Tortoiseshell vs Oriental Bicolour - Breed Comparison

The Tortoiseshell isn’t a cat breed but rather a coat coloring of cats. It just happens that most tortoiseshell cats are females.

Known as Torties, these cats always have a couple of colors such as red and black as well as some fawn.

Tortoiseshell cats with the tabby pattern are referred to as Torbie cats. Tortoiseshell markings appear in many different breeds.

Oriental Bicolour cats owe their origins to Lindajean Grillo of Ciara Cattery. The cats hail from the United States. It was in 1979 that Grillo paired a Siamese and bicolored American Shorthair, selecting the best bicolored offspring to mate again with Siamese or Orientals.

This particular variety was granted recognition in 1983 by TICA. It was during the 1980s that European breeders started their own Oriental bicolor breeding lines. The first modern Oriental Bicolours were imported to the UK during 2004.

Tortoiseshell cats are your regular-sized cats. They can be medium-sized to large and weigh anything between 3 and 7kg.

They come in different colors and patterns. The colors are essentially cream, fawn, black, tan, and orange. Tortoiseshell markings appear in all the different cat breeds.

Because the tortoiseshell cat is a color and not a cat breed as such they can be different sizes and shapes.

Temperament:

Tortoiseshell cats aren't a specific breed, but there are people that believe that just the color of the coat is indicative of the personality – feisty and lively.

People who have owned these cats say they have a sassy temperament and can even be just a wee bit aggressive sometimes with their strong-willed attitude.

These cats with a triangular-shaped head and slender, long body have a fairly thin tail. The ears are widely set and are large. The eyes are green, but blue with the colorpoint varieties.

The coat is short, close-lying and sleek while the coat of the long-haired variety is fine and silky with no thick undercoat. The tail forms a plume. The coat is mostly white and the other part of the coat can be in any other color. You’ll always see quite a bit of white around the legs.

Temperament:

These cats are suited for singles, couples, families, and seniors - in fact, anyone still active enough to provide this cat with lots of attention.

These vibrant cats are known for their social, friendly and loving personality. They are intelligent, inquisitive, active cats that need to have plenty of interaction with their human family members. They love their human family and love to hold conversations with them.

They're entertaining too, and love nothing more to ve the center of attention. They're so into their human family that you may even have him waiting patiently for you to come home fro work. He shouldn't be left alone for hours on end and should rather have a pet friend to keep him company during the day.

Your Tortoiseshell is a beautiful cat and fondly referred to as a Tortie. It has a coat similar to the coloring of a tortoise, but the temperament of the cat will rely much on your own personality and the lifestyle you provide him with.

They are fairly vocal, but because this cat isn't a breed but rather a coat color, nobody can say precisely how it will turn out in personality.

One thing is sure, if you offer your Tortoiseshell lots of love and care, you can be sure of a wonderful feline friend.

The Oriental Bicolor is such a wonderful pet to have. They are intelligent, entertaining, loving, active, playful, and inquisitive.

They’re also athletic and energetic. These cats have got all the characteristics you want in a good friend. They make a fantastic companion to people who are active and happy. They’re also very vocal and have a lot to say to their human family.

Your cat's health depends on good food. If your finances allow, choose a high-quality food. Check the label for the feeding guidelines.

Always remember that your cat's age - kittens, adults, and senior cats have different nutritional needs. Sick cats will require a different type of food. Watch your cat's weight because being overweight can bring on a host of illnesses such as diabetes.

A cat has to have access to fresh drinking water every day and night to remain healthy.

Ensuring your feline friend is exercised both mentally and physically is important for good health.

Speak to your vet about the vaccines your cat needs as well as flea prevention.

Any cat can develop health problems. Even kittens that come with a certificate of health can develop illnesses that you never thought possible.

Orientals are generally healthy cats, but the health issues that may affect the Oriental are similar to that of the Siamese cat.

One of these is Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA). This is a genetic eye problem that can lead to blindness. Another disease to look out for is Asthma. The Siamese is susceptible to this disease which means your Oriental Bicolor will also be. You will have to get your furry friend to the vet who may precribe anti-inflammatory drugs.

Cats are known to be independent but they still need your care and attention. Before you take a Tortoiseshell into your home, prepare for his arrival.

Make sure you have food and drinking bowls ready, a comfortable bed, a stylish cat collar and tag of identification, cat accessories such as a brush, toys, and some top-quality cat food.

If you work all day, maybe it would be a good idea to get 2 cats as some cats can get very lonely during the day, and adding a companion can be an excellent solution for his loneliness.

Always be in touch with the vet if you see that your cat isn’t behaving in his usual way.

Your cat will need to be taken for check-ups and also all the necessary cat vaccinations required to ward off deadly cat illnesses.

Provide your cat with a litter box and make sure you remove the cat feces every day.

Provide your cat with toys. Choose them carefully to keep your cat happy and amused. Buy a scratching post too as all cats want to scratch and you want to save your furniture from your cat using it to scratch on.

The Oriental Bicolor will require a brushing once a week. A good idea is to also take a warm, damp cloth and to wipe your cat down. It’s an excellent way to rid your cat of loose hairs as well as dust. The cat has a sparse coat, so brush him gently.

Other grooming requires nail clipping and checking inside his ears. If you clean his ears, be careful not to go deep into the ear. It is precisely why so many cat owners take their cat to the pet groomers where they can do these things professionally.

It’s very important to keep your Bicolor’s litter box spotlessly clean because like most cats, they won’t use their litterbox if it’s still got yesterday’s feces in it. It needs to be cleaned every day.

The Oriental’s diet is much like that of other cats – it has to be meaty. You can’t afford to not understand your feline pet’s dietary needs. Cats are carnivorous and they need commercial cat food that will be equal to fresh meat that they would normally find in the wild.

They need foods high in protein but they will still need some carbohydrates, amino acids, and vitamins, and minerals. Always go for the best quality pet cat foods because by buying the poorer quality ones you put your cat at risk of developing health problems. Never ever leave your cat without a constant supply of fresh, cool drinking water.

Supply your cat with all the things that make it a pleasure to have a cat. You don’t want to bring your pet home and only then start looking for things to make him at home. He’ll need food and water bowls, a nice warm, soft bed, a litter box, grooming accessories, collar, toys climbing tree and scratching pole.

Have your pet neutered or spayed to prevent unwanted kittens.

Make sure he is taken to the vet when ill. You shouldn't own a pet if you can't afford to pay vet fees. There are some cat illnesses that can make your cat very sick and uncomfortable. He should have his vaccines and also be treated for parasites.