The color is black and silver mackerel. Colors

Tabby color (from English tabby) is a term denoting a special color of the pattern (in the form of various stripes, circles) on a woolen "coat" of the cat family. This tabby color of cats manifests itself in them due to genetic characteristics, which are manifested through the superdominant gene "A" ("agouti").

Genetic properties and anti-properties

It is this gene that has such a valuable property to brighten up any hair of a cat's hair in a special way, alternately alternating transverse stripes of different colors (dark, light). If in dark areas there is a significant concentration of a pigment called eumelanin, then on light stripes it is much less. Spherical granules of this variant of melanin, reflecting light waves of the yellow-orange range, have the peculiarity of elongating and taking the shape of an ellipse, located along the entire length of the hair. Which is what causes the desired effect, as a result of which a tabby cat appears.

Tabby cat breed (Siberian)

If there is a so-called "homozygous" allele ("non-agouti") in the genotype of a cat, then the tabby color does not appear. Allele suppresses and masks tabby genes. As a result, the color of the cat's fur is completely the same (epistasis).

The case of the redheads

However, there is an exception to this series. The fact is that the influence of the “non-agouti” allele on the “O” (“Orange”) gene is excluded. It is because of this that natural ginger cats (cream) should have such an intriguing tabby coloring. Meanwhile, the "solid" cream color (very wide, differently colored stripes, as if the same for the human eye) is the result of long-term activity of selection specialists.

Important! All "fluffy riddles" potentially have tabby colors on their genetic "menu." Evidence of this is the residual effect in many kittens (“ghost”, childish tabby). However, after molting, it becomes colored the same throughout the body. Consequently, not all cats exhibit the A (agouti) genotype, which leads to the desired effect.

It is fundamentally

It is necessary that the following must be present among the key elements and characteristic features of this feline color:

• the presence of an impromptu pattern on the cat's forehead, reminiscent of the human letter "M". Experts also designate this feature as a "scarab mark". All tabby animals must have this trait;
• the cat's fur is, as it were, divided into two levels. The initial - bottom - layer creates the general background. The top layer just forms the famous pattern, which, thanks to the synergistic effect, has a peculiar depth;
• the furry chest has a pattern with fancy necklaces;
• the tail of the cat has certain "rings";
• the cat's eyes, his nose are emphasized with a certain color;
• each ear of such an animal should have a light speck.

It is interesting that the distant ancestors, who passed on such a sophisticated coloring to the living tabby cats, lived in the wild in India, Africa and Kazakhstan.

Variants of color classifications

There are several types of tabby color.

Marble tabby

If on the sides of the cat there are certain stains, similar to marble, then this animal belongs to the marble species. And sometimes experts call such a pattern classic.

As a rule, the body of a “marbled” cat is decorated with large spots, all sorts of curls, intriguing patterns, drawings a la “butterfly”, “human eye” or “oyster flaps”. There is a slight spotting on the belly and cheeks. In turn, on cervical spine and the paws have spiral or linear patterns. And the tail of such specimens of the tabby breed is colored with interesting ring stripes. The color background of these images should clearly contrast with the main background of a different color.

Classic (marble)

Mackerel

This color is similar to that of a tiger. The “fur coat” of such a cat has patterns consisting of narrow lines, which are parallel and vertical. Its additional "nickname" - tabby mackerel - this type of pattern received because of the similarity with the coloring of a real sea fish, known precisely as mackerel. The tiger tabby pattern usually starts from the line of the cat's ridge, dropping gradually down to the belly in the form of numerous branches. The color of the stripes contrasts sharply with the main tone of the cat's coat.

Cat with mackerel pattern

Other options

Among other types of patterns, first of all, the ticked version should be noted, which is the most delicate and inconspicuous among the types of tabby patterns. It is more pronounced on the face, legs and tail. At the same time, subtle "freckles" are "splashed" all over the body, which differ from the base coat by only a few positions. Abyssinian cats can, above all, boast of this type of color.

It is not uncommon to find a spotted tabby. In the color of "spotted" cats, stripes on the coat seem to be absent, and if they exist, then they are intermittent and very short. That is why the cat's "fur coat" is decorated with dots, spots and peculiar "blots". The color of the patterns is quite bright, noticeably different from the main tone. These cats are somewhat reminiscent of leopards.

In addition, among other color options, more rare species can be noted: rosette, tortie, clickot color (white tone is added to the two main ones), patch (patch color), links point (only some small fragments of the body are painted in tabby style).

Color variety

The most popular among animals with this color are silver tabby and gray cats with different tone markings. Smoky black and reddish, blue and chocolate, lilac color shades can be present here. There are also other tabby colors. Among them are black silver tabby, amber, blue silver, cameo, caramel, chestnut and many others.

Important! It should be noted that this color largely depends on the existing pattern. So, the classic (marble) version of the pattern combines a variety of dark stripes with a light base background of the "fur coat". In the spotted version, the pattern plays with "warm" tones. The mackerel variant combines darkish stripes on a silver and gray base. In turn, with a ticked subtype, almost all colors possible in the cat world are found.

