If you want to identify a tabby cat then the very first thing to do is identify the “M” pattern on its forehead. Basically, the agouti hairs have bands of color that appear lighter and make the solid color hair stand out as markings. They are hairs that are ringed in several colors.Ĭats that exhibit this gene will have a coat with dark, solid color hairs that form pattern markings and then the agouti hairs produce the lighter markings and lighter hair. This gene, when turned on, produces agouti hairs on the cat in question. Tabby cats carry a gene called the agouti gene. What makes a tabby cat a tabby? Again, it is down to genetics. Tabby cats are the most common domestic cat on the planet, with as many as 70% of the 400 million cats on the planet being tabby cats. They are not a breed in their own right but some breeds do produce cats with tabby markings. OK, so what about tabby cats? Are they a breed? Again, like calico cats, tabby cats are cats that have a coat with particular markings. The dilution that causes grey and cream coloration is also caused by a specific gene – a dilution gene. Basically, the white areas are not white in color but are colorless hair. Wait, what about the white areas? The white areas are due to a masking or piebald gene. Calico’s have red and black colors so need to be female to exhibit both colors simultaneously in the coat. Females have an XX pair of chromosomes with each chromosome able to carry a different color, black and red, whereas males have an XY pair of chromosomes so they inherit one color on the X chromosomes, the Y chromosome carries no color. This is because coat color on cats is defined by the genes carried on their sex chromosomes. In some instances, the orange and black areas of the coat can be faded to creams and greys or shades in between, and in these instances, the cats are described as being dilute calico cats.īoth calico and dilute calico cats are rather unusual in that they are usually (99%) female. The orange and black parts of the coat can be distinct patches or blends. They are tricolor cats – white, orange, and black. So what is this pattern? These cats have a coat that is between 25% and 75% white with orange and black making up the remaining colors in the coat. They can be of any breed or can be a mixed breed – so long as the coat has the distinctive pattern they are called calico cats. Some people think they are a breed of cat but in reality, they are cats that have a calico pattern coat. What Is A Calico Cat Japanese Bobtail Calico CatĬalico cats are one of the most distinctive cats out there.
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