Orange Tabby Cat Personality: Do They Have A 'Catty' Temperament?

Deepthi Reddy
Apr 12, 2023 By Deepthi Reddy
Originally Published on Nov 11, 2021
Fact-checked by Sakshi Raturi
Ginger tabby young cat sitting on a wooden floor
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Age: 3-18
Read time: 9.2 Min

Orange tabby cats are domesticated cats with an 'M' marking on their forehead and are popularly known as tabbies.

The orange tabby cat is nicknamed a ginger cat or just an orange cat. A similar coat pattern is found on a white tabby with an alternate black coat color pattern.

Interestingly, an orange tabby cat is not a single breed cat, but a mix of different breeds of cats like American bobtails, the Maine Coon, the Persian, Munchkin cats, and Abyssinian cats, which all have orange tabby coat color and patterns. These patterns include striped, ticked, spotted, mackerel, and classic ones.

Whatever be the coat color or pattern, a tabby cat is one of the most adorable and docile cats, and you can not help yourself from falling in love with this beautiful pussy. Did you know that the scientific name of a cat is Felis catus?

It is the only domesticated species of the Felidae family. This family is commonly known as the cat family and includes other carnivorous animals like tigers, lions, and leopards.

Learn more about these lovely orange tabby cats and as you enjoy reading this article, check out our other fun facts articles about why do cats bite when you pet them and Norwegian forest cat size.

Are orange tabby cats more affectionate?

The orange tabby cat personality has been an interesting topic of research for a long time. This unique cat is affectionate and friendly when compared to other cats around the world. Read on to know more about this amazing species.

Are orange tabby cats more affectionate? The answer to this very question is a definite yes. Interestingly, orange tabby cats are the friendliest of all cats.

They are also often observed to be more cuddly and more affectionate when compared to other cats. Most orange cat owners who have this particular one as a pet agree that their pussy is undoubtedly very affectionate. Every orange tabby cat is unique and is a favorite of its owner.

Why are orange tabby cats affectionate?

This question leads us to an interesting answer. The extra interaction and stimulation that this orange cat receives as a kitten plays a vital role in its personality development and hence its friendliness and affectionate behavior.

If you ever see small orange tabbies, they are beautiful, and also their nature is mild. That is the reason why they grow into affectionate orange tabbies. Even kittens of this breed seem more attractive. With their lovely orange fur, these attractive kittens are tamed so nicely and most often get a lot of attention from their owners.

Also, these orange tabbies get habituated to all this affection. Even after growing into an adult, it continues to demand cuddles and attention.

This attention seeking methodology of orange tabbies is definitely attractive as these orange cats would demand cuddles or a rub on their fur coat.

That is the reason we often see that orange tabby cat breed owners never get tired of complimenting their dear kitty and its personality. So you see, because of the love and affection it receives as a kitten, the same is reciprocated and reflected in this lovely breed personality when an adult as well.

How do cats choose their favorite person?

Every cat is unique, and an orange tabby cat breed is no exception. In general, we can say that these cat breeds are friendly towards everyone, but they have their own favorite person.

How these mousers pick out their favorite person in life depends on multiple factors, like how much time they are receiving from that particular person, how much attention or petting they receive, who gives them their favorite food, and most importantly, who provides them with cuddles for their naptime.

As we have already seen earlier in this article, the orange tabby cat breed is amiable and has an affectionate personality.

Treats and comfort are a few things for you to provide to your tabby to become your cat's favorite. But equally important may be the sense of safety and security your orange cat feels around you.

If you see that your orange cat is sticking around you most of the time and rubbing its fur coat against you, then you can with no doubt say that this orange tabby cat, or for that matter, any orange tabbies, have chosen you as its favorite.

You will observe a few more behaviors in your orange tabbies like slow blinking of eyes, lying down showing its belly, or kneading its paws.

If you observe these signs in your orange cats around you and may not find these cats showing these behaviors around someone else, then be sure that you are the favorite pick of these orange cats at your place.

Are orange tabby cats friendly or are orange tabby cats mean?

Orange tabby cat breeds are more often seen as sassy, easy, and friendly cats. Orange tabby cat breeds being considered as mean is almost unheard of.

There are always exceptions; a person's few personal experiences with these orange cats might have given him or her a more negative opinion. You should understand that every cat is unique and has its own unique personality.

So the way it responds to a particular situation depends on multiple reasons like its past experience with that person or a bad memory around the person, place, or similar situation.

Suppose you saw the flip side of the orange tabby cat's personality.

In that case, you should not judge the cat as mean, but be patient enough to understand the reason behind it before giving out or having a negative opinion about this much-loved orange tabby cat breed.

You might have gotten an idea by now that these lovely orange cats are the friendliest of all cats that like to be cuddled and loved for the most part when you are around the house.

These cats do not mind slipping into your bed while you are asleep at night too.

beautiful tabby cat with surprised eyes

Is every orange tabby cat a tom?