Cats with a beautiful color

Since such a "picture" on cat hair is so common, many breeds live on Earth that have patterned colors. Small "fluffy riddles" with a similar color are actively involved in numerous exhibitions and competitions held in our country. However, in order to achieve this right and adequately represent this or that organization of felinologists, a tabby cat must fully meet the requirements and criteria for color, coat characteristics (for example, British Shorthair) and other criteria that are unique to each breed.

Briton

Representatives are very popular british breed... And the reason for this is just the unusual color. Since the British cat was created through successful experiments on crossing and breeding, their result was an extremely beautiful patterned coloring of the cat's fur.

British cat

British kittens - silver tabby - look especially touching. At the same time, it is difficult to find two completely identical members of the breed - the color of each cat is unique.

Attention! Typically British symmetrical spots are characterized by fairly clear lines with contrasting patterns. In general, this British tabby coloration is distinguished by exceptional brightness and contrast.

Felinology distinguishes a number of species of the British breed. There are mackerel, spotted (leopard), classic (marbled) and even ticked colors. For example, the more common brindle color of cats (mackerel) is distinguished by an unusually correct drawing of the pattern. As expected, there is a "scarab sign" on the face of the British woman. The eyes of these specimens are of a rare copper color.

Another popular - marble - patterned coat color is characterized by uniqueness. Moreover, such beauty does not intersect anywhere and does not have the property of being interrupted (although in kittens it can still merge, but over time it goes away). On the back of the head there is a funny butterfly-style pattern, and on the face there is a famous omen - the letter “M”. A special feature of cats with marble patterns on their fur is a kind of "necklace" on the chest part of the body.

In addition to the shape of the pattern, the color variants of this breed are also interesting. So, one of the most intriguing are the British brown tabby, with black hair, but with a spotted tail and a nose that is drawn along the contour. In silver cats, the lower background is characterized by a subtle blue color, and the patterns on the body are painted with silver colors. The pads on the feet are pink or true blue tabby.

In the process of "mixing" color tones with white, relatively equal volumes of wool are obtained: both variegated and white.

Attention! If there are patterns in the head of the body and on the tail of the cat, despite the fact that in other places it has natural white, this type of tabby is called "van". Also, this breed has a stylish lilac, so popular in Britain grayish and many other funny and beautiful options.

Mainx raccoon

One of the most famous representatives of the feline "family", which belong to the species that can reproduce the tabby color, are cats under the rather funny name Maine Coons. This unique breed originated on the northeast coast of the United States, from cats that lived in Maine. By and large, this animal is considered an aboriginal cat breed that represents the American continent. Its name can be translated from English as "Manx raccoon". That is why this wild breed also has a second (informal) name - the raccoon Manx cat.

Maine Coon cat

Maine Coons are real champions. They are rightfully considered the largest breed of feline "brethren". Males weigh up to 8.2-12 kilograms, and females - up to 5.4-8.5 kilograms.

The appearance of this furry family formed under the harsh influence of a difficult climate. Indeed, without rich woolen "clothes" in the cold North American winter, one cannot survive. As a result, given view feline is longhaired. Maine Coon's coat is rather soft and really silky. The length of the hair on the shoulders and head is noticeably shorter than on the sides and belly of the cat. Some representatives of the breed have a developed mane on the cervical spine.

Important! The most common aboriginal cat's coat pattern is tabby (truly brown, smoky). In our country, a similar feature in the patterned coloring of Maine Coons is known as "wild".

This tabby cat breed has most variations of this style, with the exception of the ticked pattern. Wherein long hair of this breed are partially colored (exclusively at the tips) or completely.

Scottish variant

The key features of the tabby coloring of the Scottish cat are the presence of a pronounced "M" on the face, eyeliner, nose, ring on the legs and tail, as well as the famous girdle "necklace" on the chest and neck. The type of pattern in a tartan can be either marbled or brindle, spotted.

Scottish cat

Among the main color combinations, it would be logical to note the following:

• the pattern is silvery-blue against a light undercoat;
• black patterns on a silvery tone;
• cameo tabby, when there are reddish stripes on white;
• "Brick" color drawing on a light red background;
• beige stripes on a soft cream base.

Other breeds

Among other thoroughbred representatives of the feline tribe with such a happy appearance of coloring, perhaps the Asian breed of cats should be noted. Such an animal also has the name (in accordance with its geography of origin) Asian tabby. The breed of these animals was bred in distant England (where it was recognized in 1990). Moreover, she was included in the group of Asian cats (shorthair). Wonderful representatives of this family came from the crossing of the Burmese direction, the Persian chinchilla and, of course, the famous Abyssinian breed.

The woolen "coat" of the Asian tabby cat is very thick, very thin, tightly and evenly attached to the body. It is soft and silky. At the same time, she must have something like that, in such an intriguing style. Among the basic colors, experts call light blue and apricot, cream and lilac, light blue with a gray bloom, dark red, partly in the style of "turtles" and others. But all of them should have an amazing tabby pattern on the coat. Moreover, this breed has all types of spots on the coat: spotted, marbled, brindle and ticked.

