Two Male Calicos Were Born In The Same Litter, And The Chances For That Are Like One In A Gazillion
Thousands of cats go through shelters every year, but this specific litter of calico kittens left the staff at The Cat House on the Kings amazed.
This animal rescue center in Parlier, California, received a litter of five kittens, and soon the caretakers realized that they were witnessing a statistical miracle – two of the five cats were males. Okay, maybe this doesn’t sound that amazing, but just take a look at the math behind it.
Approximately one in 3,000 calico cats are male, so the chances of having two males in one litter are astronomical. Why are male calicos so rare? Pay attention—science ahead.
Calico coloration is related to the X chromosome. Because it’s a recessive gene, cats need to have two X chromosomes to exhibit the calico phenotype (two X chromosomes result in calico color and pattern).
Like humans, cats also have two sex chromosomes—females have XX, and males have XY. So how did we end up with two calico males? Well, they happen to have an extra X chromosome—XXY. This is a rare occurrence, and it’s called Klinefelter Syndrome in humans.
Science aside, these five kittens are as sweet as can be, and they will definitely make great companions for those lucky enough to adopt them. The two male kittens have already been adopted by the same family, but some of their sisters still require loving homes. Visit The Cat House on the Kings to find out more about them!
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