Thomas Jefferson ("TJ")

Breed
"Tortical"- One part tortoiseshell cat and one part calico cat

How would you describe their personality?
TJ (short for Thomas Jefferson) is patient, calm, and very smart. He has to be to survive and share a house successfully with three high energy and rambunctious Jack Russell Terriers.

The calico typically contains a garden variety of cat colors, either vibrant orange (technically known as "red"), white and black, or sometimes a blue-gray and white. Experts say the patterns of the calico patches are as uncommon as two snowflakes being alike. We learned that the most common difference between the calico and tortoiseshell colors (red and black) are interwoven throughout the coat, where calico cats have distinctive patch colors. TJ is a part tortoiseshell cat and part calico sometimes referred to as a, “tortical." Most calicoes are known to be female, but we got one of the rare male ones in TJ.

Calicoes share a personality trait of tortoiseshell cats commonly described as "tortitude." They’re sassy, spunky, and very independent. On the other hand, calicoes can be sweet, loving, and loyal cats. If a home hungers for unconditional love, a calico cat will willingly and enthusiastically fulfill that need. Our TJ's personality is a balance of both (depending on his mood) and mainly depending on where the dogs are in the house.