Among other representatives of the fluffy "brotherhood", with one or another variant of tabby, it makes sense to note the following pedigree cats and cats:

• abyssinian breed;
• thai cat;
• egyptian Mau cat;
• siberian cat;
• thai cat;
• bengal cat;
• californian speckled;
• cat ocicat;
• australian smoky cat;

Attention! Domestic cats that do not have a pedigree can also have a tabby pattern. That is why outbred "mustachioed-striped" also have a chance to boast of their belonging to such a skillful color. Outbred cats can have an unusually wide range of colors on their fur, which sometimes simply cannot be obtained through scientific selection.

Without tabby

However, there are also feline breeds for which tabby striped patterns are simply not possible. Among the cat breeds for which this color is unacceptable, one can note such popular species as the Siamese, Burmese, Russian Blue, Havana Brown, Bombay, Chartreuse and Korat.

In short, many modern representatives of the feline "family" largely have tabby colors. Therefore, when acquiring a fluffy animal for yourself, you need to have an idea of \u200b\u200bwhich tabby version is interesting to a person.

In this article I will talk about the tabby cat color. I will describe its features and varieties. I will give examples of breeds with this color.

Tabby is the name for colors characterized by the presence of bright contrasting patterns on the body of pets or an uneven distribution of pigment in the guard hairs.

What are the breeds of a tabby cat?

The main breeds of cats with this color:

• Ocicat;
• Safari;
• Sokoke;
• Chausi;
• Ceylon;
• Australian cat mist;
• Scottish.

What does tabby cat color mean?

Domestic cats inherited such an unusual coloring from their wild ancestors - Nubian Buck cats.

The name originated in the early 17th century in England.

In the 17th century, the import of silk fabrics into the country began, the cost of which was worth its weight in gold. The pattern of the iridescent material was similar to that of a cat and was called "tabis". Cats of this shade were valued just as incredibly expensive and got their name "tabby".

The high cost of feline color representatives was due to the difficulties of breeding. It was incredibly difficult to obtain an animal with the required fur ornament and eye color.

Features:

All cats with this color have finely cut lines on the face, expressively outlining the eyes and forming the letter "M" on the forehead (scarab sign). The ornament is usually clear, bright and contrasting. The eye color is golden, copper or orange.

Tabby is an unusual color; in nature there are no two cats with an identical pattern.

Stripes, specks and curls make each animal unique. You can examine your pet an infinite number of times and find new features of the arrangement of the pattern on the body.

These colors often resemble those of a tiger, leopard, cheetah or other large felines, especially among the British. Instances of exotic wild feline colors, their kind of mini copies, make living of pets at home incredibly attractive and aesthetically fascinating.

The special ticked colors make the animal's coat look like velvet. The fur looks silky and iridescent.

Variations

Variations are recorded in the generally accepted classification of cat coloration. There are the following types:

Mackerel - "brindle", the pattern is designed in the form of parallel stripes and lines located around the body of the cat. The lines on the sides of the animal are like a fish skeleton, hence the name "mackerel".

The brightly cut stripes on the neck and legs look like rings and necklaces. A dark contrasting continuous stripe stretches along the spine.

Classical

Classic or "marble". It is a traditional color. Wide spiral stripes resemble marble streaks on the body, tail and paws in the form of rings.

Large round spots are formed on the sides, framed by one or more clearly defined rings. The stripes in the area of \u200b\u200bthe shoulder blades often form a silhouette in the shape of the open wings of a butterfly.

Spotted - spots of different sizes are evenly distributed throughout the body, sometimes in the form of dashed lines.

The spots can be both small and very large, frequent or rather rare. Representatives of the color, evenly distributed throughout the body, with even rounded elements are highly valued.

Abyssinian or ticked

Abyssinian, ticked and agouti tabby - the agutti pattern paints the entire body of the cat. A clear pattern is not visible, sometimes residual stripes on the paws, muzzle and tail are noticeable.

The color of cats is appreciated because each hair has a zonal color, due to which the effect of shimmering of the coat is created. Usually the base of the hair is unpigmented, and the tip, on the contrary, is brightly colored.

The most extraordinary tabby is a modified marble patch, rounded and with elongated rosettes.

Color, except for the varieties of the pattern, differs in tone:

1. Black or brown - differs in a pattern of rich black or copper-brown color. The nose and paw pads are also inky.
2. Chocolate - differs in bronze color with bright chocolate markings on the body.
3. Blue characterized by blue markings. The nose and pads are pink or blue.
4. Lilac - beige or lilac. The nose and paw pads are pale pink.
5. Cream... The coat is pale cream in color. The pads and nose are pink.
6. Silver with a light silver shade of wool and a rich pattern.

All cat breeds are incredibly beautiful and exotic. Make their owners unique.

In the article I talked about the tabby cat color. She described its features and varieties. She gave examples of tabby breeds.

