Calico cats - Bad temperament?

I just adopted a stray 8-10 week calico female kitten. I told the vet
that she was very sweet and I was handling her alot to help her become
socialized. The vet replied "Let's hope she stays that way. Most
calico cats are quite ill-tempered." She had worked several years at a
cat shelter.

I was shocked. Is there any evidence that calico cats are more
anti-social as adults than mixed breed cats? I know some of you may own
a calico cat and have some antedoctal evidence. I am interested in any
research or documentation on this issue. Or perhaps the vet was
speaking from limited experience?

My calico kitten named Maya is a bit skittish, but once she knows who
you are is very friendly and affectionate. I want to help her to keep
that temperament - any suggestions?

PS. I do plan to have her spayed at about 3 months. I have four other
inside neutered adult male cats who ignore her or just hiss at her but
keep their distance.

"Richard" wrote in message
oups.com...
I was shocked. Is there any evidence that calico cats are more
anti-social as adults than mixed breed cats? I know some of you may own
a calico cat and have some antedoctal evidence.

I once owned a huge lomg hair female calico. She was one of the most social
animals ever born. She was quite loving and very outgoing towards new
people. First time visitors to our home were always investigated and
'tested' by her for kitty attention and play tolerance.

"Richard" wrote in message
oups.com...

I was shocked. Is there any evidence that calico cats are more
anti-social as adults than mixed breed cats? I know some of you may own
a calico cat and have some antedoctal evidence. I am interested in any
research or documentation on this issue. Or perhaps the vet was
speaking from limited experience?



No evidence, or documentation, or research- just 33 years grooming them.
*Among groomers* calicos are pretty much regarded as the most difficult of
cats to handle. I think it is just because they are girls, and girls are
mostly more difficult than boys.

And I said *mostly*- don't any of you girls owners get your knickers in a
twist g

--
Toni
http://www.cearbhaill.com/kitties.htm

I wouldn't say they are ill tempered they just have very distinct
personalities. I've had one that was shy and reserverd and my current one
is 5 years old and is the ornery one of the house and shows no sign of
growing out of it.

Celeste

"RobZip" no wrote in message
. ..

"Richard" wrote in message
oups.com...
I was shocked. Is there any evidence that calico cats are more
anti-social as adults than mixed breed cats? I know some of you may own
a calico cat and have some antedoctal evidence.

I once owned a huge lomg hair female calico. She was one of the most
social animals ever born. She was quite loving and very outgoing towards
new people. First time visitors to our home were always investigated and
'tested' by her for kitty attention and play tolerance.

"Toni" wrote in message
.. .

"Richard" wrote in message
oups.com...

I was shocked. Is there any evidence that calico cats are more
anti-social as adults than mixed breed cats? I know some of you may own
a calico cat and have some antedoctal evidence. I am interested in any
research or documentation on this issue. Or perhaps the vet was
speaking from limited experience?



No evidence, or documentation, or research- just 33 years grooming them.
*Among groomers* calicos are pretty much regarded as the most difficult of
cats to handle. I think it is just because they are girls, and girls are
mostly more difficult than boys.

And I said *mostly*- don't any of you girls owners get your knickers in a
twist g

--
Toni
http://www.cearbhaill.com/kitties.htm




The calicos and torties do have a rep to maintain. I've seen them run the
gambit though.

I have a long haired calico now who is a real lap cat and love bug. She
checks in with everyone who comes in the house to get attention.

OTOH I saw one of my former foster kittens over the weekend. She's a dilute
calico and her person brought her in for us to clip her claws. You'd think
we were trying to kill her the way she carried on. If one of the other
volunteers didn't have a good scruff on her she would have ripped me to
ribbons. They tell me she's not like that at home (thank God!).

My first cat after we got married was a calico and she was moody. Not a
monster and really pretty good with kids just not a lap cat and she
preferred to avoid people she didn't know.

W

In article .com,
"Richard" wrote:

Is there any evidence that calico cats are more anti-social as adults
than mixed breed cats? I know some of you may own a calico cat and
have some antedoctal evidence. I am interested in any research or
documentation on this issue.

I bet there is little to no actual documented evidence of this.

Or perhaps the vet was speaking from limited experience?

Experience perhaps more expansive than many, but still limited to
personal observation. Of course, that is just a guess on my part. Why
not ask the vet in question where she gets this information?

There is so little actual study done of domestic cats that it is
pathetic. Most housecat wisdom (apart from some medical physical
phenomena) is based on anecdotal observation.

AFA calicos go, I own one, the only one I ever had. She is currently in
the living room of a house containing 4 other indoor-only cats. She came
to us as a stray, too.

Belle is very unfriendly to all the other cats, although she is sweet to
us for the most part. When she first came, the other cats tended to
stalk and attack her... sometimes viciously. Thankfully, that nastiness
has attenuated considerably over time. Had it not, I would have been
forced to one of various options-- all of which I find repugnant.

I have been subject to minor scratches and occasional bites from Belle
when she is over-stimulated or otherwise upset (by the presence of one
of the other cats, for instance). When hungry, Belle has been known to
feint at the passing ankle in the kitchen.

