My Calico Female Cat And Her Kittens (Strange Colors) how is this possible?

i've heard that it's really quite common for a calico to have white kittens. Is it male or female? Males are often born white from a calico cat, and sometimes females, too. I also heard that all calico's are females. And, just like humans, genes can skip a generation. Maybe there's a white grandpa/grandma the kitten will never meet. lol. It sounds so beautiful. I've always wanted a white cat. I had a short-haired black cat that gave birth to a black puffball, 2 tabby cats, and one all gray cat. i could tell they were manecoons, though which is why the black one came out a puffball. lol. that's what my kids named it, too.