Q: I adopted a calico cat from a shelter that named him Joseph for his coat of many colors. My veterinarian was surprised when she examined him and confirmed he was a male, because she said calico cats are almost always female. Why is that?
A: Calico cats have orange, black, and white fur, while tortoiseshell cats, or torties, sport orange and black fur. Because of the genes that code for coat color, both types of cats are almost always female.
