Colour of cat = personality of cat?

Stemming right back to Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Black Cat"
there has been a perception that "little black cat" is usually bright,
intelligent, and utterly loving and devoted. (Although some times the
bright intelligent black cat has been associated with the supernatural!)

As for ginger cats, well, "The Ginger Tom" has a traditional reputation
for being a somewhat independent cat which is out there prowling around
and behaving like "one of the lads".

The thing is, my black cat and my ginger cat fit both of these
traditional perceptions PERFECTLY!

What is more, my black cat and my ginger cat are TWIN BROTHERS who have
been treated with exactly the same love and attention since birth. They
are both about 18 months old.

So what do people think?

Is there are theme here? Do the colours of a cats' coats relate to
their general behaviour?

I asked a professional biologist about this and he says there are many
instances elsewhere in the animal kingdom where one genetic
characteristic (even such as colour) is synonymous with another feature
or behaviour.

All anecdotes (or even pointers to academic studies!) most gratefully
accepted.

Ellie.

Ellie Bentley wrote:
Do the colours of a cats' coats relate to their general behaviour?

Sorry. That line should read: "Do the colours of cats' coats relate to
their general behaviour?"

Ellie.

"Ellie Bentley" wrote in message
...

Is there are theme here? Do the colours of a cats' coats relate to
their general behaviour?



I have been grooming cats professionally for 34 years and have noticed a
definite correlation. But my experience has been in direct opposition to
your thoughts.

What follows is highly subjective and I am in no way saying that "this is
true*, but is only my opinion. Also breed and body type also indicate
different characteristics and may often trump color.

I find black cats to be the most ornery and difficult to manage, and in my
circle of groomers thay have a reputation of being more likely to be crazy.
I have a black cat myself and he is a nutball.

The ginger or marmalade cats, on the other hand, are the most personable
easy going cats you could ever ask for. Outgoing yet easy to handle. I have
two marmalade litter brothers and they are both absolute perfection.

Whites I find to be more docile yet not as outgoing as the gingers.

Tuxedo kitties I would rank between the ginger and the whites- not quite as
gregarious as the gingers, but not as reserved as the whites.

The pointed cats, brown tabbies, and other solid colors (blues, browns,
lilacs) are highly variable.

JMO.


--
Toni
http://www.irish-wolfhounds.com

Toni wrote:
I have been grooming cats professionally for 34 years and have noticed a
definite correlation. But my experience has been in direct opposition to
your thoughts.

I used to groom as well and would agree with your thougts.


What follows is highly subjective and I am in no way saying that "this is
true*, but is only my opinion. Also breed and body type also indicate
different characteristics and may often trump color.

I find black cats to be the most ornery and difficult to manage, and in my
circle of groomers thay have a reputation of being more likely to be crazy.
I have a black cat myself and he is a nutball.

That is because black cats - particularly males - are big babies in a
cat suit. They think they are the center of the universe and cannot
imagine why you do not think so, too.


The ginger or marmalade cats, on the other hand, are the most personable
easy going cats you could ever ask for. Outgoing yet easy to handle. I have
two marmalade litter brothers and they are both absolute perfection.

We call it Big Orange syndrome.


Whites I find to be more docile yet not as outgoing as the gingers.

Whites are usually pretty cool cats.


Tuxedo kitties I would rank between the ginger and the whites- not quite as
gregarious as the gingers, but not as reserved as the whites.

I would rate black and whit tux males to be equal to ginger/orange in
personality, with a nit more sense of adventure.


The pointed cats, brown tabbies, and other solid colors (blues, browns,
lilacs) are highly variable.

Agreed. However torties and calicos are nuts - usually quirky and want
affection when *they* want to allow it - usually a bit stand-offish but
can also be a one-person cat. A friend calls torties the Snickers cat
- half sweet, half nuts.

-L.

-L. wrote:
Toni wrote:
I have been grooming cats professionally for 34 years and have noticed a
definite correlation. But my experience has been in direct opposition to
your thoughts.
I used to groom as well and would agree with your thougts.

Toni and -L. This is very very interesting. THANKS for your replies!
The fact that you have more than 34 years experience of many different
kinds of cats between you gives a lot of weight to the theory that there
is a correlation between coat-colour and personality.

And Toni I can see how your views of black cats and ginger cats may
possibly fit easily with my view of my two cats.

My black cat is extraordinarily loving and affectionate to us, following
us from room to room, settling literally under our chins the moment we
recline on the couch, demanding to snuggle up under the duvet as soon as
the light goes out, and so on. However, every time I take him to the
vet (who happens to be a very sweet and gentle girl), it's as if he
says, "Uh-uh! No way! I don't know you on earth you are. For all I
know you may be a serial killer", and he's TOUGH to handle, bearing his
teeth, and even hissing. He wants to get straight back in his
cat-carrier.

On the other hand, our ginger cat is almost completely passive when we
take him to the vet. The vet doesn't need any assistance with him from
me. She can get him out of the carrier by herself. She plonks in the
middle of the table and he just draws himself in, looks meek, and
doesn't budge. He just waits for it all to be over and to be put back
in the carrier. He wasn't always like this. When he was a kitten, HE
was the one who was ALL affection, both at home and at the vets. The
vet still recalls how, as a kitten, he walked straight out of the
carrier, walked up her chest with his front paws, purred, and sniffed
her nose! But all that has changed. Now, at the vet he's absolutely
easy-going and well-behaved, and at home, apart from when he's hungry,
he doesn't show much affection, but seems to be just biding his time
until that time each day when he knows he can go out to hunt!

