Calico Persian Cat: Discover The Beautiful Tri-Color Cat

The calico Persian Cat is a Persian with at least three colors in its fur. These colors are often white, orange, and black. However, they can also be combinations of different colors.

The calico Persian cat is very beautiful. The combinations of different colors in its fur give it a very unique appearance that’s very eye-catching, making them a fan-favorite among many Persian cat lovers.

Today, we’re going to go over all the details about this unique Persian cat color. We’ll discuss whether Calico Persian cats are rare, their personality, the different types of Calico Persian cats that exist, some interesting facts, and much more. Let’s get into it!

What is a Calico Persian Cat exactly?

The Calico Persian Cat is a Persian cat with three or more different colors in its coat. They are often confused with Torties because they’re quite similar in appearance. You can tell them apart by the fact that Calico Persian Cats have much more white in their coat. They are often between 25% and 75% white with patches of fur that are often black or orange in color. However, these patches of fur can also be other colors, making for some very interesting combinations.

There are two types of Persian Calico cats: standard and dilute. The difference between these two is that a dilute Persian cat has colors that are less intense. For instance, instead of having black and red patches, the dilute calico Persian can have cream and blue patches.

The most interesting fact about Calico Persian Cats is that this pattern and color almost exclusively occurs in females. The reason for this is due to genetics. The gene for the calico coloration is related to the X chromosome, and two of these X chromosomes are needed for a Persian cat to have the distinctive tri-color coat. Since female cats have XX chromosomes, and males have XY chromosomes, the calico pattern and color occurs only in females. The only exception, according to TheSprucePets is: “when a male inherits an extra X chromosome from either his father or mother, making his genetic makeup XXY. Male calicos are rare. These unicorn cats are almost always sterile, so they cannot be used to breed more calico patterns.”

An important thing to note is that Calico is both a pattern and a color, but not a breed.

Are Calico Persian Cats Rare?

Yes, Calico Persian Cats are quite rare. The primary reason why these cats are rare is that you can’t breed them. As previously discussed, almost all Calico Persian Cats are female and the few males that exist are unable to breed. This means that you can’t pair two Persian Calico Cats together to create more of them. Instead, nature creates these cats randomly.

Calico Persian Cat Types

The Cat Fancier’s Association recognizes several different types of Calico Persian Cats as distinct colors. Below you’ll find a handy table that will list them for you along with some additional information about them.

Color	Description
Calico	Tri-color; white, red, and black. The red and the black should appear as clear, unbridled patches.
Dilute Calico	Diluted colors: blue instead of black, cream instead of red, etc
Chocolate Calico	A tri-color cat with chocolate, red and white colors. The red and the chocolate should appear as clear, unbridled patches
Lilac Calico	Tri-color cat of lilac, cream, and white colors The lilac and the cream should appear as clear, unbridled patches.
Calico Smoke	Tips of the hairs are colors, roots are white
Dilute Calico Smoke	Same as above but with diluted colors
Shell Calico	white with unbridled patches of black and shades of red
Diluted Shell Calico	Same as above but with diluted colors
Shaded Calico	a bi-colored or tri-colored Persian Cat of white and colored portions, the colored portions of the cat to are shaded.
Diluted Shaded Calico	Same as above but with diluted colors

Are Calico Persian Cats Good Pets?

There’s a long debate on whether or not the coat and pattern of a cat affect its personality. Surveys that have been conducted by researchers found that many people believe that there are differences in personality on the basis of a cat’s color. The results of these surveys are that many people believe Calico cats to be more antisocial.

However, actual studies have found no such connection. As stated by Cathy Marden from the Berkeley East Bay Humane Society: “You can’t judge a cat by its color. If someone comes in to adopt, we encourage them to spend time with all the cats, because it’s the personality of that cat – not the color – that will let you know if the animal’s the right fit for you.”

What does affect the personality of a cat is its breed. Persian cats are known for being calm, peaceful, gentle, and docile. They love to spend time with their owners and are true lap cats. They fare best in a serene household without much chaos. If that’s something that seems like a good fit for you, then the Persian Cat (Calico, or any other color really!) can be a great addition to your home.

On the other hand, if you prefer a more active cat, the Persian might not be the best fit. One thing that you should also keep in mind is that the Persian cat is a long-haired breed. This means that you should be prepared to do quite a bit of grooming.

How much does a Calico Persian Kitten Cost?

Persian cats in general are an expensive breed, and when you’re looking for a rare color like Calico, even more so. For context, a much less rare tabby Persian kitten can easily cost more than $3000 from a reputable breeder.

As mentioned, calico cats are almost exclusively female, and the few males that exist can’t breed. This means that breeders never have a reliable supply of Calico Persian Cats available. Because they are so rare, breeders can charge almost any price they want for them. It’s also because of this that it’s hard to give an average price. They’re not found for sale very often, and prices vary highly from region to region.

If you find one for sale, consider yourself lucky.

Other Persian Cat Colors

Persian Cats come in a very wide range of different colors and patterns. The base colors that are officially recognized by the Cat Fancier’s Association are white, red, blue, cream, chocolate, lilac, and black. However, there are many other colors that are officially recognized as well such as silver, chinchilla, golden, many different point colorations, many different tabby combinations, calico, and many more.

Because there are so many different colors available, the Persian cat truly has an option for everyone.

Facts about Calico Persian Cats

Calico Persians are thought to bring good luck

Due to the rarity of Calicos, many cultures around the world believe that they bring good luck. For instance, in Japan, they brought them on board of ships because they believed these cats would protect them against storms. Also, in the US they are sometimes referred to as ‘money cats’ because they’re believed to bring good fortune to their owners.

Only 1 in 3000 calicos are male

We’ve gone over the genetics of why most Calico Persians are female, but the exact number of calicos that are male is only 0.033%, a staggeringly low number.

Calico Persian Cat Videos

I’ve sprinkled in many images of Calico Persians throughout this article. However, the best way to see what a calico Persian truly looks like is by taking a look at this adorable video of a calico kitten: