by Brenda Nelson

Created on: October 27, 2010

Before discussing the personality of a “Classic Orange Tabby Cat” we must make several corrections.

First of all every cat is different, and color does not influence personality as much as anyone would like to think or try to tell you. Personality is better defined by breed, gender, and how the mother cat raised them as kittens.

Next we must realize that “Orange” is really “red” in the cat world, and “Tabby” only means that the cat has stripes, or a similar pattern.

-The Stereotype-

Due to the media most people see orange tabby cats as being fat and lazy. Such characterizations are the result of Garfield, Morris, Heathcliff, and Puss from the Shrek movie series. In truth an orange/red colored cat can be slim, or fat, this is the result of genetics and feeding, and is not a color related trait.

The classic orange tabby cat is assumed to be short-haired, but this color can also occur in longer haired cats, with the typical personality of a longer haired cat, this being that they are less active in the summer due to overheating.

In this stereotype we see the orange tabby cat being somewhat aloof, smart, but indifferent to everything other than food. People assume that orange tabby cats will be a little rotund, and easy going.

-Male Cats-

The one feature that does hold true for orange/red cats is that this color appears slightly more often in male cats than in females, as such we can infer the typical male cat behavior when we look at intact male orange tabby cats. This being that males tend to wander more than females, particularly when looking to mate. They are often not as interested in hunting as females, but of course there are exceptions to every rule.

-The Breed-

People need to look beyond the color and instead look to the cats breed to help determine personality, or better yet, to look at the cat itself, as each will be different.

Certain breeds are noted for being more, or less playful, some are more social than others. Of course the majority of cats are of no known breeding as such we can assume they have typical cat behavior.

-Typical Cat Behavior-

Cats are not pack animals, while they have been conditioned to live in our homes, with our family, they are not bound to us by the same needs to fit into a pack, as dogs are. They bond to places rather than people, and may even try to find their own home when their owner moves.

Cats in general are claw motivated, particularly when young. They have a strong hunting desire, although not all cats know how to make the kill.

-To know a Cats Personality-

The best way of knowing a cats personality, without seeing the cat itself, is by seeing its mother, or litter mates, as personality, and social skills, are often taught to a cat from its mother as well as being slightly inheritable. Be aware that personality is not the same as trained behavior, and that every cat is unique.

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