Ginger Cat Seeing His First Snowfall Is Simply Magical
Housecats aren't generally known for being adventurous, but not every feline is lucky enough to have an owner like Peter Mairhofer. Known as both "mountain boy" and "the happiest person on the internet," Mairhofer works as a model in Austria, and he often documents his alpine adventures with his cat, Eddy. The fluffy ginger usually rides along in Mairhofer's backpack, appearing supremely chill during the outdoor excursions. In a TikTok video that's been watched more than 98,000 times, Eddy sees snow falling for the very first time. The cat seems mesmerized by the falling white stuff, while Mairhofer alternates between watching the snow and gazing adoringly at Eddy.
@peter_mai_ Eddy's first time seeing snow falling.🥹 ❄️❤️
Many viewers of the video commented on how magical the scene seems — like something straight out of a fairy tale — and how Mairhofer and Eddy make a Disney-worthy duo. "I feel like we need a Disney Pixar movie about y'all. too cute 💜," one person wrote. "OMG! What a beautiful moment. Eddy is like a child seeing snow for the first time... wonderful!" another added.
Why are most ginger cats male?
From Garfield to Crookshanks (of Harry Potter fame), most orange cats in pop culture are male. In fact, about 80% of all orange cats are male, like Eddy. Why is that? As you may recall from high school science class, male mammals have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome, while female mammals have two X chromosomes. The Arhgap36 genetic mutation that produces ginger cat fur is carried on the X chromosome. For a male cat to be ginger, it needs to inherit the ginger mutation on a single X chromosome, but for a female cat to be ginger, it must inherit the mutation on both X chromosomes, which doesn't happen very often. When a female cat inherits the ginger mutation on a single X chromosome, a tortoiseshell or calico cat is the result.
Though some pet owners insist there's a specific temperament to orange cats, it's more likely that friendliness, boldness, and playfulness — often believed to be characteristics of gingers — are due to differences between cat sexes rather than differences based on fur color. And, of course, confirmation bias means that owners of ginger cats tend to look for signs that their particular ginger is friendly, bold, and playful. Then again, Eddy might just be proof that ginger cats have more fun.
Want to see more cute ginger cats? These 17 photos are peak orange cat, and these 18 pictures prove orange cats are the goofiest.