Tabby cats are widespread and well-loved pets. You can spot them by the M-shaped marks on their foreheads. A Tabby isn’t a specific breed – it’s just a type of coat pattern that shows up in many different cat breeds and colors. All Tabby cats share the same M mark on their heads. They also have special hairs called agouti hairs, which have stripes of light and dark colors on each hair.
If you’ve ever found a Tabby cat’s hair on your clothes, you might have noticed that each hair has different colors on it. These striped hairs are called agouti hairs, and they’re one of the main features that make a cat a Tabby.
Let’s explore the different colors and patterns that Tabby cats can have.
The 9 Tabby Cat Colors & Patterns
1. Classic Tabby
Classic Tabbies have bold stripes on their face and head, with dark swirling patterns on a lighter background across their body. This creates a marble-like look that’s different for each cat, making them all unique.
2. Mackerel Tabby
Mackerel Tabbies, often called tiger cats, have a dark stripe down their back with smaller stripes running down their sides. These stripes look like a fish skeleton, which is why they’re called Mackerel. They also have spots on their belly, adding to their distinct look.
3. Spotted Tabby
Spotted Tabbies look like Classic Tabbies but have spots instead of stripes. These spots can be round or oval and sometimes look like broken stripes. Their pattern is similar to wild cats like cheetahs, and you can see this look in cat breeds like Ocicats and American Bobtails.
4. Ticked Tabby
Ticked Tabbies, also known as Abyssinian or Agouti Tabbies, have a unique appearance. Their coat looks solid from a distance, but close up you can see their fur has bands of light and dark colors. They have typical tabby marks on their forehead and face but don’t have the strong stripes or spots that other tabbies have.
5. Tortoiseshell
Tortoiseshell Tabbies, or “Torbies,” mix two patterns: the black, brown, and red patches of Tortoiseshell cats with tabby stripes. The stripes show up most clearly on their face, legs, and tail, though sometimes the tortoiseshell patches can hide them.
6. Brown Tabby
Brown Tabbies are the most common and recognizable type. They have dark stripes on a light brown, beige, or cream background, giving them a natural, earthy look. Their ears and paws often have solid dark brown fur.
7. Red or Orange Tabby
Orange Tabby cats come in colors from light ginger to deep red-brown, with darker stripes. All orange cats are Tabbies because the orange color gene always comes with the Tabby pattern. Garfield, the cartoon cat, is a famous orange Tabby who shows a typically bold and fun personality.
8. Silver Tabby
Silver Tabbies, also known as white Tabbies, have beautiful gray coats that can look metallic. Their fur shows different gray shades, with patterns ranging from bold dark stripes on a light background to soft gray swirls.
9. Calico Tabby
Calico Tabbies mix Calico and Tabby patterns. Like Calicos, they have white, orange, and black patches, plus Tabby stripes and the “M” mark on their forehead. This creates a unique mix of colors and patterns in their coat.
Conclusion
Tabby cats are ubiquitous worldwide. Many cat breeds, including American Bobtails, Persians, Scottish Folds, Norwegian Forest Cats, and Munchkins, can have Tabby patterns. Regular house cats, especially mixed-breed ones, often have Tabby markings too.
