Rare male calico cat spotted at Pangasinan spay, neuter drive

A veterinarian conducting a low-cost spay and neuter drive in Pangasinan made an astounding discovery: a male calico cat, considered one of the rarest felines in the world.

According to Kuya Kim’s report on “24 Oras,” Thursday, the cat, distinguished by its patched black, white, and orange fur, was among the patients, much to the surprise of the veterinarian.

“Talagang nagulat dahil we didn’t expect to see one. Even the pet parent was surprised na rare pala ‘yung cat. Ito ‘yung tinatawag natin na unicorn in the cat world. We didn’t expect din na ‘yung kanyang color is very clear,” Pet Partner Philippines founder and CEO Dr. Glenn Albert Almera said.

“Masayang-masaya po ako noong nakita ko po na meron na akong male calico kaya kineep ko po talaga siya,” fur parent Marisol Rodilla said.

Per Kuya Kim, male calico cats are exceedingly rare, with only one in every 3,000 calico cats being male.

This rarity is attributed to the genetics of coat color.

A cat's fur color is linked to the X chromosome, and for a cat to be calico, it requires two X chromosomes.

Female cats possess two X chromosomes (XX), making them the common gender for calico patterns. In contrast, male cats typically have one X and one Y chromosome (XY), allowing them to carry only one color.

The exceptional occurrence of a male calico cat arises from a genetic mistake where a male cat is born with an extra X chromosome (XXY). This genetic anomaly enables them to display the characteristic orange, white, and black fur.

“It's very rare to see a matured male one. So talagang walang plan. It's just a surprise,” Dr. Almera said.

—Carby Rose Basina/CDC, GMA Integrated News