Why are female cats more likely to have multi colored fur instead of males?

That's not entirely accurate! While it's true that tortoiseshell and calico cats are almost exclusively female, it's not that females are more likely to have multi-colored fur in general. It's about the specific combination of genes involved in creating these coat patterns.

Here's the breakdown:

* X-linked inheritance: The genes responsible for coat color in cats are located on the X chromosome. Females have two X chromosomes (XX), while males have one X and one Y chromosome (XY).

* Orange fur: The orange fur gene is located on the X chromosome. A cat with one copy of the orange gene will have orange fur.

* Black fur: The black fur gene is also on the X chromosome. A cat with one copy of the black fur gene will have black fur.

* Tortoiseshell and calico: To have a tortoiseshell or calico coat, a cat needs both the orange and black fur genes. This is only possible in females because they have two X chromosomes.

Here's how it works:

* A female cat can inherit one X chromosome with the orange gene and one X chromosome with the black gene. This results in a mix of orange and black patches, creating a tortoiseshell or calico pattern.

* A male cat can only inherit one X chromosome. So, if he inherits the orange gene, he'll be orange, and if he inherits the black gene, he'll be black.

Exceptions:

* While extremely rare, there are male tortoiseshell/calico cats. This occurs due to a genetic abnormality called Klinefelter syndrome, where the male has an extra X chromosome (XXY).

In conclusion: It's not that females are more likely to have multi-colored fur in general, but rather that the specific genes responsible for tortoiseshell and calico patterns are located on the X chromosome, making these patterns almost exclusively found in female cats.