There are many stereotypes about orange and red-colored cats. Some believe that an orange tabby cat's personality is rather mean and aggressive, so we set out to investigate. Here's a closer look.

Cats are often surrounded by bizarre myths.

Some believe that black cats bring bad luck, while others believe the furry felines can act as lucky charms.

Others have commonly speculated that cats with ginger fur have particularly nasty personalities.

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Does the orange cat myth have any truth to it?

In this cat guide, we dive into whether orange tabby cats are indeed mean and aggressive, if their personalities are those of a demon, or if this is just another product of the rumor mill.

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Besides misconceptions about their personalities, there are also records to set straight about orange cat's genders.

No, orange tabby cats are not always male, but they are more common. There are plenty of female gingers out there, but far fewer than their male counterparts.

Why? Well, that's a matter of genetics. It's actually pretty straight forward. Keep reading.

Female cats carry two "X" chromosomes in their genome, whereas male kitties have one "X" and one "Y" chromosome. This is what's generally behind why female cats are rarely ginger.

Genetic information for coat color is passed on predominantly by the "X" chromosome. As a result, bicolored females can inherit both coat colors, while male cats pass on their "Y" chromosome to any male offspring and their "X" chromosome to females.

As a result, the combination of two orange-colored parents is vital for a cat's ability to pick up the orange fur pigment. Orange male cats can appear if at least one of their parents carry even a small portion of said gene. In other words, if the mother even has just a small stripe of orange, her son could pick up that pigment.

In the case that a father is ginger, but the mother carries none, it becomes unlikely that a female cat will become orange, but instead, they may gain a tortoiseshell coat.

Are you feeling a little confused? We don't blame you, we're talking about genetics after all.

The most important things to remember are: orange males are more common than orange females, and it comes down to genetics and chromosomes as the reason why.

Contrary to popular belief, a 2015 study actually revealed that orange tabby cats actually have more affectionate and friendly personalities than other kitties!

While it is possible that the study isn't completely accurate, other research hints in this direction as well.

As we have already established, orange cats are more likely to be male due to genetic factors. A similar study also found that male cats tend to be slightly friendlier than female cats. So, in other words, if you think about it very generally, ginger cats are likely to be a tad more chilled out than other cats.

Let's be clear: This is not definitive proof, but it is almost certainly true that there is little scientific evidence to suggest that orange cats are more aggressive or "crazy" than other colored cats.

We have now established that orange tabby cat's personalities are not more crazy or troublesome than others. That being said, there are a few legitimate theories that could potentially make a case.

Seeing as orange cats are mostly male, they consequently have higher testosterone levels than any other color of cat. As there is a link between male cats and aggression, this could explain the belief people have that orange tabby cats grumpy or "crazy" personalities.

The debate is somewhat controversial, however, whether testosterone is really responsible for aggression in cats. Some believe that aggression perhaps causes testosterone to rise, not the other way around, and the whole thing is a bit questionable.

What can be said, though, is that male cats are sometimes a little more self-confident and reckless. As a result, orange tabby cats probably stand out a little more than other cats, which could explain why their stereotype has developed.

In thr end, if a mother cat carries the ginger gene, her male kittens will often have an orange coat – but there is little evidence to suggest that those cats will be more aggressive. Additionally, while orange cats are more often than not male, female cats can also be ginger. It isn't impossible.

So, the answer to our burning question: While the myth that orange tabby cats have grumpy and mean personalities remains, they are often just as sweet and cute as other kitties, and should be afforded far more respect!