom of her paws they look tortie: black with orange and tan. She’s definitely talkative!!!
Tortoiseshell cat genetics are a fascinating topic, Amanda. You can find a lot of very detailed information here: http://messybeast.com/tricolours.htm
I have dealt with depression most of my life, having a lot of ups and downs but having a wonderful husband and two beautiful kids they love and understand me and accept my illness. One Valentine evening my husband said he needed to step out of the house for a bit after about 2 hours he returned with a two month old Siamese, she was beautiful and fiesty from the beginning and was a joy to watch. As she aged she was very territorial and was always with me wherever I was in the house. When it came time for bed she always snuggled facing me and would rest her head on my pillow and when my husband got home from work, it was 2 am, he worked the late shift, she refused to move so just like a small child she found her way sleeping in the bed which good, she knew his shift and all I had to say bedtime Cheyenne and she would run to my room. When she was about 12 years old the vet told us she had cancer and she was pretty bad and said maybe it was time to say goodbye I asked her if we could bring her home instead, vet said that was fine and would give us pain meds for home. We brought her home and she continued being her loving self, as time passed we just enjoyed having her with us. After about a year later she went from being her happy normal self terrible I’ll, she started throwing up and not using the litter box so after about 2 or 3 days it was time to take her to the vet then to discover they were closed so my husband took her to the vet er and explained everything so he had me on the phone with them both while we made the decision to let her go. I hung up and down with the kids they were junior high age and just sat with me until my husband got home, we all cried and hugged it seems like forever and after everyone calmed down he handed me a plaster print of her paw it made me that I would always have her with me. Because of us wanting her home with us till the end the vet gave my husband the choice of putting her to sleep and leaving her there or to take her home, he said home. He held her while she went to sleep. After calming a bit my husband picked a shady area with flowers and buried her. I was devastated, my depression was up and down. I swore up and down no more pets until about 2 months later my husband said he was taking for a drive. We ended up at my brothers house, his mama cat had babies, they were 6 weeks old but no longer nursing and on kitty food. It was misty rain and mama and babies were in the little house out of the weather. When we were walking up they all came running out and all of a sudden this little tortie walked out, she was a beautiful little blue ball of fur and we really didn’t know what color would appear later but seing her my heart was so full of joy and I picked her up and held her in my jacket, watching the other babies run around one started scratching my pants. We picked him up and noticed he was the only male and he was orange so we didn’t want to separate and at that moment I was in love. Rose, my tortie was very timid at that point because of her age and probably being in a new home, her brother Leon would tease until she would run and have fun. On our first check up at the vet they said she is going to be a beautiful tortie, her fur is now full of black, orange hair with a small patch of creme on her abdomen. Now 2 yrs old she loves to pet and cuddle and loves her belly rubbed but when she feels she’s had enough she definitely let you know 🙂 her brother is a lounger and takes it all in. After going through the hard times emotionally and after Cheyenne these 2 are a blessing and Rose my little tortie knows when I’m having a hard time and she curls on my lap and sleeps until I get up. I know torties sometimes have a mind of their own but that’s what makes them so special, I am blessed with the 2 of them
Thank you for sharing your story, Denise. I think Cheyenne sent Rose and Leon to heal your broken heart.
Hiya,
I found a little two week old Tortie in my shed after we moved in yesterday, we found her in a baby bath . We cleared the shed and left the kitten out for the mammy to come back but she never did, after an hr or so of waiting i decided after reading online i didn want the poor ting to freeze to death so i took her inside. This was around 7 oclock and had no supplies as i never had a cat before, so tried to keep her hydrated with water until i cud get my hands on milk. I went this morning , the shop workers said she cud be 3 weeks old. I work full time and so does my partner, I work shift work so she will be on her own for 3 hrs today but I do not know if this will affect her in the long run.? She is ab adorable and i am in love with her and been worrying since i left her, before i left she had a bottle and she went to the toilet etc. How do u stop kittens from tearing up seats and curtains etc?
I would take her to a vet to make sure she’s doing okay. At only three weeks old, she’ll need frequent feedings of kitten milk replacer. Here’s more information on caring for orphaned kittens: https://ingridking.com/2015/03/31/caring-for-abandoned-kittens/ As for preventing her to scratch your furniture and curtains, here’s information to help with that: https://ingridking.com/2013/03/04/how-to-stop-your-cat-from-scratching-your-furniture-and-carpets/
I have taken her to a vet and she is in great condition and coming along well. She is ab perfect.. i never thought of myself as a cat person but she has stolen my heart ♥
Torties have a way of doing that 🙂
Many thanks for this page. I was adopted yesterday by a tortie kittien. Well I was in a chat shelter charity shop, and a young woman came in with a kitten that she could no longer keep. I offered to take the kitten in and re-home it. I have 2 cats already, Holly who is 20, and Momo who is 10, and the husband does not want more pets (snake/spider/dragon/fish/geckos). But I looked at her, 12 weeks old, scared and I had to try.
