Torby

Torby

Tortoiseshell describes a coat coloring found almost exclusively in female cats. Cats of this color are mottled, with patches of orange or cream and chocolate, black or blue. They are sometimes called torties. A cat with this coloring, but also with the tabby pattern, is a torbie.

"Tortoiseshell" is typically reserved for cats with brindled coats with relatively small or no white markings.

Those that are largely white with red and brown patches (rather than a brindled aspect) are described as tortoiseshell-and-white (in the United Kingdom) or calico (in Canada and the United States). Tortoiseshells and calicos are not specific breeds of cat, though part-tortoiseshell part-calico cats are known as "tortico" cats and may display a tortoiseshell pattern on the back and tail and a calico pattern on the belly. The tortoiseshell markings appear in many different breeds as well as in non-purebred domestic cats. This pattern is especially preferred in the Japanese Bobtail breed.