1 Out Of 3000 Calicos Is Male But This Cat Had 2 Males In A Litter Of 5 Calicos

Calico cats may not be all that unusual but many people don’t realise exactly how rare it is to have a male calico cat. In fact, out of 3000 calico cats, you’re only going to get an average of one male! That is why this particular litter was so surprising.

When they took in a litter of five calico kittens at That Cat House on the Kings, they were shocked to find out that there were two male kittens. The odds against this are incredible, but regardless of the odds, they are incredibly cute.

Meet the calicos:

Since a male calico is a one out of 3000 chance, the odds of finding two in a litter of 5 is amazing.

Calico cats have 2 sex chromosomes, so they determine their gender. Female kittens have 2 X chromosomes but male kittens have an X and a Y chromosome.

Here is one of the boys:

A calico must have 2 X chromosomes, so it is going to be a female almost every time. It is rare to see a male calico and exceptionally rare when two come from the same litter.

This male has the same markings as his sisters:

One of the sisters

In a male calico cat, the pattern exists because they have 2 X chromosomes and a Y chromosome. If it happens to a human, it results in Klinefelter syndrome.

A calico girl from the litter:

Not much info is available on the parents but the kittens certainly share a strong calico gene. Each kitten has its own unique personality.