Mackerel Tabby Cat Breeds
Not a specific breed.
Mackerel tabby cat breeds. These hairs have alternating light and dark segments. Despite popular belief the term tabby isn t the name of a cat breed. Spotted the american bobtail is an excellent example of a spotted tabby cat. The tabby cat is not a breed but a coat colour which can be found in both mixed breed and purebred cat populations.
The four known distinct patterns each having a sound genetic explanation are the mackerel classic ticked and spotted tabby patterns. A tabby cat s personality makes them a fascinating addition to any household. Since tabby patterns are standard in all feline breeds tabby cat personalities differs from one kitty to another. If you ve ever pulled a shed tabby hair from your shirt you ll likely have noticed that each individual hair has several.
Contrary to belief the tabby cat of any color is not a specific breed of its own. Tabby is a coat pattern that features stripes dots lines or swirls with a distinctive m marking on the forehead. It s actually a coat pattern and there are five different types of tabby cats. The mackerel tabby mc is the default wild type pattern with the classic pattern being recessive mc.
It is a name that is given due to the markings and color pattern of the coat as opposed to being a part of a specific breed. All tabbies have the same forehead markings. However many people still associate the term tabby. So a mackerel tabby cat pattern can appear on many different cat breeds and refers to the arrangement of stripes on the kitty s body specifically that the stripes run vertically down the.
It is believed to have originated from the european wildcat and the african wildcat both of which have a faint striped tabby pattern. Moreover if you re looking for an affectionate pet that can mingle with people and other animals tabbies are the answer. A tabby including the mackerel tabby is a cat that derives from any breed. Learn the differences between tabby cat patterns right here.
In most cases the bands are equally separated and branch out from the top of the cat s back down its spine much like a fish skeleton. You can have a. This pattern is so widely spread that you can find a lot of pedigreed tabby cat breeds. Mackerel by far the most prevalent pattern after the classic mackerel tabbies have striped bands around their legs and tail running down the sides in a perpendicular pattern.
Tabby is not a breed of cat but a set of distinguishing characteristics that can appear in many different breeds and colors. The first tabby pattern to appear in domestic cats was the mackerel tabby. When these breeds were mixed the mackerel tabby coat became more distinct and was available in all domestic cats. A fifth pattern is formed by any of the four basic patterns when part of a patched pattern a patched tabby then is a calico or tortoiseshell cat with patches of tabby coat such cats are called caliby and torbie respectively in cat fancy.
The 5 tabby cat patterns. Here are five things you didn t know about the mackerel tabby cat. Due to selective breeding and gene mutations more tabby patterns. A tabby cat is not a breed.