This time last year we lost twins, and my husband has been hit hard this year with the pain.. and I had a feeling that this little kitten was exactly what we needed in our lives.:)
So, we are giving her a few weeks, making sure that she is going to get on with the other cats.. currently hissing from Momo and holly just ignores the kitten totaly.:) Kitten is mad though.. she is so small yet holds her own against the others, and the tortidue is there!! Last night she came out of hiding and was all over me. This morning she was claiming her humans, sitting on us, sitting on the computer, rubbing against us.:)
So vets on Saturday for her jabs/check up.. and we are thinking of calling her Sparta! She has that attidute.:)
Sparta sounds like a good name for a tortie, Victoria! It sounds like she came into your life at the purrfect time. 🙂
Welcome Victoria and Sparta. A wonderful name – 300 against 100,000 with no fear or backing down. That’s Tortitude…
Keep us informed on how things go with Momo. Holly seems to have accepted her. A kitten always keeps things lively. Sure does in my house.
After losing my beloved, elderly tuxedo, Ishmael, a few years ago, I began to think about a new cat. I spent a lot of time at a local sanctuary and after a while, the owner said, “I have the cat for you”. A 9 month old tortie who, she said, “just wants to belong to someone”. After a tricky beginning in which she could be loving one minute, hostile the next, we settled down really well together. She has become the sweetest, funniest, most talkative companion. Very possessive of me – she has to keep me in her sights when I’m at home. I often wake up to find her tucked under the duvet with her paw(s) nestled in my hand. She likes to interact with everyone who comes to the house and will claim her favourites by hogging their laps. I don’t know whether that behaviour is specific to her or a hallmark of her tortitude but I wouldn’t swap her for the world x
Your tortie sounds like a wonderful girl, Elizabeth. I don’t think lap hogging is a sign of tortitude, but it sure is endearing!
I have a male diluted tortie. I was told they don’t live long. I was wondering if this is true, and if it is true about how old DO they get to be? Thanks, Pickles owner Heather
I don’t think there is any fact-based evidence that male torties have a shorter life span than females.
Hi Heather, I would love to see a pic of Pickles. Male Torties are rare and I have never seen a dilute male. I have a male and his name is Diver. Totally spoiled and no Tortitude at all. Hopefully he will live a very long time.
In early 2005, I just became clean from drugs and alcohol. I was lost, angry, sad, poor, and living in a dirty residential hotel in a scummy part of San Francisco. Okay, I decided to get sober……..but a long road lay ahead of me….
One evening, on my windowsill I saw a kitten. Strange. I was on the third floor, and here is a small kitten, shivering, scared….lost……kind of like me.
I opened the sash, and picked it up. This kitten was so scared, and boy it STANK as well. I noticed it was a female kitten, and it had the most curious yellow eyes…………she looked at me, made a pathetic little “mew” sound.
I gave her a bath in the small sink that was in my rented room. She was so frightened still. I went out, got a small bag of cat food. A small pan, some litter. I figured I would take her to the pound in a few days……I mean, come on….here I was just about broke, almost homeless myself, still having terrible withdrawals from cocaine and alcohol……the last thing I needed was a cat.
She slept in the corner of the of the room that night and shivered mostly out fear. She didn’t eat at all.
…………..yeah, I kept her…….yeah, I got better. I named her “choc-cu-la” as in “Count Chocula Cereal” from the 1970’s because she looked like a pile of brownie batter………….and I discovered that she was a “tortoiseshell cat” or “tortie”
She became my best friend. I moved. She came with me. I slowly crawled my way back to the land of the living………..staying sober. Talking to her. She slept with me in my bed every night with me. She loved me. Purred. Was fiercely “protective” of attention from me. She was good around other people…not a “mean” cat; but she was all about me.
Through the tears, the loneliness, the setbacks……..and the good times too…..she was there! Life got better for us both as the years rolled by.
In the summer of 2014, I noticed she wasn’t “feeling” well. Not as active. I just figured she was getting older (she was over nine years old at this time). I went with the Boy Scout Troop I lead to “summer camp” for two weeks and had a neighbor feed, water, and scoop her litterbox daily……..
