There's a certain charm attached to tabby cats. These wonderfully unique felines have captivated humans for generations.
Is it their bewitching patterns that weave a rich tapestry across their fur? Or their delightful range of personalities that bring warmth and zest into our lives?
If you've ever looked into the mesmerizing eyes of a tabby cat and felt a tug of curiosity, you've arrived at the perfect place. We're here to answer all of your questions about tabby cats!
And there are many questions we need to answer!
What exactly is the mysterious "M" marking on a tabby's forehead?
Why are there spots, stripes, and a whole swirl of other patterns at play in a tabby's coat?
Are orange tabbies just more Garfield-like, or is it just a well-perpetuated stereotype?
We're about to dive whiskers-first into the captivating world of tabby cats, unraveling their intricate patterns, multicolored coats, diverse personalities, and the best places to find your very own tabby companion.
Let us start with the basics.
What Is A Tabby Pattern?
Two types of hair colors create the tabby pattern:
The first type consists of hairs that create a lighter background color, known as agouti hair. Agouti hair possesses unique coloring characteristics.
If you look closely at one of the agouti hairs, you will see that it has several bands of different colors along its length. This creates the ticked base color in any tabby pattern.
The second type comprises darker hairs that create the distinctive tabby pattern on the agouti background.
All tabby cats and kittens share similar marks on their face. These marks include dark lines that go from the eyes toward the back of the head and special marks on the cat's forehead that resemble the letter "M".
These marks are visible in all tabby pattern variations and colors. They earn the name "tabby mask."
Pattern Variations
The tabby can exhibit one of four sub-patterns:
Striped Tabby
It is where the cat has vertical stripes along its body. Sometimes people refer to this pattern as a "Mackerel" pattern due to its resemblance to a fishbone.
In a show-quality striped tabby, the stripes should be whole and evenly spaced.
Blotched Tabby
It is where the two shades create a blotched pattern of rounded stripes and circles. It is also known as a "marble" pattern.
Spotted Tabby
It is where the dark color appears in spots all over the agouti body. In a show-quality spotted tabby, the spots should be round and evenly spread.
Ticked Tabby
It occurs when the entire body is covered with ticked agouti hair.
There are no clear markings other than the tabby facemask. This pattern is typical in several breeds, such as the Abyssinian and the Singapura, but is otherwise rare.
Color Variations
The tabby pattern shows itself in various colors. You can have tabbies in black, red, blue, chocolate, cream, and many other colors. Ticked tabbies usually come in red, ruddy, blue, and fawn shades.
The tabby pattern can also be found in combination with other color patterns. For instance, a cat can be a bi-color with a combination of red tabby, and white.
Calico cats can have patches of white, black, and tabby red. The tabby markings will show on the colored patches.
Tortoiseshell cats can have a special pattern in which the overall Tortoiseshell pattern is intermingled with tabby markings all over the body—this is sometimes referred to as a "torbie."
Colorpoint cats can also have tabby markings. These will show only on the darker parts of the cat's body: the face, legs, and tail. These tabby colorpoints are sometimes called "lynx" cats.
Do Tabby Cats Have Different Personalities From Other Cats?
Since the tabby pattern exists across a number of breeds as well as among non-purebred cats, there really isn't a "typical" tabby personality.
As a group, tabby cats are regarded as friendly, sociable, and great family companions. At least, not less so than cats of other coat patterns. Most tabby owners find their kitty to be quite affectionate.
It's important to remember that each cat is an individual and needs to be regarded as such. You can encounter a tabby that needs lots of attention while another one would be quite independent.
Some say that orange tabbies tend to be more loving but also lazier. This is very likely a stereotype that has simply been perpetuated by Garfield!
Based on testimonials from our members over the years, domestic tabbies are incredibly diverse when it comes to personality.
Some are chatty, some are shy, some love people and some prefer to keep to themselves.
Some cat breeds are known to have tabby patterns. These may be mandatory in the breed description or optional depending on the breed.
Let's take a look at some cat breeds that support the tabby pattern and what their personalities are said to be.
Abyssinian Cats
As mentioned above, Abyssinian cats show the agouti tabby pattern. In this case, no other pattern is actually allowed in the breed standard.
Also known as Abby cats, these kitties tend to be curious and athletic. They are said to love their owners and follow humans around the house.
