There are around 11 million cats in the UK, and many of those are ginger cats.
They have occupied our hearts for centuries, and whether it’s their standout colour fur or their chatty nature, there’s no denying how striking these adorable felines are.
In 2024, 24% of all UK adults owned a cat, and the cat population remains slightly higher than the dog population.
Vet charity, PDSA have pulled together some fun, and less known facts about ginger cats.
All ginger cats are tabbies
All orange cats are tabby cats, but not all tabbies are orange. Many believe that a tabby cat is a specific breed, but that’s not true. A ‘tabby cat’ actually refers to the unique coat markings that all tabby cats have. Ginger cats also exhibit those same tabby markings, which include stripes and spotted fur patterns.
Most ginger cats are male
It’s not the whole population, but male ginger cats, easily make up the majority. According to studies, around 80% of all ginger cats are in fact male, which leaves just 20% of ginger cats being female. This is because the ‘ginger gene’, which produces the orange colour seen on our cats, is on the X chromosome and females need two of these, whereas males only need one. So, if you have a female ginger cat, then they are quite the rare gem!
Orange cats are considered lucky
It’s a well-known myth that black cats are thought to be unlucky, but did you know that ginger cats are associated with bringing good luck and fortune. In Ancient Egypt, the orange colour in ginger cats was associated with the sun, which is believed to bring prosperity, happiness and good fortune. With some today still linking ginger cats with good luck, but given this is hard to prove factual, it’s very likely another myth.
All ginger cats have a strange marking on their head
You may have never realised before, but now whenever you see a ginger cat, you’ll notice that they all have an ‘M’ marking on their forehead or something quite similar. Some legends say that Mother Mary kissed an orange cat to bless them for rocking baby Jesus to sleep, while other sources believe that an orange tabby killed a snake for Muhammad, who then put his mark on the cat. This also feeds into people considering ginger cats to be lucky, or ‘special’. However, the scientific reason for the ‘M’ on the forehead is in fact because of their DNA. The mark on their heads is caused by the same gene that gives orange cats their tabby pattern.
Their tabby fur patterns serve as camouflage
Cats are known to be stealthy and agile, and just like tigers and other big cats in the wild, ginger cats’ orange fur and tabby markings provide them with a good camouflage to help them hunt. Not so handy in the modern world we live in, but when in long grass or reeds, the tabby markings will work wonders for helping cats blend in.
Now you may have learnt something new about ginger cats, if you’re thinking of adding one to your family, check out PDSA’s expert guide covering everything you need to know before you welcome a cat into your life: www.pdsa.org.uk/cats