I returned home, and my precious cat was sick. She had lost a lot weight. She was dehydrated. The person who took care of her was almost in tears “There was no cell service! I tried and tried to call you, but where you were camping……..there was no service. I could not reach you! She is sick. She was throwing up constantly. I cleaned her up…..please son’t be mad at me!”
I wasn’t mad.
I made an appointment for the vet the next morning. That night, I awoke for no reason……my cat lay next to me……..I petted her, stroked her, she opened her eyes weakly, she purred but it was weak, as if she was making an effort still to be the cat that she was…..looked at me as if to say:
“When I chose you. You were in such a bad way. But, look…..you now have almost ten years of sobriety. You have friends. You have a job. You have things to do now. A life still worth living. My job is done now. You can stand on your own now. I’ll always love you, and I know you love me…..but you are going to have to go on without me………..”
I started to choke up and weep as I pet her……she closed her eyes, purred and went back to sleep………..
I took my “best friend” to the vet, and after the tests……….she had renal disease and was going into kidney failure…..and was told she would probably die within a week.
A terrible, tough decision was made……….
…….As I held her in my arms, and the vet-tech gave her an injection, and she fell into that “eternal sleep”………..
A trillion memories washed over me, and I started to cry. Sob actually. The vet-tech said “You stay here with her as long as you like,” and quietly left the room.
I just petted her, told her I was sorry. Told her I loved her. Told her she was my friend. Thanked her. Told her that she was probably the best thing that happened to me………..
I had her for almost ten years, and now almost ten months since she died, I still miss her. Think of her often. I think of her tortie-tude…..how she looked at me. Her purr, her “talkative” meow…..and she was “all about me”
Good things.
I was never a man that wanted a cat. She just showed up at time in my life when I did need someone like her.
This is a great web-page……….and thanks for giving me a place to pour this out.
What a beautiful story, Jason. I had tears running down my face reading it. I’m so sorry Chocula is no longer with you, but what an amazing spirit to have come into your life at just the right time!
A very beautiful story. She really was a blessing to you.
Jason, thank you so much for sharing this and I am so sorry that Chocula isn’t with you any more. She sounds like she was an amazing cat and loved you so much, love the way you describe as being all about you, tortie cats can get like that about the people they choose 🙂 I truely believe that people and animals come into our lives, at certain times and for certain reasons, without us knowing how or why until much later, it sounds very like Chocula came into yours at a time when you needed support, caring and love and very likely, needed it herself.
About three years ago, my husband lost his dog and was heart broken, I was very worried about how depressed he was. A month after his pet had died, this little tortie cat appeared in our back garden when my husband was raking up leaves. Not a cat man, he was taken aback at her appearance and even more so, when she strode up confidently to him, arched her head up, as if to say ‘go on, give me a pat!’. She won him over, that very day, but it took a few weeks of her coming and going and trying to find her owners (unsucessfully) before we both decided to take her in. She, Misty, is my husband’s little pal and she healed his heart break in a way that only a loving pet can do. Now, my husband says, he is a complete cat man and always will be.
I love hearing about these torties that heal broken hearts. Misty sounds like a very special girl, Tanta.
Oohh Jason…you made me cry!!
I have a tortie, Maggie. My mom adopted her after her other cat passed away from a shelter, she wasn’t even one I want to say. She lived at my mom’s for a few years but didn’t seem very happy, she always had diarrhea and most of the time used the litter box but my mom also had two other cats and two bigger dogs, Maggie got along with everyone but you could tell she wasn’t happy. So I moved out and took her with me and she was so happy being an only cat, the diarrhea got so bad i had to take her to the vet and get a special food for her. Anyway i just recently moved to a bigger apartment and she’s always been a very vocal cat but she’s been rediculously vocal since we’ve moved. Now my boyfriend wants to get a kitten. Is that a good idea, or will that just make her constant meowing worse? She’s always been good with other animals but she’s been the only cat for a while( she’s about 5 now btw). Anything that can help?
It sounds like Maggie may be happier as an only cat, Jessica. Unfortunately there’s no way to know for sure whether two cats will get along. On the other hand, it is possible that she’s bored, and a companion might help. I would try playing more with her. Do some structured play sessions, 10-15 minutes at least twice a day, really get her tired out. It may make a difference.
About 2 years ago we went to a shelter and found the most adorable, soft, mostly white muted calico. We adore her but I thought she might like to have a companion of her own kind, we have a small dog, so we went to the local shelter.
Of about 25 cages, more than half were black cats. They were all so depressed you could feel it in the air. It was sad. All of the other colors were flying out the door with new families. This is where we found Alice, a muted tortie. Her official name is ‘Poor Alice Ain’t Got No Momma’ because her attitude was so bad I just had to assume no one taught her any manners.
