Novice Cat Owner With Questions

BTW Calicos and Torties are almost always female. Calicos have clear patches of Orange, Black and White, while Calicos are black/orange mixed, sometimes with white. I believe the older cat above looks like a Tortie, while I cant say about the kitten.

ORIGINAL: willowchow

This isn't scientific (I don't think at least) but I just wanted you to know just in case that the female cats that I've met and taken care of that looked like this (is it called tortie???) anyway, they've all been very unfriendly.  I'm just saying this so you'll be aware if things start to change as they age. 

 
Also, Lori, I think this is a very biased statement. Its like saying 'All Chow Chows are agressive' or lets dig a bit deeper: 'All Blue Chows are very agressive'
 
I think its quite ignorant to say 'Im just saying this so you'll be aware if things start to change'
 
Better yet it reminds me of the old wives tale 'A Dobermans brain will swell bigger than its skull and it will turn on you'

LOL, why is it ignorant?  I'm telling her there is a possibility that that type of cat can be somewhat unfriendly.  Where did I say they all are?? 

I said "in case things change" because she has stated currently they are fine.  But, they are new to her and one is quite young.  Again, I don't think my comments were ignorant at all.  They went along with what she said.  Maybe you didn't read the original post carefully enough??

I certainly don't have my head in the sand about the type of temperment chows can have.  And, I wouldn't want anyone else to either. 

And, I've heard that myth about a dalmation but not dobermans.  Either way, it's way far fetched in comparison to what I said (and also clearly backed up with that it was just my experience).

Also, another poster after me also stated the same experience. 
[&:]

Those two aren't full torties.  My beloved tortie went to the bridge in May.  She was a long-haired tortie from head to tail.  No white.  Those cats look like calitorties (lol).  Half-calico and half-tortie. 

Yeah, the majority of calicos are female, though there are a few male calicos out there.

ETA: My tortie was amazingly sweet.  Best cat I ever had.

ORIGINAL: Roxie865

Those two aren't full torties.  My beloved tortie went to the bridge in May.  She was a long-haired tortie from head to tail.  No white.  Those cats look like calitorties (lol).  Half-calico and half-tortie. 

Yeah, the majority of calicos are female, though there are a few male calicos out there.

ETA: My tortie was amazingly sweet.  Best cat I ever had.

 
Those two kitties are probably Tortie w/ White. The older cat does look like a Tortie with some Calico, but I actually inquired about this very same thing on a cat forum and was told that they can only be one or the other. I asked about this because my cat has the same markings the Tortie above has, only inverted. She is a very clear patched Calico, but on her head the patches run together, and look to be Tortie.
Cat genetics are very strange things, Im only now beginning to understand them. With dogs its very simple. Black, white, brindle, chocolate, yellow, etc. But with cats, even these three toned type of colors are confusing. Theres Tortie, Tortie with white, Torbie (not sure what that is), Calico etc

Here are two pictures of her, so you can get an idea of her coloring:
 

 

Cat genetics are very strange things, I'm only now beginning to understand them. With dogs its very simple. Black, white, brindle, chocolate, yellow, etc. But with cats, even these three toned type of colors are confusing. Theres Tortie, Tortie with white, Torbie (not sure what that is), Calico etc

The term Torbie is usually use when brown or blue/gray tabby patterns are seen.  Some people also use the name Torbie term for Calicos with a tabby pattern.   Coat coloration of a cat is very complex and it is controlled by several genes.  One gene involves has two alleles:  The Orange allele, O, which is the dominant form (i.e., XO), and produces orange fur; and the "Back" allele, "o" which is the recessive form, (i.e.., Xo), and produces black fur.  For a cat to be tortoiseshell or calico, it must simultaneously express both of the alleles, O and o, which are two versions of the same gene, located at the same location on the X chromosome.  Males normally cannot do that: they can only have one allele, as they only have one X chromosome.  Virtually all tortoiseshell or calico cats are female for that reason.  Occasionally a male is born (the rate is 1 in 3,000).  These may have Klinefelter's syndrome carrying an extra X chromosome, and will almost always be sterile or they may be a chimera resulting from a fusion of two differently colored embryos.  The spotted gene causes white patches to cover the colored fur.  Although there is no genetic difference, the amount of white is artificially divided into mitted, bicolored, harlequin, and van, going from almost no white to almost completely white.  In normal female tortoiseshell cats and in Klinefelter males, the position of the patches depends on which X-chromosome is active on each cell and which is inactive. 

Ok that ends your genetic lessons for today lol.  Hope that helps explain thins a bit better[]

I guess i didn't know that I didn't know much about cats and I needed to be told that there attitude would change...... As with any animal as they grow up they will change, no one said that they will be forever the way they are when they where young, if that was the case they would be deaf and blind for there whole life......
We are not sure about the youngest but the oldest we were told by the vet that she is a calico, now i dont want this to start a well your vet doesn't know what they are talking about or you don't know what you are talking about kind of thing........that's not why I put the pic up in the first place. I put the pick up simply to show the people on here the cute kids I have-thats it not to start a debate about anything....

Sorry I dont think we were starting any kind of Calico Tortie debate. I just saw a bit of confusion and thought I would clear up that Calicos are patches and Torties are colors that are sort of 'run' together. I didnt mean to offend you, I think your cats are gorgeous, I adore Torties, they have such expressive faces.
I only posted the pictures of Ceci so that you could see the difference in markings between her and your beautiful kitties. Sorry if I offended you