Our black cat enjoys hunting too, but I think he loves us as much, if
not more than hunting. Ginger-Tom has clearly decided the fun of
hunting is the only thing worth getting excited about!

Ellie.

Ellie Bentley wrote:
-L. wrote:
Toni wrote:
I have been grooming cats professionally for 34 years and have noticed a
definite correlation. But my experience has been in direct opposition to
your thoughts.
I used to groom as well and would agree with your thougts.

Toni and -L. This is very very interesting. THANKS for your replies!
The fact that you have more than 34 years experience of many different
kinds of cats between you gives a lot of weight to the theory that there
is a correlation between coat-colour and personality.

And Toni I can see how your views of black cats and ginger cats may
possibly fit easily with my view of my two cats.

My black cat is extraordinarily loving and affectionate to us, following
us from room to room, settling literally under our chins the moment we
recline on the couch, demanding to snuggle up under the duvet as soon as
the light goes out, and so on. However, every time I take him to the
vet (who happens to be a very sweet and gentle girl), it's as if he
says, "Uh-uh! No way! I don't know you on earth you are. For all I
know you may be a serial killer", and he's TOUGH to handle, bearing his
teeth, and even hissing. He wants to get straight back in his
cat-carrier.

EXACTLY how my black cat is and how my last one was. Peewee was the
worst cat my first vet ever handled. Doesn't help that he weighs 22
lbs...



On the other hand, our ginger cat is almost completely passive when we
take him to the vet.

Ginger cats are the Hippy cats - just like to hang out and be your
pal.

-L.

-L. wrote:
Ginger cats are the Hippy cats - just like to hang out and be your
pal.

-L, I can't think of a better way of describing our Ginger Tom. There
are a lot of hippy types living round these hills where we are and come
to think of it, yes, there's a real similarity with our ginger lad! I
chat to the odd hippy at the supermarket and, maybe times have changed,
but they're now all SO gentle. The men may be in their 40's with long
plaited dreadlocks and camo gear etc., but they have the voices and
natures of little boys. Just like my pussycat!

Ellie.

"-L." wrote in message
ups.com...

Agreed. However torties and calicos are nuts - usually quirky and want
affection when *they* want to allow it - usually a bit stand-offish but
can also be a one-person cat. A friend calls torties the Snickers cat
- half sweet, half nuts.



Oops- I did leave out the calico/torties.
The very worst, grooming wise.


--
Toni
http://www.irish-wolfhounds.com

Toni wrote:
"-L." wrote in message
ups.com...

Agreed. However torties and calicos are nuts - usually quirky and want
affection when *they* want to allow it - usually a bit stand-offish but
can also be a one-person cat. A friend calls torties the Snickers cat
- half sweet, half nuts.



Oops- I did leave out the calico/torties.
The very worst, grooming wise.

Nah, Persians. Followed a close second by Himmies. Persians either
come in two types - dumb and docile or dumb and meaner than ****. Of
course the "meaner than ****" Persians are the ones whose owners never
groom them and they arrive in one big mass of matt, which then you have
to shave off in a huge single hairball. Add to it their bad teeth, and
then if they nail you, you *always* get infected. Ugh. I also has a
hard time with Crabby Abbies.

Needless to say, I only got nailed badly *once* and it was an old
Persian mix. My hand blew up in a matter of two hours.

-L.

-L. wrote:
Toni wrote:
I have been grooming cats professionally for 34 years and have noticed a
definite correlation. But my experience has been in direct opposition to
your thoughts.

I used to groom as well and would agree with your thougts.


What follows is highly subjective and I am in no way saying that "this is
true*, but is only my opinion. Also breed and body type also indicate
different characteristics and may often trump color.

I find black cats to be the most ornery and difficult to manage, and in my
circle of groomers thay have a reputation of being more likely to be crazy.
I have a black cat myself and he is a nutball.

That is because black cats - particularly males - are big babies in a
cat suit. They think they are the center of the universe and cannot
imagine why you do not think so, too.


The ginger or marmalade cats, on the other hand, are the most personable
easy going cats you could ever ask for. Outgoing yet easy to handle. I have
two marmalade litter brothers and they are both absolute perfection.

We call it Big Orange syndrome.


Whites I find to be more docile yet not as outgoing as the gingers.

Whites are usually pretty cool cats.


Tuxedo kitties I would rank between the ginger and the whites- not quite as
gregarious as the gingers, but not as reserved as the whites.

I would rate black and whit tux males to be equal to ginger/orange in
personality, with a nit more sense of adventure.


The pointed cats, brown tabbies, and other solid colors (blues, browns,
lilacs) are highly variable.

Agreed. However torties and calicos are nuts - usually quirky and want
affection when *they* want to allow it - usually a bit stand-offish but
can also be a one-person cat. A friend calls torties the Snickers cat
- half sweet, half nuts.

-L
..Hi, my black and white tux male is handsome and knows it. He is
definately not interested in being a lap kitty, yet wants to be where
the family is. He bestows his catnip mouse as a gift, sometimes in my
shoe, on the bed or by the door or in numerous places.

I have a tiny black female cat with quite a sense of adventure, very
smart and loving. Both cats are "rescue" kitties. The animal shelter
told me they have the most difficulty finding homes for back cats. My
kitty had been there two months.