Tabby Cats

Tabby cats are not a breed, but they have a unique color pattern among feline species. Striped felines are most often called Tabby cats, as they are most popular and ever so ubiquitous along the alleys and nooks of many human homes.

A pattern of spots, stripes, and curly markings can be found on full-bred contemporary cats.

Color Variations

Tabby patterns come in a variety of different colors and this diversity makes them beautiful and lovable. Tabbies can be red, black, or blue, but there is also cream, chocolate and many other color combinations in artful patterns, patterns that nature embedded on them.

To make the appearance more exquisite, two color combinations can also be found on the Tabby cats. For instance, a red and white, or a blue and white combination can be seen on some Tabby cats. In a Calico cat, combined tabby patterns can also be seen, and they can have patches of white, black and a tabby pattern of red.

Warning! Warming Will Robinson!

A tortoise shell cat can also be combined with tabby patterns to add variations to the feline's appearance. Combined tabby patterns to the kitty's body are sometimes called "torbie." Color pointed ones also have some tabby combinations, and this includes those areas where the colors are present on the face, legs, and tails. In the case of Siamese cats, tabby patterns can be found, and they are thus called "lynx" cats.

Tabby Pattern Types

Mackerel - A striped and most common and popular pattern among Tabby cats. Mackerel patterned tabbies have striped rings around legs and tails, and a necklace look-alike around the neck and chest areas. On the sides of the bodies are solid lines of stripes, and at their tummies you can see two lines running across called "vest buttons."

Spotted - These patterns are found among American bobtails, and the spotted nature's design on the Tabby cat is made more intense by the patterns and adds an exquisite tinge.

Classic - This pattern has somewhat of a spiral, and it is basically located on the sides of the Tabby cats. The best examples of these kinds of patterns are those of American Shorthair felines.

Agouti - This pattern basically resides on the hair strands itself. Upon looking closer you will notice that there are different bands of color all throughout the lengths of the Tabby cat's hair, from the roots up to its tips. Kitties with these all ticked patterns glow and shine under the sunlight caused by the color variations.

Tabby Pattern Combinations on Different Cat Breeds

Some leading cat breeding groups around the world have recognized and accepted variations of tabby patterns into different breeds, and below are some of the breeds which you may check either for curiosity or for just simply love of the feline species.

* American bobtail
* American shorthair
* Egyptian Mau
* Colorpoint shorthair
* Scottish fold
* Abyssinian
* Turkish van
* Norwegian forest cat
* Rag doll
* American wirehair
* Persian
* Javanese
* Birman
* Singapura
* Oriental
* Rex
* Siberian
* Maine coon
* La perm
* Somali
* Turkish angora
* Ocicat
* Manx
* American curl

Tabby cats also represent some of the most famous felines in the media. Some examples are Morris the Cat, Garfield the Cat and the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. Tabby cats remind some of tigers from their distinctive markings, while others just marvel as the tabby's wonderful personality as its best feature.