Maine Coon colors · Kats Kits, Farmington, Minnesota
Tortoiseshell Maine Coon Kittens for Sale
Tortoiseshell Maine Coons, or torties, wear two colors at once: patches and swirls of black and red, or of blue and cream in the softer dilute version. No two look the same, which is a big part of their appeal.
This page explains torties, torbies and calicos, why they are almost always girls, and what to expect from one.
Available Tortoiseshell Maine Coon Kittens
What Is a Tortoiseshell Maine Coon?
A tortoiseshell has both black and red pigment in its coat, laid out in patches or finely mixed together. The pattern is different on every cat: some have large, clear patches, others a fine brindled mix. Many have a split face or a bright blaze down the nose.
The dilute version swaps black for blue and red for cream, giving a blue cream: a soft patchwork of blue-gray and cream.
Why Torties Are Almost Always Female
The red color gene sits on the X chromosome. A tortie needs two different versions of it, one for red and one for black, so it needs two X chromosomes, and that means a female. Each patch of color is a patch of skin where one X or the other is switched on.
Male torties do exist, but they are very rare, usually have an extra X chromosome and are almost always sterile. If you want a tortie, you are choosing a girl.
Tortie, Torbie or Calico?
- Tortie: black and red, or blue and cream, in patches or a fine mix, with no tabby stripes.
- Torbie: a tortie with tabby markings as well, sometimes called a patched tabby.
- Calico: a tortie with clear areas of white, usually on the chest, legs and belly. Breeders often call it tortoiseshell and white. The dilute version, blue cream and white, is a dilute calico.
Tortie Colors at a Glance
Torties come in a regular and a dilute version, with or without tabby markings and white:
| Name | Colors |
|---|---|
| Black tortie | Black and red patches |
| Blue cream | Blue-gray and cream, the dilute tortie |
| Brown torbie | Brown tabby markings with red patches |
| Blue torbie | Blue tabby markings with cream patches |
| Calico | Black and red patches with white |
| Dilute calico | Blue and cream patches with white |
| Tortie smoke | Tortie colors over a white undercoat |
Is "Tortitude" Real?
Torties have a reputation for strong, sassy personalities, often called tortitude. There is no good evidence that the color itself sets the temperament. Personality comes from the parents and from how a kitten is raised.
Two torties from the same cattery can be opposites: one quick, bold and into everything, the other soft, calm and happiest in a lap. Both are typical Maine Coons, sociable and gentle. Read more about Maine Coon personality.
Looking After a Tortie Maine Coon
A tortie coat needs the usual Maine Coon care: brushing two or three times a week, a little more in the spring and fall shed. See shedding and grooming. As a female she will be a little smaller than a male, usually 8 to 12 pounds when grown; see how big Maine Coons get.
Tortoiseshell Maine Coon Questions
How much is a tortoiseshell Maine Coon kitten?
A tortoiseshell Maine Coon kitten from Kats Kits is $700, and a $200 deposit reserves one.
Are tortoiseshell Maine Coons always female?
Almost always. The pattern needs two X chromosomes, one carrying red and one carrying black. Male torties do exist, but they are very rare and usually sterile.
What is the difference between a tortie, a torbie and a calico?
A tortie has patches of black and red, or blue and cream. A torbie is a tortie with tabby stripes as well. A calico is a tortie with clear areas of white.
Do you have calico Maine Coon kittens?
Not at the moment. A calico is a tortoiseshell with white, and when Kat has one it will be on the available kittens page.
Other Maine Coon Colors
- Orange and Red Maine CoonsRed, ginger and cream tabbies
- Black and Smoke Maine CoonsSolid black and black smoke
- Blue and Silver Maine CoonsBlue, blue tabby and silver
- Polydactyl Maine CoonsMaine Coons with extra toes
- All Maine Coon colorsEvery color and pattern explained
- Available kittensEvery kitten ready to go home now
Ask About a Tortie Kitten
Call Kat on (651) 463-4780 or email katskitscattery@aol.com, and see how kittens travel if you live outside Minnesota.