Tabby Cat Fur Patterns

Calico cats have three colors.

Tabby cat fur patterns. A fifth includes tabby as part of another basic color pattern e g the patched tabby which may be a calico or tortoiseshell cat with tabby patches the latter is called a torbie. The other color can be a solid or show a tabby pattern. The banded background ground colour consists of hairs which are more than one colour along the hair shaft and is termed agouti. The marking is basically that of a color swirl present on the sides of the body of the cat.

There are additional alleles and even additional genes affecting tabby patterns which have also been both identified and postulated. The term calico much like tabby refers to a pattern of colors rather than a breed. This is similar to the black tabby cat pattern. The bicolor pattern is common among mixed breed cats but it is also acceptable in many breeds.

Torbies are also called patched tabbies. White orange and black. Within their calico spots they may have tabby stripes. People sometimes call the average domestic cat a tabby but tabby is not a cat breed it is actually the pattern of kitty s coat.

The tabby gene has three very well known versions or alleles which in different combinations account for most tabby patterns seen in domestic cats including those patterns seen in most breeds. Brown patched and white brown and white torbie as for brown patched but with white on the bib tummy and all four paws. Brown patched brown torbie or brown tabby cat the background color is a coppery brown whilst the tabby pattern is black with patches of red. Torties because of random color variation but tabbies due to the patternsin the coloration.

Some pointed breeds also allow tabby points within their color standards. Classic swirl patterned tabby cats the swirling pattern on fur coats of the cats is the one that can be seen most commonly. The term harlequin is sometimes used to describe a cat with a mostly white coat. It is no surprise the tabby cat is ubiquitous.

So a cat with a tmtm or tmtb genotype sets the basic pattern of thin stripes mackerel tabby that underlies the coat while a tbtb cat will express a classic tabby coat pattern with thick bands and a ring or concentric stripes on its sides. Tortoiseshell cats with tabby patterns. This blotched pattern is what also prompted the name blotchy tabby to be attributed to these cats.