The practical answer to this particular question is a no for obvious reasons. But yes, most often, it is observed that these orange tabby cats are males. You should remember here that not all tabby cats are orange.

The orange color is just a trait inherited by these orange cats because of their genes. Only when both chromosomes carry this orange gene is the orange tabby cat a female. If there is even a single orange cat gene, then the orange cat is a male with its unique spotted tabby pattern coat color or coat pattern.

Interestingly, sexual dimorphism is observed in orange tabby cats. Male orange cats are larger and heavier when compared to their female counterparts with fluffier fur.

Also, when you compare these ginger cats, as they are fondly called, with other cats, you will find that male cats are larger than males of other cat breeds, and female orange tabby cats are smaller than females of other cat breeds.

But since 80 percent of orange tabby cats are male, it is mistaken that all of orange tabby cats are toms.

The Temperament Of Orange Tabby Cats

The temperament of an orange cat breed is considered to be very gregarious. These ginger cats are sociable, companionable, fun-loving, and amiable feline friends of humans.

You can see more of the tabby cat's personality in other temperaments that could result from circumstances and past experiences of the individual cat. They are expressive, and one can observe them meowing most of the time.

These lovely pussycats are found to be more vocal when compared to other cats. Also, orange tabby cat breeds are observed to be more tolerant around children and other family pets like a dog. Also, they are friendlier towards the older ones in your family.

When compared to other domestic cats, these ginger cats are calmer. These tabby cats are very compatible and easy to maintain.

Yes, orange tabby cats score highly for their good temperament. This cat's warm and outgoing nature is its outstanding personality trait.

It's hard not to see why these feline friends are their owner's favorite. As seen earlier, when these cats receive lots of care and affection as kittens, they reflect the same in their personality as well, as they grow.

Are orange tabby cats more vocal?

Unsurprisingly, these cats love to talk a lot. They are not shy when it comes to being vocal about their demands.

The orange tabby cat breed can get so attached to its owner that it would love to just be around you all day and demand you to talk and cuddle with it.

Only cuddling will not suffice an orange tabby cat's desire to be with you, but rather it will love you more if you talk to it. These snuggly attention seekers roam around purring all the time and can be heard from any corner of the house.

As well as being very vocal, these tabbies can be very lazy and will love to just laze around enjoying their cat food.

That is why you have to make sure that your much-loved companion moves around before becoming obese. Your kitty could become an inseparable part of your life as you understand more about its purrs, what its meow actually means, and what this lovely tabby wants to convey.

Dealing With Temperament Issues

Like any other pet, even your pet ginger cat may project temperament issues at times. In general, this orange cat has a very friendly personality, but sometimes it can act aloof and at times a little aggressive.

This was observed in a pet cat who didn't have proper kitten training.

If you have adopted a ginger or orange coat color kitten that is a few weeks old, then you could find these issues. You should understand that the orange cat is not just one cat breed and the orange coat pattern or tabby markings is what makes it different from other breeds.

You may observe a few temperament issues as well as coat patterns in these ginger cats based on the orange genes they inherited from their parent cats.

You must definitely talk to your vet about the temperament attitude of your kitten and sort out a plan for positive reinforcement. For example, tabbies love to eat, so you can use their favorite food treats to teach them to be nicer.

Socialize with them often and involve more people who enjoy the company of your cat. This way, your kitty will let go of its shyness.

Are orange tabby cats right for you?

If you love cats and do not have any allergies because of their fur, then yes, orange tabby cats might be right for you. By now, you might have understood how charming and affectionate these cats are.

Even Winston Churchill had an orange tabby cat for himself and named it Tango. Cats are very low-maintenance pets, and among them, these orange tabbies are most loved. All cat lovers agree on it. If you want to have a cat of your own, then go for it and enjoy the love of this beautiful pussycat.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our article about the orange tabby cat personality then why not take a look at do cats have night vision, or what is a baby turkey called.

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Written by Deepthi Reddy

Master of Business Administration

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Deepthi ReddyMaster of Business Administration

With an MBA under her belt, Deepthi has discovered her true calling in content writing. Her writing repertoire is diverse, covering travel, movies, pet care, parenting, animals and birds, and more. Her joy of learning and creating has helped her craft well-written and engaging articles. When she isn't writing, Deepthi enjoys exploring new cultures, trying different foods, and spending quality time with her two children aged 7 and 12.

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Fact-checked by Sakshi Raturi

Postgraduate Diploma in Management

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Sakshi RaturiPostgraduate Diploma in Management

Sakshi has experience in marketing strategy, social media planning, and recruiting industry experts for capstone projects, she has displayed a commitment to enhancing their skills and knowledge. She has won multiple awards, including a Certificate of Appreciation for Creative Writing and a Certificate of Merit for Immaculate Turut, and is always seeking new opportunities to grow and develop.

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