She had spent about four months in a crate at the shelter. When they tried to put her in the community room to play with other cats she went ballistic so she had stayed in that cage alone that whole time. My heart was broken for her.
When we brought her home she went straight to the basement and hid under the stairs for weeks but she did eat and use the litter box. My sweet white Kitty could not go anywhere near her or Alice made these horrible hissing growing sounds and took swipes at her. She made more sounds in her first 3 days than Kitty had made in two years. She is loud!
Alice is a long-haired smallish cat who skitters around corners. I was happy to see her finally jumping up on things. She had difficulty climbing and I assume it was from being in a cage for so long. She has been honing her skills. She doesn’t seem to know how to play but I think she wants too. I am teaching her to lighten-up. I have waffle balls I roll down the hallway and she like to run past them but does not interact with them, just like she will have nothing to do with the other cat and the dog. All she has for them are growls and hisses. She hates everyone but me.
I work at a desk in my home and she likes to sit on top of the desk hutch or on the back of my office chair. My other cat has never put a scratch on me. Alice on the other hand doesn’t seem to have empathy. Alice has hurt me accidentally but doesn’t seem to know it.
I talk very sweetly to her. One day she was on top of the hutch and I called her name and she picked up her her head and turned and looked me right in the eye as if she just saw me for the first time. It was her Helen Keller moment.
One evening after over 4 months she hopped up on the arm of the recliner I was in and very carefully walked into my lap and stood there for a second and then went on as if she had changed her mind. I said very calmly ‘Alice come back’. She did. I told her she could have a seat and she sat. A minute later she laid down and before I knew it she was snoring all spread out and relaxed. I am in tears as I write this.
I was glad to find this website and to learn that part of her issue is just genetic. My family calls me the ‘Cat Whisperer’. I am going to have to figure out how to trim her nails without traumatizing her and getting injured but she is staying with me, forever. Maybe someday her and Kitty can get along, but even if they don’t that’s okay. I did forget to mention that my sweet Kitty has turned into Alice’s stalker. It’s as if Alice has a tease me sigh on her back. I think Kitty gets a rise out of bothering Poor Alice but Alice can handle herself, that’s for sure, haha!
Thank you for sharing Alice’s story with us. It brought tears to my eyes. It’s such a gift when a “challenging” cat relaxes and starts to trust you.
What a great story of Alice. I had Stirfry who had the same attitude – how I also found Ingrid’s blog. So touching when a feral decides to trust a human.
I have a cat named Miss Prissy. The vet called her a tortie but she is grey, peach and white. Is she? And what about the pale colors. Thanks.
It sounds like she’s a dilute tortie, Linds.
My first tortie, Salty, I got in 1975. She was very affectionate and loved to cuddle. I met my husband in 1978 and we got married in 1979. Prior to this, it was just Salty and me. When my husband and I got our first place together, Salty started peeing on carpets. Apparently she didn’t like the intrusion, although she was very cuddly with my husband. This kept up for years and back then there was very little help for us. Eventually I had to put her down (she was about 10 or 11 by then) because we had to replace the living room carpet, flooring, and 1/4 of the sub-flooring. I absolutely hated doing this but I didn’t know how to stop her from peeing outside of her litter box.
In 2004 we got another tortie, Cassie who is not very affectionate. She decides when she will curl up in my lap and that’s the extent of her affection. She and and her blue tortie sister, Purr were just fine. Then after 6 years we moved, we had to keep them inside, and my husband died shortly after the move. At that point, Cassie started peeing outside of the litter box. Now we have Prozac to give cats who do this and I was giving her a 1/4 tablet every day. It stopped her some, but not 100%. Now I have to move again and I’ll be renting and a cat who doesn’t use a litter box all of the time will not be welcome so I have now taken her to a no-kill shelter which is breaking my heart. Obviously I will never have another tortie, though it remains my favorite color cat. How I wish things could have been different!!!
I’m so sorry, Judy. I want to be clear that what you’re going through has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that both of your cats were/are torties. This is something that can happen with any breed or color cat.
Myrtle… Is her name I rescued her.. Shia is so beautiful. My problem is she won’t sleep unless she is on my head lol….
LOL!
Just got a tortoise kitten. She is so much like your description that there is no doubt in my mind what she is. She is the smartest of the litter and has a beautiful coat. Molly is a little stinker and takes on her 2 Tabby brothers.
“Molly is a little stinker” – I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used that term for my Ruby, Joyce. 🙂 Perhaps the term needs to be part of the description for torties!
