Describes a cat with patches of white, orange and black fur. For the pattern itself, which can be applied to anything else with this coloration, see calico (pattern).
A variation of the tortoiseshell cat, though that tag is reserved for cats with the more traditional brindled pattern.
The vast majority of tortoiseshell and calico cats are female due to the genetic basis of cat coloration. Males are infertile due to an intersex condition, typically being XXY.
