Here's why:
* Calico pattern: This is a specific coat pattern in cats, usually involving patches of white, black, and orange (or cream). This pattern is determined by the X chromosome, and female cats have two X chromosomes. This makes the calico pattern much more common in female cats than males.
* Long hair: The long hair gene is also carried on the X chromosome.
* Combination: While a female cat can inherit the calico pattern and long hair genes, the chances of both genes being present in the same cat are lower than inheriting either one individually.
Therefore, while a calico cat is not inherently rare, a long-haired calico cat is less common than a short-haired calico cat, particularly because it requires a specific combination of genes.