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A calico cat lies on a knit blanket on a wooden floor while seven yellow ducklings stand and sit on top of her body. 14 / 32

The Calico Lay Down on Her Blanket. The Ducklings Saw a Jungle Gym.

AI imagecalico catducklingspatience

Ducklings on the shoulders, ducklings on the hip, ducklings perched on the tail. A white, orange, and black calico cat lies stretched out on a knit blanket, and a small flock of yellow ducklings has decided she is the best jungle gym in the house. Two stand proudly on her back, one has climbed up near her shoulder, and others sit along her side and belly. The calico lifts her head with wide green eyes and an expression of slightly bewildered patience. Around her, a wicker basket, a heap of laundry, and a potted plant crowd the sunny floor.

Calico is not a breed but a coat pattern, a patchwork of white, orange, and black or their diluted shades, and it can appear in many breeds. Because of how coat-color genes sit on the X chromosome, nearly all calico cats are female. Male calicos do exist but are quite rare and usually have an unusual chromosome combination. Calicos are sometimes said to have bold, sassy personalities, but that is more folklore than science, and every cat is an individual. What matters most is gentle handling, a calm home, and plenty of respect for a cat's signals when she has had enough.

This calico seems to have reached a state of complete acceptance. She is not running, not swatting, just lying there with tiny feet padding across her fur. If there were an award for patience, she would be taking it home today.

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