Her voice is a scratchy little old lady's voice, which I find
irresistibly endearing but which drives my better half crazy. Belle can
be *very* vocal. When she is in a loving mood, she is an incredibly
affectionate, expressive animal. I have no explanation for it, but my
heartstrings are hers to pluck and she seems to know it.

As much as I adore this little cat, she seems to prefer the company of
strangers, like our visitors-- ANY visitors, but especially the female
kind.

Based on her personality and behavior (and my own ignorance) I have
constructed an entire history for her, which I believe to be pretty
close to the facts. (How's that for anecdotal?)

In a perfect world, Belle would be an only cat, living in her own
private quarters with someone who cherished her like a little queen. As
it is, she has little choice but to put up with the inconvenience of
other cats and her barely-tolerable human caretakers. Maybe that's what
makes her so grouchy sometimes.

Richard wrote:
I just adopted a stray 8-10 week calico female kitten. I told the vet
that she was very sweet and I was handling her alot to help her become
socialized. The vet replied "Let's hope she stays that way. Most
calico cats are quite ill-tempered." She had worked several years at a
cat shelter.

I was shocked. Is there any evidence that calico cats are more
anti-social as adults than mixed breed cats? I know some of you may
own a calico cat and have some antedoctal evidence. I am interested
in any research or documentation on this issue. Or perhaps the vet
was speaking from limited experience?

My calico kitten named Maya is a bit skittish, but once she knows who
you are is very friendly and affectionate. I want to help her to keep
that temperament - any suggestions?

PS. I do plan to have her spayed at about 3 months. I have four other
inside neutered adult male cats who ignore her or just hiss at her but
keep their distance.

I have had four tri- or bi- colored cats. Two have been the sweetest things
that they could possibly be. One is sweet only to my husband, and one has
her moments of sweetness and her moments of being a total b!tch on four
paws!

Not sure if this has anything to do with it, but the two that were (one
passed away Dec 2002) the sweetest they could be, were raised by us from the
age of about 4-5 weeks. The two not-so-nice ones were adults when we got
them (one from the local shelter, was labeled as a 'stray' caught by the
local Animal Control Officers, had an estimated age of 8 months when we got
her; the other a stray that decided that our garage was a good place to
live was estimated to be about 6 years old, but then we invited her into the
house proper, and here she stays).

In article ,
"Magic Mood Jeep©" wrote:

the other a stray that decided that our garage was a good place to
live was estimated to be about 6 years old, but then we invited her
into the house proper, and here she stays).

That is a very good description of how we got our Belle. So good, it
made me smile in recognition.

No. It's just nonsense. In general, girl cats are fussier than the boys
and calicos and torties are often "all girl" in their personalities.
But they're all individuals and you have to take them as such. Just
like people.

Richard wrote:
I just adopted a stray 8-10 week calico female kitten. I told the vet
that she was very sweet and I was handling her alot to help her become
socialized. The vet replied "Let's hope she stays that way. Most
calico cats are quite ill-tempered." She had worked several years at a
cat shelter.

I was shocked. Is there any evidence that calico cats are more
anti-social as adults than mixed breed cats? I know some of you may own
a calico cat and have some antedoctal evidence. I am interested in any
research or documentation on this issue. Or perhaps the vet was
speaking from limited experience?

My calico kitten named Maya is a bit skittish, but once she knows who
you are is very friendly and affectionate. I want to help her to keep
that temperament - any suggestions?

PS. I do plan to have her spayed at about 3 months. I have four other
inside neutered adult male cats who ignore her or just hiss at her but
keep their distance.

Richard wrote:
I just adopted a stray 8-10 week calico female kitten. I told the vet
that she was very sweet and I was handling her alot to help her become
socialized. The vet replied "Let's hope she stays that way. Most
calico cats are quite ill-tempered." She had worked several years at a
cat shelter.

They are quirky and bitchy. They also have their charms.


I was shocked. Is there any evidence that calico cats are more
anti-social as adults than mixed breed cats?

Calicos are mixed breed.

I know some of you may own
a calico cat and have some antedoctal evidence. I am interested in any
research or documentation on this issue.

You will never get it. Those kinds of studies just aren't done.

Or perhaps the vet was
speaking from limited experience?

LOL...probably not. Everyone I know who has ever worked in vet
medicine, rescue or shelters pretty much agree that calicos are a bit
snooty if not bitchy. Same for torties. Orange males tend to be
mellow. Male black cats are big, whiney babies. Siamese (and many
pointed moggies) are just obnoxious attention hounds. Ragdolls are
just dumb. It's all anecdotal evdence, but almost everyone agrees.


My calico kitten named Maya is a bit skittish, but once she knows who
you are is very friendly and affectionate. I want to help her to keep
that temperament - any suggestions?

Play with her and give her a lot of affection.


PS. I do plan to have her spayed at about 3 months. I have four other
inside neutered adult male cats who ignore her or just hiss at her but
keep their distance.

She will soon rule the roost. Mark my words!

-L.