Cat experts discover why ginger toms are so feisty - and it's all because of Vikings

A cat behaviour expert has revealed the reason why British ginger toms are so feisty - and it's the Vikings' fault.

Ginger tom cats invaded Britain with the Vikings and that is why they are so feisty, fearless and frisky, experts believe.

Flame-haired moggies were the pets of choice for the Scandinavian sea-faring scoundrels as they blazed a trail of bloody brutality across Europe.

Experts believe the horn-hatted invaders brought ginger toms with them to the UK. And that is why they are the most confident cats on the nation's streets today.

Owners of roving redheads report they frequently have to retrieve them from neighbours' homes and gardens particularly where female felines are holed up.

They often end up in noisy night-time catfights with rival moggies, reports the Daily Star.

Now biologist and cat behaviour expert Roger Tabor has revealed the reason behind the pussies' antics they picked up their behaviour from their ancient ancestors.

He said a scientific mapping of cats with a "strong presence of the feline ginger gene" revealed they showed up in "places that had Viking settlement in Europe and the UK".

Experts believe the Vikings "carried ginger cats from Turkey and around the Black Sea to Scandinavia and their settlements in Britain".

"York, once a Viking stronghold, still has a higher population of ginger cats than London," Roger said. "Vikings may just have liked the distinctive fur. But I would suggest that the perceived friendly, less-fearful nature of the ginger cat could be why it boldly strolled onto their boats."

"Ginger cats themselves could be said to have a Viking disposition - friendly to people they get on with but fierce with opponent tom cats."

Fluffy ginger tomcat Henry has become renowned amongst both staff and patients at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.

Despite residing nearby owners, Henry prefers to freely stroll the hospital corridors and food hall, offering comfort to all who offer a gentle stroke, provided his slumber isn't disturbed.

Nala, another red-headed feline, greets commuters daily at Stevenage railway station in Hertfordshire, maintaining a calm demeanour atop ticket machines amidst the hustle and bustle of commuting passengers.

Pumpkin boldly disregarded attempts by staff to ban him from his local Tesco near Norwich.

Garfield, a fiery tabby, was such a beloved figure amongst Sainsbury's shoppers in Ely, Cambridgeshire, that following his passing, a tribute was held in the city's cathedral, and a brass monument was erected in his memory.

Three-legged Jasper achieved fame in 2017 when his owner thought it fitting to bring him to work at the University of Cambridge's Marshall Library of Economics.

University students credited their interactions with the affectionate ginger tomcat as helping lessen their exam stress.

The University of East Anglia in Norwich also has its own ginger aficionado, Sylvester, who routinely attends lectures and enjoys comfortable snoozes sprawled across the library's information desk.

Like many beloved felines, he has his own Facebook fan groups where students and staff share snaps of their furry encounters.

However, not every cat is as angelic. Sydney Reid from Godmanchester, Cambs, tells a different tale about her ginger tom Ernie, who's become quite the local troublemaker.

"Ernie is a total menace," Sydney confessed. "We've had a pure white, a pure black, a tabby, a tuxedo - and Ernie - and he's the only one to cause such problems within the neighbourhood. What is it about ginger cats?".

Sydney revealed that Ernie's mischievous nature has led him to gain weight after sneaking into other homes to pilfer food, for which she has had to apologise profusely.

"We once had a neighbour knock on our door to let us know he'd taken an entire resting roast chicken off her kitchen side and out her kitchen window," she recounted.