What makes ginger cats ginger and why are most of them boys?

From Garfield to Puss in Boots and Captain Marvel's feline friend Goose, the movie world isn't short of iconic ginger cats.

But what is it that makes them ginger? And why are 8 out of 10 ginger cats male?

Well, scientists from two continents think they have uncovered the reason.

Researchers have discovered that ginger cats are missing a section of their genetic code.

What makes cats ginger cats ginger?

What exactly makes ginger cats ginger has been a long standing mystery for scientists.

Whilst it has been known for decades that it is down to genetics, it hasn't been discovered where in the genetic code this distinctive colour comes from until now.

Two teams of scientists at Kyushu University in Japan and Stanford University in the US have now revealed the mystery.

It is all to do with the catchily-named ARHGAP36 gene.

Research has found that cats with orange colouring have a section of DNA code missing within this gene.

Why are most ginger cats male?

Not only does this section of missing DNA code explain the cats colouring, but it also explains why many ginger cats are male.

The gene with the missing code is carried on something called the X chromosome.

Chromosomes are larger sections of DNA.

In male cats there is both an X and a Y chromosome, meanwhile in female cats there are two Y chromosomes.

This means for a female the missing part of DNA must be present in both X chromosomes for a cat to be fully ginger, whilst in male cats it only has to be present in the one X chromosome.

Because of this mixed colouring, such as ginger patches, are more likely in the females.