American Shorthair Tabby Cats
An actual official breed—not just shorthair cats who were born and raised in the US! These cats can come in a variety of coat patterns and colors. Tabbies—or tabby and white—are very popular within the breed.
American shorthairs have a balanced personality. They enjoy attention but are also happy to enjoy some alone time. They're smart and typically unafraid of strangers (as is often the case with most show cats).
Maine Coon Tabby Cats
Maine Coon cats are best known for their stunning looks as well as good-natured personality.
Many Maine Coon kitties are in fact tabbies—or at least a mix of tabby and white. These gentle giants are great with kids. They are often fairly active felines who love chasing other animals and toys.
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Oriental Tabby Cats
Oriental cats have long svelte bodies and facial features to match them. They come in a variety of colors and patterns—tabbies certainly included.
Orientals—like their Siamese sibling breed—are active, curious, and often quite vocal.
If you don't have a member of the family home at all times, you might want to consider getting a second cat to keep your Oriental tabby company.
Ocicats
The Ocicat is another good example of a cat that comes only in the tabby variety.
More specifically, Ocicats come in the spotted tabby pattern. They're said to be confident and independent cats, yet dedicated to their owners.
Where Can I Get A Tabby Cat?
Apparently, quite a lot of people have their hearts set on adopting a tabby cat.
If you're one of them, you're in luck!
Tabby cats are quite common so if you're looking to include one of these loving companions in your home, you will not have to look far.
Adopting From A Shelter Or Rescue Organization
One of the best, most loving things that a person can do is adopt a cat from an animal shelter or a local rescue. Shelter cats make excellent pets.
Many cats end up in shelters because of family issues or due to a person's misunderstanding of the responsibilities that come with being a pet owner.
By choosing a shelter cat, not only are you likely saving the cat's life, but you're also opening up a spot in the shelter for another animal who needs food, shelter, and warmth.
Remember, kittens are not the only cats in shelters that need homes.
Older cats are loving and an especially great choice if you're away from the home for some of the days, as they are more likely than kittens to enjoy spending time alone without becoming bored or destructive.
Read more:
A Kitten Or An Older Cat — Which Should You Adopt?
Buying A Tabby Cat From A Breeder
Purchasing a tabby cat from a breeder is another option.
By now, you know that tabby is not a specific breed but rather it is a marking pattern. This means that there is no such thing as a "purebred" tabby without any designation of a particular breed.
If you choose to purchase a cat from a breeder, make sure that the breeder is registered and ethically raises the cats.
A reputable breeder will be able to show you their registration paperwork and will be happy to let you see the living conditions of the cats and kittens in their care.
Read more:
How To Choose A Cat Breeder
Rescuing A Tabby Cat
And sometimes, cats adopt us. Your tabby friend could just walk into your life unattended as you rescue her or him off the streets.
If you take in a stray tabby cat, be sure to take your new friend to the vet as soon as possible.
The vet can check to see if the cat has been reported missing by looking for a microchip to reconnect them with their owner.
Your vet will also be able to check the cat for ailments that commonly affect strays, ensuring that your furry companion is in tip-top shape, or treating the cat to get to that point.
Famous Tabby Cats In History
There's a reason tabby cats are so popular—they're everywhere in the media! When most of us picture a common housecat, we automatically picture a tabby.
Over the years, many tabby cats rose to fame and left their claw marks on the pages of history. Let's take a look at a few of them.
The Tabby Mayor
Talkeetna, Alaska had a very special tabby cat named Stubbs who was the town's mayor!
Long ago, the 900-person town elected Stubbs to be the mayor and he enjoyed his reign of the town until he sadly passed away in 2017.
Stubbs is remembered by residents and visitors of Talkeetna alike.
Churchill's Cats
One of England's most famous Prime Ministers, Sir Winston Churchill, was a major fan of tabby cats. His two favorite cats, Tango and Mickey, often joined him at official meetings and dinners.
The Prime Minister would sneak them bites of tuna and salmon under the table!
The Tabby Jailbird, Errr Cat!
It's rare to hear of someone wanting to go to prison, but a cat named Tiger did exactly that!
Tiger is an orange Tabby who broke into New York City's Sing Sing prison over 10 years ago by squeezing his body in between the bars surrounding the area.
Tiger has enjoyed tuna treats from inmates ever since and has shown no desire to leave the prison.
Sing Sing has opened its gates to several other cats after seeing the positive effect that Tiger's calming presence had on the inmates.
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