Why Are Orange Tabby Cats So Affectionate? Here Are The Reasons

In this article, you will learn Why Are Orange Tabby Cats So Affectionate & why people love them so much.

Orange tabby cats are my favorite & I deal with them quite often in my clinic. & I have already written a post about their age and how long do they live here.

This article, however going to cover why they are so cute and adorable.

Excited? Let’s start:

“In my head, the sky is blue, the grass is green, and cats are orange.” – Jim Davis,American cartoonist, maker of Garfield.

The very popular feline, ginger or orange cats are not a distinct breed. It is a coat pattern from a wide coat variety.

It could be pale or bright. It could also be a shade of orange near red or yellow to almost brownish.

Although our minds tend to think of Garfield when we hear “orange cat,” these cats are not just from one specific breed.

The most common breeds that have this pigment are Munchkins, Egyptian Maus, British Shorthairs, Bengals, Main Coon, Abyssinians, Persians, and American Bobtails.

Orange Cat Personality

Garfield was a lazy (but affectionate) cat. His comic strop made orange cats’ reputation for being friendly yet lazy.

In reality, their socialization with people and other cats early on in their lives has a huge effect on their personality more than anything else.

Why Are Orange Tabby Cats Affectionate?

Each cat has its attributing personality type. However, the cat-adoring population is always fond of attributing personality not just to breeds but by its fur color and patterns.

Cat lovers have Calicos assumed as playful and headstrong, tortoiseshell is deemed as temperamental, and orange tabbies are deemed to be cuddly and loving.

The real question is not why orange cats are affectionate. It is more reasonable to ask why people assume that orange tabbies are more affectionate than most cats. The cat-loving population widely believes this although they don’t have enough empirical support.

Why orange tabby cats are affectionate?

Orange tabby cats are affectionate because they are more friendly towards people than other cats. They also like to play a lot with anyone.

There was once a study that showed a higher level of aggression in calicos and torties.

So, if that were true, putting together an orange cat and a tortie in the same household will cause the other cat’s “tortitude” to throw an orange cat’s nature into relief, theoretically. This contact leaves orange cats to seem friendlier than torties.

The most important factor in the personality development of a cat is its socialization.

The more they get played with when they are still young kittens and the more positive interactions they get will result in them being more affectionate when they grow up.

Therefore, the orange cat’s reputation for being cuddly, friendly, and affectionate are all but just a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Their colors give them away because people are drawn to orangey colors. And so when these orangey cats receive more affection, they naturally become more trusting and more affectionate.

Which, as explained earlier, happens in most cats, regardless of color and breed.

Truth be told, there hasn’t been any concrete evidence to prove that orange cats are more affectionate than different colored cats.

Although, they sure can be less aggressive than tortoiseshells. Proper socialization is the biggest factor in a cat’s personality.

This is why kittens should not be taken away from their mothers and litter too early as it serves as their foundation of socialization.

The living situation also plays a great part since cats who feel confident and safe are well around people than cats who feel insecure, stressed, and bored.

Proper care includes a range of activities in a cat-friendly environment. When cats get these they are bound for a friendlier disposition, no matter what their fur colors are.

Facts About Orange Tabbies

#1. Not a breed but a coat pattern/color

The presence of stripes denotes a tabby cat and there are 5 various tabby configurations. These are classic, mackerel, spotted, ticked, and patched tabby.

#2. All orange cats are tabbies

You will prove this when you google “orange cats.” All of the results will come as tabbies. This is true even when the stripes are faint. Faint stripes are still stripes, nonetheless. Searching “tabby cats” in Google will prove another point, though.

#3. Are orange tabby cats male?

Just because the character Garfield depicts is male, we can assume all orange tabby cats are. No, they are not.

However, male tabbies indeed take up a higher percentage of the tabby population at 80%. Only 20% are females.

It is not magic. It is simply genetics. What happens is the X chromosome is responsible for the orange pigmentation.

Females have two Xs and males have XY. Thus, a female orange tabby cat needs the sire and the dam to bring on the orange genes. However, males only require the orange gene from their mothers.

#4. Orange tabby cats have M. What does that stand for?

It doesn’t matter whether they are orange or not, all tabbies have “M” on their forehead, just above their eyes.

This distinctive marking is peeper accouterments. This is predominant in tabbies because of their camouflage properties. These markings helped them hide in the wild.

#5. Orange tabbies are loud

According to National Geographic, a cat’s personality is somewhat tied to its coat color.

And while every cat’s personality differs, Amy Wester, a woman who has lived with different cats over the years has one cat named Momo.

You can all guess what Momo stands for. Right, Momo is short for Motormouth. And, this just proves National Geographic’s findings.

For her, Momo is the most affectionate and happiest cat, and the loudest, too. His constant purring can be heard throughout the house.

#6. Orange cats are clingy cats

Every cat has, as said over and over again, their personality. However, orange ones have that reputation for being attention-seeking, cuddly, and clingy. Aside from being a loudmouth, they tend to want to be near their humans all the time.

#7. Another orange tabby cat is famous

Aside from Garfield, another orange tabby cat made its name popular among literary fans.

One orange cat named Tango shared his life with Winston Churchill. Churchill once said, “Never, never, never give up.” He probably had this in mind during one of the nights he spent with Tango, trying to fall asleep.

#8. Orange tabbies mean food

This is probably why Garfield depicted the character so well. According to the psychology of colors, re-yellow is associated with warmth and gladness. Yellow-red owns the highest energy.

And, orange is the color of adventure, social communication, and – you guessed it right, stimulating the appetite!