Are torties always female?

[SillyTilly]

I ask this because sweet said

"and of course Mabel a little girl being a Tortie."

I didn't know this if it is so. Does anyone know why?

Cheers

Olivia

[borderdawn]

Yes torties are girls, there are occasionally a male born but they usually die, not really sure why, was told once but I have forgot!
Dawn.

[Sweet]

I didnt know until the Vet told me when I had Violet back in September, someone on here will be able to explain I hope LOL x

[Kay]

Tortoiseshell is a female sex-linked gene and therefore are nearly always female. However there are exceptions but these males are born infertile, although they do lead normal healthy lives apart from this and do not die because they are torties.

[borderdawn]

Tortoiseshell is a female sex-linked gene and therefore are nearly always female. However there are exceptions but these males are born infertile, although they do lead normal healthy lives apart from this and do not die because they are torties.

Have you any info on it Kay? Just I am sure I was told they dont usually survive, would be nice to know they did.
Dawn.

[Luke]

Have you any info on it Kay? Just I am sure I was told they dont usually survive, would be nice to know they did.
Dawn.
Was told this too....must admit i have never known a tortie tom!!

[Kay]

No info to hand Dawn but I have a friend that has a male silver tortie Maine Coon at the mo and he is absolutely gorgeous and I have known 3 others that grew up to ripe old ages. It could be that because it is an abnormality that there are other problems with the male kittens and this is why they die not the fact they are a tortie. Another thought could be that the so called male torties are in fact male and female. This does happen as I have had two kittens, not torties, like this. They have male and female parts and if they are very obviously male then maybe the vet does not look any closer to see if the have female parts as well. Hope this doesn't sound complicated because it is beginning too to me.

[Hreow]

You know that the sex-genes are X and Y, XX being female and XY being male? Some cats have XXY. Since they have a Y chromosome, they are male, but they also have two X chromosomes which is how they can be torties, as that requires two "tortie" Xs. Simplified and my BH the microgeneticist would have fits, but vaguely right. :-)
If the testes produce XY or XX (instead of the normal X and Y), then the animal is infertile. If they produce the normal X and Y, they can be fertile. Only about three registered cases of the latter since scientists/geneticists began to sit up and take notice, so very rare.

Please tell me I've managed to sow confusion again. :grin:

[Jac]

phew got me totaly confuddled:lol:

[Sweet]

Me too Jac LOL x

[Kay]

Very well explained Hreow. I didn't know of any fertile tortie males being born only infertile.

[SillyTilly]

I understand :) MAny thanks

Olivia

[borderdawn]

Thanks Hreow!:shock: :shock: :shock: :-D

Kay.
I think a Vet and anyone would know if a Cat was a heamaphrodite, I boarded one, a ginger, she was spayed at 6mths, but she absolutely stunk by 12mths, of Tom Cat pee! Investigations revealed she had testicles too, inside, never sprayed just reeked. I wouldnt board her again, the smell was awful, despite being castrated and spayed she has never altered, the smell is soooooo bad. The owners call her stinky Minky! She is one who has a pen outside.
Dawn.

[dandysmom]

My cat genetics book, which is admittedly quite old (A.C. Jude - 1955) says that the occasional tortie male s actually genetically XX (female) but influenced by male hormones from a womb mate to appear male. Almost 100% sterile as studies of the testes showed that normal reproductive cells were altogether lacking.

[Booktigger]

If you do a search on here, there is a link to the messybeast article about torties, as I asked about tortie tabbies, and the article should explain about this too.

[Mags]

I think this is the link you mean.....;)

http://messybeast.com/tricolours.htm

[Kay]

Thanks Hreow!:shock: :shock: :shock: :-D

Kay.
I think a Vet and anyone would know if a Cat was a heamaphrodite, I boarded one, a ginger, she was spayed at 6mths, but she absolutely stunk by 12mths, of Tom Cat pee! Investigations revealed she had testicles too, inside, never sprayed just reeked. I wouldnt board her again, the smell was awful, despite being castrated and spayed she has never altered, the smell is soooooo bad. The owners call her stinky Minky! She is one who has a pen outside.
Dawn.

I have to disagree there Dawn as my vet also mis interpreted both of my babies and I can assure it is very difficult especially in a long haired cat. Surely if what you are saying is right then the vet who spayed her at 6 months should have realised then and obviously didn't.

[Moli]

Years ago I looked after a ginger kitten for a rescue, it was a tiny little thing, and when we took it to the vets to be checked turned out to be a girl! she never grew any bigger than a kitten, and only lived till she was 2...

[borderdawn]

I have to disagree there Dawn as my vet also mis interpreted both of my babies and I can assure it is very difficult especially in a long haired cat. Surely if what you are saying is right then the vet who spayed her at 6 months should have realised then and obviously didn't.
No he didnt see anything Kay, both testicles were retained, in the groin area, its only when the spraying began they thought there was something amiss, the testes were seen on ultra sound.

I may of said it wrong, I mean if you buy what appears to be female starts spraying and stinking, there must be something not quite right, same as if an outwardly male Cat is neutered then starts calling, somethings not quite right.
Dawn.

[Kay]

I agree with a male cat starting to call there is something very wrong, mind you if you heard my stud cat then you would think he was calling he's that loud, but females can and do spray and smell just as bad as males. So that isn't necessary a tell tale sign.