We have a tortie, named Callie and during the day will sleep next door under a lawn chair.she comes home for breakfast or dinner and sometimes if it is raining will stay indoors and sleep under one of the chairs that has a cover. She has been missing now for six days and I am very upset. Have asked at all the neighboring homes and asked for them to open garages in case she slipped in. Is this a trait of torties to wander? Your answer appreciated..
I’m so sorry about Callie, Ruth. No, this is most definitely not a trait of torties. Sadly, this can happen with any cat who is allowed outdoors. I hope you find her!
I have recently been adopted by a wild and ferril tortie Of which i deemed the name Clarissa. She was noticed two winters ago. I took her food but by the time i got to where she was but she had left. I noticed her this spring hunting in the marsh on our property so I called for her and she let me feed her a can of food. After several encounters she moved up to the deck. . We now feed her every day and have come to love her. She brings me prizes every day at least two a day. Clarissa has also been aclimated to our six year old beagle named Paris. She is a true blessing to our family we love her. Thank you the Dean’s
It’s so rewarding when a feral cat starts to trust you. That’s amazing that Clarissa even acclimated to your dog.
We just moved to new neighborhood and a tiny little year old kitty Olive a tortie seems to jump from her original owners , us and the next neighbors over she roams in one yard , eats in my yard I feed her and sleeps in the house of the nieghbors next to us my concern is she is now pregnant and a tad skittish tho she loves to be pet’d she seems to get nervous and run
She is also like a said a very small kitty I guess my question is how will I know she is in labor I do not want the kitties to become feral and I want her to be safe she really is beautiful
Here’s more information on how to care for a pregnant cat, Nicole: https://ingridking.com/2015/01/20/expect-cat-expecting/ – and please get her spayed as soon as possible after she has her kittens!
I just brought home a 1yr old tortie I adopted her. she was in a foster home.
we had a great first connection. Now I have her home just one day and she is still under the sofa. I did hear her in the nite but that’s it. hasn’t used litter box help?
It’s not unusual for a cat to hide for the first few days or even weeks in a new home, Sharyn. Not using the litter box in more than 24 hours is a concern – check with the foster home to see what her normal pattern was, and call a veterinarian if she still hasn’t used the box.
I am on it thank you
Our tortie, Miss Kitty came to us as a very young, emaciated stray who was slinking around, hiding behind bushes, and popping out to grab food scraps we had thrown out. I started feeding her, moving the food closer to the steps I was sitting motionless on each time. Eventually she became a very loving cat to me and my husband but avoids everyone else completely. She now eats nothing but Meow Mix, turning down meat, fish, and anything else we offer her. She must catch mice, though, because I once found a whole, partly digested one that she appeared to have thrown up in her littler box. She is almost mute, meowing almost in a whisper on rare occasions. A couple of years ago she hid in our storage shed, as she tends to do, and wouldn’t come out when called, so we thought she was elsewhere. We went camping for two weeks, coming home a couple of times to look for her because we didn’t see her for 3 days before we left. When we came home to stay after 2 weeks, my husband opened the door to find her standing there in the storage shed, where she had been for 17 days with no food or water. Unless she might have caught a mouse in there, she had nothing to eat or drink for that whole time. When offered food and water she immediately ate and drank. She showed signs of dehydration, but was soon fine. If she had been a more vocal cat, our neighbors would almost certainly have heard her and checked on her. The crazy thing is that she still slips in there any time we have the door open and has spent as much as 3 days in there even since her 2-week imprisonment. By the way, we haven’t seen a mouse, rat, or snake around in the 4 years she has been here and we often saw them prior to her coming.
I’m guessing that she must have been able to catch something while she was locked in your storage shed for that long, Pat. The fact that you’re not seeing any mice or other critters since her arrival tells me that she’s a great huntress. 🙂
My kitty WAS SIX WEEK OLD WHEN I FOUND HER SHE NINE MONTHS OLD NOW AND SHE STILL SUCKLES ON MY p.jS IS THAT A BAD THING, SHE IS SO WILD, and crazy I love her to death, and to see her suckle on my jamies she truns into a little kitty again
Some cats will suckle even as adults if they grew up without a mother or were weaned too young. As long as it doesn’t bother you, there’s nothing wrong with that, Valerie!
My tortie Sugar just gave birth a few weeks ago. She had 3 babies. 2 males 1 female. Her one male kitten is black with white hairs. Could this be one of those rarities of the male tortie?
Torties are tri-colored cats, August, so unless your kitten has some orange or tan in his black fur, along with some white, he’s not a tortie. Post a photo on our Facebook page if you’d like!