What is 'orange cat behaviour'? Vet explains why spirited ginger felines are so extroverted
Seasoned cat lovers will know that our furry friends harbour different personalities based on their breed - but it turns out the colour of their fur can also play role.
Most notorious of all is the ginger feline, or as social media users across the world refer to them as, 'orange cats', who have made a name for themselves as being one of the cheekiest and a naughtiest variants.
In fact, the 'orange cat behaviour' tag has 643.1 million views on TikTok and shows off an abundance of rambunctious pets.
Dr Anna Foreman, in-house Vet at Everypaw Pet Insurance, told FEMAIL that though the science is vague, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence pointing to the conclusion that gingers are wilder than their counterparts.
'Studies on owner's perception of their cat's personality have shown that ginger cats are seen as more friendly, affectionate and playful,' she explained.
Ginger cats are not only known for their extroverted personalities, but have become notorious through their popularity in pop culture and media.
Winston Churchill famously kept an orange cat called Tango, and celebrities including Elizabeth Moss and Ian Somerhalder have shared snaps of their copper-haired felines on social media too.
Elsewhere the film Garfield, which features a friendly but exceptionally lazy, ginger cat, has also likely played a part in people's association with the spirited creatures.
In videos posted on social media, ginger cats can also be seen acting with bountiful energy and bravery, with one clip showing a pet jump from the top of an electricity pole all the way to the floor, much to their owner's horror.
In another video, one cat makes their way out of the bottom hole of an arcade machine, casually slipping out and proceeding to have a long stretch.
A third from @phineasthecat shows one noisy ginger cat trying their hardest to produce the loudest meow, as he yowls at his shocked owner.
Dr Anna suggested that the playful behaviour of orange cats 'may be to do with the gender split seen in ginger cats - around 70-80 per cent are male'.
The reason for this is that the gene for having a ginger coat is much more readily passed down to male, rather than female kittens, she said.
Roger explained that science points towards there being differences in breed temperament but little to point directly to colour changing cat's behaviour, despite the claims made of orange cats.
The vet explained: 'Male cats are generally more adventurous and friendly, being especially adventurous if they have not been neutered, which is why the population of mainly male ginger cats may be seen as such.'
In fact, unneutered ginger cats - often referred to as tom cats - might get their sparky personalities from their 'Viking' roots, cat behaviour expert Roger Tabor told the BBC.
He said: 'However, studies of owners' perceptions tell a different story, with calico and grey cats being "aloof" and the ginger cat being seen as 'friendlier and more affectionate'.'
He also noted that male ginger toms are much more likely to be larger in dimensions that other moggies - excluding the notoriously enormous Maine Coon cats.
Dr Anna said: 'There are many breeds of cat who can be ginger - it is breed that often dictates personality rather than coat colour.
'Abyssinians, Maine coons and British Short hairs all come in a ginger variant, with these breeds widely known as being friendly and outgoing.'