British tabby are animals that can boast of brightness and originality due to the unusual pattern formed on their fur. Genetically, it is so laid down that the pets of the presented breed must necessarily display a characteristic pattern after birth.

However, sometimes the agouti factor interferes with the appearance of the pattern, in this case, babies are born with a solid coat. Only a few kittens show intricate stripes, spots, or in certain areas the coat is less or more saturated. True, with age it all disappears and already adults british cats become monochromatic.

Important! For the animal to be admitted to the exhibition, it must have clear patterns inherent in tabby. Otherwise, the pet will be recognized as “defective”.

This will not take away the beauty, but the “doors to society” will be closed.

British tabby color standard

The tabby color has a certain standard. And even if the pattern is as close as possible to the permissible, but it is not, then the animal is no longer quoted.

This is about:

• a light speck located behind the ear;
• drawing in the form of the letter "M" on the forehead;
• eyeliner;
• contrasting pattern;
• "Necklace" on the chest.

Due to the peculiarities of the patterns, it seems that there are intricate rings on the legs, which also frame the tail. At the same time, on the stomach and chest, you can see dim, but striking stripes. A prerequisite is the same color for the outline of the nose and eyes.
Breeders note that the brighter and richer the pattern, the more elite and more expensive the animal.

Varieties of British tabby drawing

Tabby is not one particular drawing, as many people think. It can have several varieties, which are the norm.

• marble;
• leopard or spotted;
• mackerel - brindle or striped.

All of these shades are considered standards.

Tiger pattern

The tiger tabby is one of the most popular species found today. The main color runs along the vertebra. Pay attention to the clarity and density of the marks. If they are stained or indistinct, then you can doubt the shade. The tails and legs have thin lines that resemble rings. Tiger representatives have a color letter “M” on their forehead.

Spotted

Spotted representatives must necessarily have dark round spots scattered throughout the coat. The line on the vertebra is never continuous. Some of the most beautiful are those Britons who have colored rings on their tail, stripes on their legs, and multiple round spots on their tummy and back. Some breeders call these animals leopard, because their colors are as close as possible to these representatives of the feline.

Brown tabby

Brown tabbies boast a dark, coppery coat. The drawing is as bright as possible - black, close to coal. Without fail, such Britons should have a red-brown nose rim. The pets shown are rare, although they can be found in some regions.

Purple tabby

The amazingly beautiful purple tabby fascinates everyone who has seen them at least once. The main color of the animals is beige. As for the lilac, this shade of markings throughout the fur coat in pets. A feature of this look is a pink nose and pink pads, which look incredibly gentle against the general background.

Abyssinian pattern

This subspecies got its name in honor of the Abyssinian cats. The fact is that the British of the presented variety do not have a pattern on their wool. At the same time, it seems that they were decorated with chess. This is possible due to the main black color and bleached hairs, which can be cream, apricot and sandy.

The color differs in that there is a base color and background. At the same time, there should be no spots, stripes and patterns. Sometimes several colors alternate on the hairs. Sometimes there is lightening on the tummy, and a necklace on the neck - and that's all that the standard is limited to. Absyssinian does not allow anything superfluous, because otherwise the animal cannot be attributed to this British breed.

Marble

Some of the brightest and most beautiful are marble tabbies. These animals have such a complex color that it is rare. These are circles on the hips and sides, as well as several parallel lines running along the vertebra. In addition, a long line begins from the corners of the eyes, passing through the cheeks, and then leaving to the back of the head. Due to this, the animals look incredibly charming and bright. The presented color is also called marble on silver.

Blue tabby

The presented color is one of the most interesting. This is because the blue pattern is dominant. The main color is rich, but light. At the same time, spots of a dark blue hue can be observed on the tail and throughout the body. The nose and paw pads look unusual, because they can be pink or blue.

Black silver

British tabby black silver cat is unusually beautiful. The reason lies in the black spots on the silver, which add a special color to the fur coat. Breeders note that there should be not so much light, then the animal looks incomparable and costs much more.

Gold

The golden ticked is something inimitable and beautiful. Despite the basic tone, the spots on the fur coat should be black or brown. At the same time, the undercoat is always orange-tinted.

Important! The golden British shorthair cat is considered the real queen of all breeds. Few succeed in comparing with her in beauty.

Blue silver

The silver tabby cat has a blue tint. In addition, small specks of the same color may be observed on the coat. There must be a pink or blue pattern on the pads. Such representatives are rare.

Chocolate silver

Chocolate tabby seduces with intricate patterns against the background of basic silver. Most people also like the fact that the nose of the representatives also has a chocolate color.

Lilac silver

The main coat is silvery, but pink or purple patterns are originally scattered over it. Such a tabby pattern is rare, but cats of this breed are not uncommon.

Red silver

There is no red animal color. Red means the main color of the orange color, which is the most saturated and resembles the sun at sunset. Some animals have spots of the presented shade on a cream or silver background.

