Do calico and tortoiseshell cats have “cattitude?” Read what these cat owners have to say.
DEAR JOAN: The first time I took my new kitten to the vet, I was surprised to hear the doctor say, “Oh, a calico. Feisty!” I had never heard that about calicos.
Chaser is a great cat. She can be tricky to pet because you can get away with one, two, and maybe three strokes, but petting her more than that may get you rebuffed. Different times of the day matter, too. She seems quite cuddly in the evening watching TV. Her purrs are loud and clear as she nestles on my chest like a heating pad.
I sure hope the classification of feisty doesn’t keep people from adopting a calico. Chaser is a wonderful companion, and every cat seems to have a personality to read and explore.
Gayle Reece
Bay Area
DEAR JOAN: We had a calico named Tasha who was an absolute sweetheart and very affectionate; not at all aggressive or feisty. One of her kittens, Brownie, was a tortoiseshell and also sweet and gentle.
Our feistiest cat was Bunny. She adopted us after turning up in our backyard many years ago, nearly starved to death. She was a small tabby Manx. She mellowed some with age, but would bite and hiss and claw when threatened or upset by something.
Our current cat, Cal, is solid black. He is extremely sweet and affectionate with me and my husband, but not with other cats. When he joined our family, Cal made it clear to both our other cats that he was the boss. At times he even attacked them. We had to put him outside when we left the house to be sure the two females were safe.
Whatever color or breed they are, each cat certainly has a distinct personality, and we love them all.
Paulette Avery
Moraga
DEAR JOAN: Having had cats all my life — I am 70 — I can easily reply that this study is right on. I could have written it.
I have twin, 8-year-old adopted torties right now, and they are so smart and lovable, but very touchy.
It took three years for one of them to warm up to me, but now she is my constant companion. She waits for me at the door, greets me and sits behind me, crowding me in my chair when I am on my computer.
She comes up to me and paws me when she wants a pet, but I don’t dare touch her unless it is her idea. She is lovely but so darn touchy!
Pam Wilson
Los Altos
DEAR JOAN: Years ago I adopted two female calico cats when my son’s landlady said that the cats had to go or he did.
His girlfriend rode the bus all the way from Tahoe to bring them to me in Livermore. I tried to keep them inside, but they broke through the screen so many times that I had to let them be outdoor cats.
To make a long story short, the short-haired one died of an illness, and we don’t know how, but the longhair one ended up injured and does not walk well. She is now content to live indoors, but if you try to pet her, out come the hisses.
We did call her Fluff because of her long coat, but when my son moved back home, he gave her the name of Cranky, which suits her to a T.
Martha Peterson
Livermore
Contact Joan Morris at jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com. Follow her at Twitter.com/AskJoanMorris. Read more of her Animal Life columns at www.mercurynews.com/animal-life.
