There has never been an easier way to determine which cat is best for you than simply picking it out by color. Studies have shown that there is a link between the color of a cats coat and their underlying personality traits, which could help in choosing the best type for your household situation. You may love white cats, but a gray colored one may be better suited to your needs. Read on to see what colors lend to a certain personality.
Black cats are often pre-determined to be mischievous and even bring bad luck, but that couldn’t be further from the truth, no matter what suspicions you may hold. Research suggests that cats with black fur are generally good-natured, loyal, and friendly, however stubborn is also a trait. Studies conducted at the U.S. National Cancer Institute indicate that black fur may also be associated with health benefits including a resiliency to certain diseases. Like black cats, black-and-white colored cats are also friendly, however they tend to wander off if a close eye is not kept, but are generally good-natured and calm.
Cats with white fur are often thought of as less intelligent, but that predisposition is due to the fact that cats with blue eyes are actually deaf. Instead of coming when called or responding to their name being said, white cats will typically just stare at you! Don’t let this personality trait scare you away from getting a white cat though, as some surveys suggest they are calm and peaceful, as well as friendly and outgoing.
Studies indicate that gray colored cats are peaceful, affectionate, gentle, and calm while cats with tabby markings tend to be home-loving, generally good-natured, friendly, and sometimes even lazy. Ginger or red colored cats generally have opposite personality traits including unpredictable behavior, tempers, and can be less friendly.
Cats with calico markings (black, orange, and cream) are suggested to have different personalities based on the breed rather than the color alone. Ranging from calm and sweet-natured to naughty and lively, calico colored cats are a toss up! One trait that they do share is their tendency to eat too much and become overweight if not cared for properly.
Every cat will have different personality traits, regardless of their color, simply due to how they are raised, the type of household they reside in, and the level of care and attention they receive. In order to choose the best cat for you, it is important to take all aspects of ownership into consideration and find the one you will want to make a part of your family!
I agree with cats color and their personality; i have 6 rescues; my orange tabbie is to moodiest little bugger.
he will be loving one minute and claw you open the next for no reason.
I also have 2 black and white ferals; well they are they biggest love bugs now; you would never know they were ferals.
my favorate type of rescue is bottle feeding. i just cant give them up when they are weaned.
thanks, Sasha
I agree with the black and white cat thing! My cat, Kimmy, who is 19, is such a sweetie, but if you arent watching her, she’ll be at your food in a second! Or if you happen to leave the pantry door open, you’ll go into the other room for a minute, if that, and shes up in the pantry, stuck in all of the grocery sacks. She’s a sneaky kitty! 😛
We have two grays and a solid black. The greys are both lovable and friendly, the black is as well. He is very stubborn thou but full of personality and intelligence. I think its cause he’s a male and the other two are females, he’s the king.
I am caring for over two dozen cats and my experience with color and personality doesn’t support this theory. One of the sweetest, most laid back cats in the house is a big red tabby and four of our feral population are red tabbies who come running when we go outside, purring all the way, to rub all over us. They were tamed by our simply sitting near their food and waiting for them to accept us. Our 15 year old grey and white guy fits the profile of a grey cat while the grey and white brother of the tame feral reds is quite aloof. There are quite a few tabbies and torbies (tortoiseshell/tabby mix) in both the indoor and the outdoor groups and their personalities range from one extremely overweight lump to absolutely off-the-wall (but sweet). Then, the most aloof of the lot is the queen whom we cannot catch to spay – she is a tortoiseshell and the mother of 3/4 of the population. Oddly, she trusts us enough to bring her kittens to us when they are of weaning age, but we cannot get close to her (and she’s too cunning for the trap). There are two calicos in the outdoor population who are affectionate and friendly – one from this genetic pool and another who was recently dumped here (the latter has decided that she needs to be an indoor cat and gets along beautifully with all of the others).
I could go on and on about our experience with various cat colors and personalities, but the bottom line, I believe, is that personality is determined by more complex genetics in combination with environmental factors. Saying that cats of a certain coat color will behave a certain way is akin to saying that all blond humans are ditsy. (I’m not blond 🙂 ).
This article is total nonsense.
Barbara, this is a bit off-topic, but try a drop trap to get the mama tortie for spaying. Works great for catching cats that won’t go into a conventional trap. There’s info here: http://CATINFO.ORG/?link=remotecontroldroptrap and on the Alley Cat Allies website.
Can you site the studies mentioned? I’d be interested to read how they were conducted. Also, all blue-eyed cats are deaf??? That means all Siamese and Himalayan would be deaf… I had a few himis as a child and seem to remember them responding when called. Am I incorrect?
My blue eye, white cat has perfect hearing. She comes when we open the pantry door or when we open packages. She knows her name and comes when we call her. She eats beside the dust-buster but runs away if we turn it on. Seems like people just keep repeating the same false rumors and bad studies.
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