Cream tabby

Animals of this color look incredibly gentle. Moreover, the main shade is a light "cream", and specks of a dark color are scattered all over the body. Some believe that this is a tortoiseshell color, but this is not the case. A cream-colored spotted cat is a special unique color.

Cream silver

The main shade in this case is silver, and cream patterns are located along the fur coat.

British red, whiskey, lilac, chocolate and many more are stunning shades, each with its own peculiarity. Which one to pay attention to is everyone's personal business.

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Solid (self) - black, chocolate, cinnamon, blue, purple, cream, red, white

• White - allowed in almost all breeds, allowed eye color: orange, blue, differently colored (one orange, the other blue), in some breeds - green eyes. White cats of the eastern group with blue eyes - "foreign white" (coded by SIA w 67 - because genetically these are white Siamese with Siamese eye color). Oriental white cats with green eyes are considered orientals (ORI w 64)
• Black - (black, seal, ebony, brown) - is allowed in almost all breeds. In the eastern group it is called "ebony", in color - "sil" (seal point)
• Chocolate (chesnut - CFA) - a variant of the black gene - is called "havana" in the eastern group.
• Blue - lightened black, differs in that in some breeds silver typing is not allowed (British, Persians), while in others it is required (Russian blue).

• Lilac (lavender - CFA) - clarified chocolate, the standards require a delicate tone of "withered rose, with a pinkish tint."
• Red - according to genetics, it is never free from a tabby pattern (of one kind or another). However, in the Persians, as well as in some other breeds, the types of tabby patterns are poorly distinguished, animals are displayed as "red" and "red tabby".
• Cream - clarified red.

Requirements for solid colors:

• uniformity of color
• dyed from root to tip of hair
• color intensity
• uniformity - absence of white hairs, "plaque" of other colors
• intense eye color (in whites, orange, blue and variously colored eyes are allowed)

Titles and "Excellent1" are not awarded in kittens class:

• White hairs in color;

Disqualification: large, solid spots white (except for white color). White color is a color spot in cats over 12 months old.

The red and cream colors, due to their genetics, always have one or another tabby pattern open. In this regard, the registration of colors "solid red" is rather arbitrary and can be used in most cases to register the Persians. All other breeds, in the vast majority of cases, have a fairly clear pattern and must be registered as a "red tabby" of the corresponding pattern. Some red (cream) tabbies may not have a bleached chin and thumb marks on the ears, but nevertheless, if there are bright and clear stripes (spots) all over the body, the cat should be registered as a "red tabby" of the corresponding pattern. If the origin of the cat is known, then the pedigree should indicate "red striped tabby - not agouti."

Tortoiseshell (torty) - all variations of turtles

The requirements for tortoiseshell color are not as stringent as for solid colors. Presence of red (cream) spots on the head, back and legs is desirable. Black and red should be evenly distributed over the body. Mixed spots are allowed. Both colors are required on the legs, as well as on the head. In kittens, a grayish tint, a dull red, is allowed.

• White hairs in color;
• tabby marks (except red);
• wrong or pale eye color
• rings in the iris of the eye, abnormal pigmentation of the nose and pads;

Disqualification: large, solid white spots. Lack of red (cream) spots (so-called "genetic turtles")

Tortoiseshell color is inherent, as a rule, only in cats (sex-linked).
Color options: black turtle - a combination of black and red

Attention! It is very important to be able to distinguish between tortie and tabby tortie (torby). The tortoiseshell color is a combination of black (and its derivatives) and red (or cream). As is known from genetics, red color always has one or another tabby pattern (stripes, spots, streaks). Therefore, the red (cream) part of the color will be unevenly colored - after all, this is a “fragment” of a red striped (speckled, marbled, etc.) color. Take a close look at the "black" (blue, etc.) part of the color: if this color has no stripes, spots, uniform color - then you just have a tortoiseshell cat.

Tabby is not a color, but a type of pattern, which can be combined with any color: red tabby, blue tabby, etc.

Ticked

Tabby patterns appear on a cat only if there is a gene "A" - agouti, which, as it were, opens a particular type of tabby. All cats have some form of tabby, but not all have the A gene. Cats with the recessive allele "aa" - not agouti have a "solid" (even color), but when mated with an "A" - smooth (solid) cat produces kittens with a tabby pattern.
The color black tabby in European standards is often called "brown tabby", but it means exactly black tabby, and not some other.

Attention! Do not confuse "residual" (ghost, ghost, child) tabby in kittens with a tabby pattern. Kittens may have a faint tabby pattern that usually fades by 10-12 months. It is possible to distinguish residual and true tabby by the origin of kittens: from two animals without agouti, tabby kittens are not born, by the intensity of the color.

Golden tabby

Genetically, this color does not exist. What breeders call the "golden" color is nothing more than a well-dyed black tabby. Due to the genetics of this color, the guard hair is divided, as it were, by transverse stripes of a darker and lighter color.
With good care, proper nutrition, to a certain work of polygenes, the "light" part of the hair acquires an almost yellow color. In general, the color of the cat becomes more elegant: on a light brown, almost yellow background, contrasting black stripes. There are now preliminary standards for gold tabby color.

