If you’ve shared your life with a cat—whether it’s been years, months, or even a short week—then you know full well what “cattitude” is. All cats have cattitude to some degree. And I think it goes without saying that there are some fancy felines out there who have no qualms about flexing it in full force. Do you know who I’m talking about? Something tells me you just might!
We know that cats can be sweet, some can be sassy, others a tad moody and grumpy. And then there are those cats that are totally boss.
Once I brought a tuxedo cat into my life, I learned that some cats are just, as they say, born with it. It’s not catnip influenced, nor is it from praise and treats. There are some cats, specifically tuxedo cats, that are known by many cat lovers and owners for flexing their ultimate cattitude. So much so, that the term “tuxietude” is often used to describe it. Ginger cats are often reported as being overly friendly, and solid black cats are often known for their sweet nature.
Obviously, a cat’s breed can shape their temperament. But what about their coat color?
One study from the UK, published in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, indicates that a cat’s coat color and temperament can be linked. Does this come as a surprise to you when it comes to who tops the list with the most cattitude? I know I’m not shocked one bit.
Once researchers all agreed on the cat coat color linking to temperament hypothesis, they started their research. Over 1,200 cat owners were polled, wondering if their theory was correct after all.
In order to participate in the study, the owners were all asked to complete a detailed questionnaire to give researchers better insight into their cat’s behavior. The researchers wanted to know the degree and frequency in which their cats would respond to things in their everyday life. These things included petting, trips to the vet, playtime, cuddling, etc. The information gathered by each cat owner was graded on a rating scale which the researchers referred to as an “aggression scale” for research purposes.
Curious as to the results? Just keep reading!
1. When it comes to cats who ranked highest on the aggression scale, that award goes to black and white cats—specifically our tuxedo cat friends. Following tuxies were calico cats and gray tuxedo cats. The study also found that some calico cats could be labeled as less affectionate, or not as demanding of affection, too.
2. In addition to being “most likely to display aggression,” cats with strictly white and black coats were not as fond of being handled by humans when it was on their human’s terms. Instead, they wanted to be handled when they chose to be.
3. Interestingly enough, on average, tabbies, cats which were solid black in color, or solid gray in color were seen as being most docile and easygoing.
4. It seemed that out of the 1,200 cats examined, tortoiseshell cats were labeled as the moodiest of all cats when it came to interacting with their humans.
5. At vet visit time, it seems that cats with gray and white coats were the most likely to react aggressively during their visits.
Did this study catch you by surprise? I feel like whoever conducted it must not have spent much time with tuxedo cats, because no study would be needed if they had!
