Why I am a "Hot Tortie"

...My Meowmy, who is WILD about us torties and thought she was something of an expert (hubris, hubris...) just read this:

"The primary color on most torties is black. The amount of red can vary from just a few toes to lots of obvious red. It is rare but some torties have more red than black. They used to be called "reverse torties" or a "Hot" tortie."
(Source: http://www.pandecats.com/x/colors-tortie.htm)

Just as I was thinking that this made me special and therefore would be a plus in the judging rings in cat shows, I read this at the same site. (This site is, however, dedicated to Persians, so maybe it doesn't have anything to do with us Maine Coons):

"Topic: Hot Torties
Question: I have a question about hot torties. I know what the standard says but I have a really hot one. She is just wonderful in every way except she has more red in her coat than black. What do you all think about showing her?

Answer: Our show standard describes the tortoiseshell color as "black with patches of red or softly intermingled areas of red on both body and extremities. Presence of several shades of red acceptable". A hot Tortie or a reverse Tortie appears more like a red cat with patches of black through it's coat. So you girl will be penalized for a color flaw. Color is worth 20 points in total. Some judges may penalize her severely. Some would overlook her color if the rest of her is outstanding. I have certainly seen more than one hot Tortie grand over the years. So let her other good points be rewarded. Yes, I would go ahead and show her. My own philosophy of judging has always been to look at structure first, and color second."

MyMeowmy chose me because my coloring is the reverse of that of my sister, Leila, and she wanted us as a SET (can you say "tacky"?). Leila is a classic black tortie and white, with a half black/half red face, and a torso that is mostly black with smudges of red. She has touches of red on her legs. My face is like hers (except that the red and black halves are reversed--it's like looking into a mirror), but my torso is red with smudges of black, and my legs are black. I always thought I was a bit unusual-looking (most tortie and white photos look like Leila), but now I know I'm special (even if that's not necessarily a good thing)! And "HOT"!!! Heh heh heh. Anybody wanna be my boyfriend? (Platonic relationships only, please. Must share an interest in psychopharmacology, cryptozoology, and the epidemiology of cat diseases.)

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