Torby (patched tabby)

Combination of tortie color and tabby pattern. Differs in greater intensity of the tabby pattern over the tortoiseshell color. At the first glance at the cat, we see that this is an animal of a tabby pattern, and only after looking closely, we notice that this is a turtle - red (cream) spots. The main thing is a clear tabby pattern, evenly goes both in red (cream) and black (blue, etc.) color.

Titles and "Excellent1" are not awarded in kittens class:

• "Agouti" hair on markings (except for ticked tabby)
• Irregular drawing
• Lack of clarity and contrast (except for ticked tabby)
• Insufficient hair dye at hair roots (except for ticked tabby and silver tabby)
• Light (“wild”) patch extending to throat and muzzle (excluding silver tabby)
• The main background color does not match the standard
• Solid line along the spine (in spotted and ticked tabbies)
• Visible tabby markings on the torso (ticked tabby only)

Disqualification: The drawing is practically invisible Bicolour - color combinations with white (bicolor-harlequin-van)

Bicolor

Combination of the main color (solid, tortoiseshell) with white. The colored part must be clearly demarcated from white, must not have white hairs and must be at least 1/3 and not more than 1/2 of the white color.
One of their ears must be necessarily colored, preferably a large colored spot on the head. The bottom of the muzzle should have a white spot. The tail may have a white tip.
Small white spots on the back, colored spots on the legs are acceptable (subject to general observance of the degree of shading).

Common for the bicolor and tricolor colors: The nasal speculum is respectively black and / and pink, chocolate or / and pink, blue or / and pink, lavender and / and pink.

An intermediate color between bicolor and van.

One spot is enough on the head, which captures the ear. Several spots on the back, the tail is preferably completely dyed, small spots on the legs are allowed. The nasal speculum and paw pads are pink.

The cat is almost white, the tail is painted, a spot on the head, capturing the ears.

No more than three small spots on the body are allowed. The eyes are orange or copper. The nasal speculum and paw pads are pink. The white tip of the tail is a fault.

Eye color note:

• for cats of cultivated breeds - eye color is allowed - orange (copper), blue, differently colored (blue + yellow)
• for oriental cats - green

Titles and "Excellent1" are not awarded in kittens class:

• Eyes of a different color or too pale
• Blotches of a different color in the color of the eyes (excluding kittens)
• Tabby pattern in solid colors
• Disproportions in the amount of white in bi-color and tortoiseshell with white
• Fully painted head
• In van and harlequin colors
• Excess colored spots on the trunk
• No color spot on the head
• White color in tail color

Disqualification: for cultivated breeds: colored part less than 1/7 (white medallion, spot on the belly)

Color Standard 09 - nonspecific white spots, "medallion"

Smoke and silver - the melanin inhibitor gene absorbs part of the dye in the cat's hair and results in:

• smoky colors (smoke) - colored 6/8 of the guard hair, white undercoat
• shaded (veiled, shaded) - colored about 1/3 awn, white undercoat
• colored 1/8 of the guard hair (tipped) - chinchilla (black, chocolate, etc.), cameo (red, cream), white undercoat

Smoky cat - This is a cat of a contrasting color: the undercoat should be as white as possible, the ends of the hair should be dyed. The darkest will be the back, head, legs; lighter - sides, collar, ears. (Note: in all smoky colors, the length of the colored part of the hair should be approximately 4/5 of the entire length of the hair).

Body color - from colored smoky to silver on the sides. Muzzle and legs are black without markings. Collar and ears are silver. The undercoat is as white as possible. The eye color in cultivated breeds is yellow. Orientals are green. Aboriginal breeds - any.

Cat cameo - this is a cat of a contrasting color: the undercoat should be as light as possible. The most intensely colored is the mask, back from head to tail, legs and paws. The collar, sides, belly, ears remain light. The coat appears to be silvery, slightly "powdered" with a color (red, cream, etc.). The dyed part of the hair should be about 1/10 of the total length. The nasal speculum and paw pads are pink.

Titles and "Excellent1" are not awarded in kittens class:

• Stains on the abdomen and chest
• Uneven tipping

Disqualification: Green eyes. Hair completely colored (down to the roots)

Chinchillas and shaded chinchillas - chinchilla, silver shaded

Color requirements are the strictest of all: great attention is paid to the absence of a pattern on the legs and body, the uniformity of the typing, the coloring of the guard hair and the color of the eyes - only green.

Color - pure white undercoat, the coat on the back, sides, head, ears and tail has a black tipping, which should be evenly distributed, creating a specific silvery color.
The legs should be slightly black tipped, but the chin, ears, belly, and chest should be pure white. Tabby markings, brown - defect.
The nasal speculum is red, however, the nose and eyes are blackened. The paw pads are black or dark brown.

Note: in shaded chinchillas, eyes can be green or yellow, which must be reflected in the documents for the cat.

