Well, in fact the orange tabby is not a cat breed in it’s own right. Why Are Orange Tabby Cats So Affectionate – Is It Their Breed?Ĭould it be that orange tabby cats are so affectionate due to their breed? One study has suggested that spayed females are more demanding, needy and loud than non-neutered males.īut there weren’t enough non-spayed females or neutered males included in the study to state the impact of sex for sure.Īnd many vets and animal agencies agree that there are no consistent differences between the sexes. There’s very little evidence to prove this either way. And if both carry the gene for orange coat color, they’ll be orange.īut if one carries the orange gene, and one carries genes for black/brown fur instead, they turn out tortoiseshell! So most orange tabby cats are male, but are male cats more affectionate than females? Male cats only have one copy of the X chromosome, and if the color gene on it produces orange fur, they’ll be an orange cat.įemale cats have two X chromosomes. That’s because the genes for coat color are carried on the X sex chromosome. It’s a quirk of cat color genetics that around three quarters of orange tabby cats are male.

And if it is real, what causes it.īut we can speculate about some things which might be responsible, and some other things which definitely aren’t. So without further research it’s impossible to say whether our perception of orange tabbies is collective human bias, or a genuine phenomenon. In Cocker Spaniel dogs, evidence has been put forward of a link between brown coat color and increased aggression.Īnd in other cats, white coat color is linked to deafness, which can indirectly shape their temperament too. Links Between Coat Color and Other Traits Which isn’t to say that one definitely doesn’t exist. In a survey of just under 200 people, orange tabby cats were more likely than any other color to be described as friendly.īut despite this, there isn’t presently any evidence proving a link between coat color and personality in cats. Which begs the question… Are Orange Tabby Cats More Affectionate?īefore we ask why are orange tabby cats so affectionate, we need to learn if this reputation is actually true.

Unfortunately though, neither study looked for a connection between those traits, and cats’ coat color. Whilst a rival team in the same year identified six dimensions of feline personality:Īffection consists of extraversion and agreeableness in the first study, and falls within amiability in the second study.

In 2017, a team of scientists in Australia proposed that cats’ personalities are made of of five elements: We humans have been sharing our hearts and our home lives with cats for thousands of years.īut despite this, there’s been relatively little research conducted about what makes them tick. Perhaps there are several living on your block, each one friendlier than the last.įor some people, the thought of a ginger tabby cat is synonymous with warm greetings, purring, and cheek rubs.īut is this image really representative of all orange tabby cats? Why are orange tabby cats so affectionate?Īre they all affectionate? And if so, is it something about their coat which makes them that way? Affection In Cats Why Are Orange Tabby Cats So Affectionate?ĭo you know an especially big hearted orange tabby cat? In this article, we find out if the reputation is true.

Many people are interested to find out if choosing an orange tabby cat is a sure fire way to secure a devoted new pal. Why are orange tabby cats so affectionate? Orange tabbies have a reputation for being the friendliest cats.īut, there is no proven link between orange tabbies’ coat color and their temperament.