Fall is in the air. Orange is definitely the color of the season, popping up in everything from home décor to coffee. Some of our feline pals are already dressed for autumn, which makes today, September 1st, a perfect time to celebrate Ginger Cat Day. A Marietta, GA vet puts pumpkin kitties in the spotlight below.
Names
It’s always fun seeing the names people choose for their pets, and how the pets almost always fit those chosen monikers to a T. If you’re considering adopting a redheaded furball, you can definitely have some fun naming your kitty. Pumpkin, Cheddar, Tomato, Caramel, Fireball, Ginger, Cinnamon, Big Red, and Carrot are a few cute options. You can also name your feline pal after an iconic kitty, such as Garfield, Heathcliff, or Jonesy, the cat from Alien. (Fun fact: Jonesy wasn’t the only space-faring ginger furball. Another orange cat, Spot, appeared on Star Trek: the Next Generation.)
Are Female Ginger Cats Rare?
Female ginger cats actually are quite rare. While most cat colors are pretty much evenly split between boys and girls, ginger cats are much more likely to be male than female. This is because the gene responsible for Fluffy’s coat is recessive, so must be inherited from both parents. The pigment linked to that red fur is called pheomelanin, and is the same one found in redheaded people.
Breeds
Ginger cats aren’t a specific breed: quite a few kitties can sport red fur. Some of the furballs that tend to prefer wearing red include the Maine Coon, Abyssinian, Persian, American Bobtail, Munchkin, British Shorthair, Bengal, and Egyptian Mau.
Purrsonality
Our feline friends all have their own unique purrsonalities. While there are no definitive studies that connect Fluffy’s coat to her temperament, there are plenty of anecdotes from people who have orange cats. Rumor has it that ginger cats tend to be outspoken, bold, affectionate.
Fluffy’s Fashion Sense
Ginger cats are all tabbies, which means they each sport one of the five tabby patterns: ; spotted; patched; classic/swirled; mackerel/striped; and ticked.
Famous Ginger Cats
We can’t really discuss redheaded kitties without paying respects to the most famous ones of all. At the top of that list? Garfield, the Monday-hating, lasagna-obsessed orange ball of sarcasm. Other orange celebrekitties include Puss N’ Boots, Jonesy, Morris, and Heathcliff, and Orangey, the cat from Breakfast At Tiffany’s.
Do you have questions about caring for your ginger kitty? Contact us, your local Marietta, GA pet hospital, today!