The combination of the smoky color with the gene "A" and, accordingly, the manifestation of the tabby pattern gives "silver tabby colors".

Titles and "Excellent1" are not awarded in kittens class:

• Tabby marks; stripes on the legs
• Stains on the abdomen and chest
• Pale, low-intensity eye color
• Brown or cream tipping
• Uneven tipping

Disqualification: Not green eyes. Hair completely colored (to the roots).

Chinchilla Golden

Color: undercoat - from light apricot to golden. Chin, ears, belly and chest are light apricot; the eyes, lips, and nose are outlined in black or dark brown. The back, sides, head and tail must have sufficient brown or black tipping to give the color a golden hue.
In general, the tipping effect is more intense than that of the chinchilla. Kittens often have tabby marks.
The legs can be smoky, the back of the legs from the feet to the elbow of the foreleg or the hock of the hind legs is black or dark brown.
The eyes are green or blue-green. The nasal speculum is red, the paw pads are black, brown. The tipping on the tail is deeper than on the body.

Titles and "Excellent1" are not awarded in kittens class:

• Tabby marks; stripes on the legs
• Stains on the abdomen and chest
• Pale, low-intensity eye color
• Brown or cream tipping
• Uneven tipping
• Gray undercoat

Disqualification: Not green eye color. The hair is completely colored (to the roots). Lack of golden undercoat.

IFA PRELIMINARY STANDARD

Color - clarified gold (working name) - "l"

Suggested encoding: nyl, ayl, byl, etc. where "l" is clarified gold. The clarified golden color can ONLY come from mating:

• gold + gold
• gold + clarified gold
• from two clarified gold.

The "clarified gold" cat looks almost like red (genetically not being red).

The color of the coat contains practically no black pigment, residual pigment is found at the tip of the tail, it can be found on the belt on the back, on the back of the forelegs and hocks.

The main color of the coat is from deep orange to light peach.

Vibris pads, chin, throat, lower chest, abdomen, inner thighs, inner forelimbs, fingers have a coat shade ranging from light peach to almost white.

The paw pads can be black or dark brown, can have a light beige or pink tint with a residual amount of black pigment. Eye color from light green to deep emerald.

Skin pigment and residual pigmentation at the tip of the hair in blues, chocolate, lilac bleached golds is similar to the description of the skin color and coat pigment of the corresponding gold colors.

As the animal grows older, the black pigment can "go away", and the older the animal, the lighter it becomes.

Point (color scheme, Siamese scheme) (color point)

Requirements: good contrast between points and body, uniform color of points.
Markings (mask, ears, legs and feet, tail) should be uniform in color but contrasting with body color. Slight smoke on the shoulders and sides is allowed (same tone with markings). The mask should cover the entire facial area, including the chin, mustache area. The mask should not go to the back of the head.
Mature cats have a more intense color and a larger mask than cats. Marks should be evenly colored and free from white hair or unpainted spots.
The eyes are bright blue.
Darkening of the body is allowed, but a big drawback is dark spots on the stomach and chest.

Titles and "Excellent1" are not awarded in kittens class:

• Too dark, "cold" tone of markings; pale markings on kittens should not be penalized
• Very darkened body, stripes
• Pale eye color
• Insufficiently clear mask marks
• Insufficiently clear rings on the tail
• Irregular markings

Disqualification:

• The mask merged with the ears
• The mask moved to the back of the head
• White finger on points
• White spot
• Body fully painted
• Different eye color

Golden point preliminary standard

Mask color - nasal bridge from yellow to reddish. Hair tints with gray or power tipping. The undercoat is always light apricot to almost fawn. The outline of the nose is dark-power, almost black, complete completion of the outline is mandatory.

Burmese points

The points on the mask, ears, tail are darker than the body color, but the contrast is not clear, the points turn into body color.
The legs are lighter in color than the rest of the body, especially in the red and cream points, where the legs are especially light.
The color of the body is rather uniform, the lower part of the body is more lightened. There should be no streaks in adult animals (except for red and cream points and kittens). Variations in body shading and color depth are allowed.
White hairs are not allowed.
Eye color - any shade of yellow - from "Chartres" to amber, preferably golden yellow. Green eyes are a big disadvantage in brown eyes, but a greenish tint is allowed in blue eyes. Green eyes with a bluer tint than yellow - a flaw in all colors.

Titles and "Excellent1" are not awarded in kittens class:

• Too clear contrast between points and body (like the Siamese scheme), or almost solid color
• White medallions, spots, hairs
• Body stripes (excluding tabby, tortie, torby, red and cream points)
• Yellow, intense green or intense blue eye color in adults

What color of cats can be considered the most beautiful? It is impossible to find an answer, since there is no companion for the taste and color, and in fact, all cats are beautiful in their own way. In today's article, we will discuss the color of tabby cats, which is otherwise called wild, and in the common people, animals with such a fur coat are referred to as striped.

