Maybe you’ve been spending your time researching mythological creatures. Maybe you uttered “What makes cats mysterious and meowgical,” while your FBI agent was recording everything you say (those iPhones). Whatever the case might be, you stumbled upon a lilac tortoiseshell cat.
And, you haven’t been the same since. “What are these mythical creatures?” you thought to yourself, wondering whether you found yourself on the wrong side of the internet once more.
But, lilac torties aren’t a thing of dreams. They’re as real as they can be with the fluffiest of furs and the deepest of eyes. And, they’re as rare as you might have guessed yourself.
Dear God, how come you didn’t know there was a cat somewhere out there with fur that resembles every color of the Provence lavender fields? And, how come you were completely out of touch with the fact that there was a cat somewhere out there purrfectly embodying your wildest dreams?
Don’t be hard on yourself, though – lilac torties are pretty much the rarest out of the bunch. You’re not the only one who didn’t know they existed.
As a matter of fact, most humans read the words “lilac” and “cat” and assume you’re talking about a unicorn or a mermaid. They’re more familiar with those considering they’ve known about them since they were children.
But, lilac tortoiseshell cats aren’t necessarily… lilac. When you take a closer look at them, you might notice they’re sporting blue and cream colors that have been ever-so-neatly assembled in a tortoiseshell pattern.
Blue and cream don’t make lilac (thanks to the color theory). But when they’re splattered over a fluffy kitty they do give off a lilac hue under certain lights and angles. Oh, and there’s more where that came from! Keep on reading, why don’t you?
1. Lilac tortoiseshell cats aren’t a breed
Maybe you know somebody who has a lilac tortoiseshell cat. Maybe you were watching TikToks and you caught a glimpse of the most purrfect paws you’ve ever seen (and you noticed the caption says “lilac tortoiseshell cat”).
Whatever the case might be, there are reasons why you might have been at sea about whether a tortie’s a cat breed.
But, to clarify the confusion, lilac tortoiseshells aren’t a cat breed. As we’ve mentioned a million times throughout the article, lilac tortoiseshell describes the color and the pattern of the fluff a particular cat breed might possess.
And, there are a bunch of cat breeds you can choose from when you’re looking for a lilac tortie.
2. And, a bunch of breeds have lilac tortoiseshell cats
Oh, there’s hardly a coat combination that’s more eye-catching and thought-provoking than a tortoiseshell. And, when you cross one of the most attractive patterns with one of the most mystifying shades, you get the lilac tortoiseshell cat.
But, you never know what you’re getting because lilac torties look different depending on the breed.
Now, a Maine Coon tortie would have the fluffiest of furs with the most sought-after cream, blue, and lilac shades. But, an American Shorthair would have the most gorgeous eyes you’ve ever seen, surrounded by short strokes of rosette patterned fluff.
And, some of the other breeds that can have lilac torties are Cornish Rex, Persian, Ragdoll, Bengal, and Japenese Bobtail.
3. Lilac torties are almost always female (girl power for the win!)
Oh, we’re going back to that seminar we mentioned beforehand! Lilac torties are almost always female because the color of the coat’s always determined by the X chromosome. And, while females have the XX chromosomes, males have the XY chromosomes.
Now, torties have black and red colors of the fluff (and lilac torties have diluted shades). But, the gene that’s responsible for the black color can be found on the X chromosome.
And, the gene that’s responsible for the red color can be found on the second X chromosome. So, a cat would need to have two X chromosomes to have both of these colors.
And, as you might have guessed, only females have that ability. Honestly, there’s something even better about these frisky felines knowing they’re female. Who wouldn’t want to hang out with another strong, unfettered woman?
4. Lilac torties don’t have a distinctive personality
A cat’s temperament doesn’t depend on physical appearance! And, that’s why lilac torties don’t have distinctive purrsonalities you can point fingers at.
“Oh, my tortie tends to act out whenever she’s home alone!” or “But, my tortie’s aggressive whenever we have guests!” might be something you would argue.
But, a cat’s temperament almost always depends on the breed or the environment. Maybe she’s acting out because she hasn’t been properly trained and she doesn’t know what’s wrong and right.
Maybe she’s aggressive because she wasn’t properly socialized when she was a kitten. Whatever the case might be, there’s no evidence that a tortie’s pattern affects her behavior.
5. And, tortitude might not be a real thing
Tortitude seems to be a fun play on words painting a picture of the attitude torties (supposedly) possess. And, there are plenty of pet parents who would swear on everything they have that torties behave a certain way when nobody’s looking – they’re aggressive, stubborn, and possessive.
As a matter of fact, these claims have gone as far as to get professionals interested and intrigued enough to do research. But, they couldn’t find anything that proves there’s a connection between a tortie’s appearance and behavior.
Other than the fact that most lilac torties are females, of course. And, most females are more aggressive than males because of hormones. So, tortitude might be a real thing when you change your perspective.
6. Lilac tortoiseshell cats are rare
My family and friends have been fostering kittens for a really long time and we’ve stumbled upon torties from time to time. Of course, these little blotchy beasts have been the talk of the town. They’re absolutely adorable and out of the ordinary!
But, we’ve only had the pleasure of fostering torties with black and red fluff because that’s the most common combination. And, never have we ever had the opportunity to even observe a lilac tortoiseshell which speaks for the whole “the rarest out of the bunch” thing we have going on.
So, when you’re planning on getting your hands on one of these mythical creatures, you might want to hold your horses – or at least prepare to be patient.
7. But, they aren’t rare among folklore stories, myths, and legends
Oh, these bad boys aren’t rare among folklore stories, myths, and legends which proves my point (from the beginning of the article). Come on; you can’t have a purple cat and claim she’s not a mythical creature. So, what are these stories that can’t get enough of the tortie’s charms?
Firstly, a bunch of humans think that torties symbolize good fortune. Irish and Scottish cultures used to keep torties around the house because they were thought to bring prosperity to the family. Oh, and the Americans used to refer to them as “money cats” for that same reason.
On the other hand, the English believed that rubbing a tortie’s tail on warts, growths, and swellings would help heal them. And, we can’t forget about the Japanese who believed bringing a tortie on the boat with them would protect them from bad weather.
Whether you believe these myths or not, you can’t argue that lilac tortoiseshell cats are a force to be reckoned with.