About tabby color in cats

Everyone has seen striped cats, but not everyone knows that their color is correctly called tabby. We can talk about such a color when dark patterns appear on the animal's fur coat along the light-colored wool: stains, stripes, specks, lines. Sometimes the tabby color is disparagingly called common, which is fundamentally wrong: cats with many stripes, necklaces, spots on the body, with bracelets on their paws and a diadem on their heads in the form of a large “M”, dark eyeliner and nose look elegant and interesting.

What is the nature of tabby cats

Oh, we would be happy to attribute the best features to them, but the point is not at all in the color of the fur coat and not in the presence or absence of beautiful marks on it. Much depends on the upbringing of the animal and its habitat, on the innate qualities of the pet and heredity, the degree of friendliness of people that surround the animal with early age... But the color affects the character, perhaps, in the last turn.

Types of tabby colors in cats

Among the variety of tabby colors are distinguished:

Now let's look at some of the most popular tabby cat coat colors:

Cat breeds with color tabby

Now we list the most popular tabby cat breeds:

1. Abyssinian cat - the most common of the Abyssinian colors is the wild, ticked tabby. The coat looks reddish-brown in appearance, but each hair is colored in several shades at once - from light red to brown and black, which gives the impression that the color shimmers with light dark shades of brown. From the patterns, stripes in the form of "M" and darkening at the tip of the tail are noticeable;
2. - the most common color of the coat of pets of this breed is blue, but there are other colors, for example, tortoiseshell, rare black, white, purple and fawn. And there are also tabby and tabby point individuals among the British;
3. Scottish tabby cats (Scottish Folds and Scottish Straights) - such pets with hanging and straight ears can be solid solid (black, red, white, etc.), smoky and combined with white spots. But straight-eared and fold-eared cats with patterns on their fur, for example, silver, blue or brown tabby, look especially impressive;
4. - this beauty, who is our compatriot, can also be tabby. The luxurious striped color looks especially beautiful on the thick semi-long coat of Siberian cats;
5. - fluffy Persians come in different colors, including their fur coat and tabby patterns can be decorated. But it is not always possible to clearly see the marble streaks or tiger stripes on such a long and thick coat. Nevertheless, the characteristic letter "M" on the forehead and the rings on the tail are almost always quite distinguishable;
6. - It's funny, but these popular cats with short tails and tassels on the ears, bred for the first time in Canada, are mistaken by some people for ordinary mongrel animals that have lost part of their tail after getting into trouble. The color of cats of the pixie-bob breed is chocolate or gray-gray of different saturation with obligatory tabby marks;
7. - a young Russian breed, bred in the 90s of the XX century. The color of such cats can be decorated with tabby patterns, but provided that the main color of the coat is not fawn, purple, chocolate or cinnamon. But black, red (red), cream, blue, silver, tortie tabby (possibly with white spots) are not prohibited by the breed standard;
8. - it is more correct to talk about the color of animals of this breed "Thai tabby-point cat". In these pets, the main part of the coat is white, and the ears, tip of the muzzle, paws and tail are painted in brown, blue, red or cream shades. In addition, Thai tabbies have characteristic markings on their bodies (for example, tiger stripes or small circles on the body, the letter "M" on the head, rings on the tail, etc.). It is noteworthy that Thai kittens are born white, and only then point spots of a different color and characteristic tabby marks appear on their fur coat;
9. - in color, miniature Singapurs are a bit similar to Abyssinian cats, only their fur is light cream, with brown darkening on the muzzle, back and on the tip of the tail. The eyes and miniature nose of these pets seem to be outlined. Each hair of Singaporean ticked tabbies is colored simultaneously in several shades - from almost white to chocolate brown. It is noteworthy that all Singapore cats are of the same color;
10. - we are talking about Bengal, Sumatran and fishing cat - wild animals living in Asian countries. Sometimes they are turned on as pets, but by nature they are free animals. Their fur coats also show distinct tabby patterns, which do not act as decoration at all, but for disguise during the hunt.

1. According to the beliefs of many peoples of the world, tabby cats promise their owners good luck in all endeavors: from love affairs to financial success;
2. An interesting legend about the origin of the name "tabby"... Allegedly, the name was given to the color in honor of the Attabiya quarter of the Iraqi city of Baghdad, from where in the XVII-XVIII centuries. fabrics of amazing beauty with unusual moire patterns were supplied to English cities. It seemed to someone that the stripes on a cat's fur coat looked like patterns of fabric with bizarre stains;
3. The tabby color is considered the most ancient, natural... It was with such characteristic patterns that cats existed in ancient times. But they needed stripes not at all for beauty, but for camouflage from potential victims and larger predators;
4. In the popular dream book of Felomen, there is an explanation that see a striped cat in a dream - to unexpected luck or to a date with a wonderful unusual person;
5. Many felinologists and cat lovers believe that tabby pets have the best health... And all thanks to a special gene, which is responsible for the wild striped color, and is also directly related to the immunity of the animal;
6. All cats with ginger (red) and cream hair have stripes on their fur coat... It's just that sometimes they are not very pronounced, and therefore it seems as if the color of the animal is solid, solid, but this is not so.