Cat Coat Colors and Patterns

Careful breeding programs and the introduction of new breeds from all over the world have brought about a multitude of coat colors and patterns that adorn modern-day cats.

In order to discuss these differences and varieties, it is necessary to understand the terms used to describe them. Let us first make a distinction between color and pattern.

Coat Patterns

Patterns are combinations of colors in a specific layout. There are six basic varieties : Solid, Tabby, Bicolor, Tortoiseshell, Tricolor, and Colorpoint.

Solid - The easiest one to recognize is a coat of one color that is evenly distributed all over the body. Interestingly, when they are very young kittens, some solids may display a few hairs of a secondary color. As the cat matures, the odd hairs disappear and the cat becomes solid colored all over. If the cat retains any spot of another color on the coat, he is no longer considered a solid. In the UK, solids are known as "self- colored" or "selfs."

Tabby - This is the most common coat pattern in the wild and it has four varieties: striped (Mackerel), blotched (marbled), spotted, and ticked (agouti). "

Bicolor - The term bicolor refers to a coat of white and one other color. The other color can be a solid or show a tabby pattern. The Bicolor pattern is common among mixed bred cats but it is also acceptable in many breeds. The term Harlequin is sometimes used to describe a cat with a mostly white coat. Van is the term for a specific variation, in which the cat is mostly white, with patches of color on the head and tail only. When a bicolor cat is mostly colored, the patches of white may have names that describe their location: locket (chest), mittens (paws) and buttons (patches on the abdomen).

Tortoiseshell - A consistent mix of orange and black (or their diluted versions of cream and blue) creates this unique coat pattern. Being a mix of black and orange, this coat pattern (like the tricolor) can be seen almost exclusively in females. Tortoiseshell males are rare and probably always sterile. Torties (a favorite abbreviation) can also display an underlying tabby pattern - this is sometimes referred to as "torbie."

Tricolor - The tricolor pattern comes in white, black and red (orange), or their diluted versions of cream and blue. Basically, the ratio between white and color determines the number and distribution of the patches of the other two colors. Where there is little white, the other two colors will be inter-mixed - a pattern that can also be referred to as a "tortoiseshell and white." As the amount of white increases, the patches of red and black become more clearly defined - this patched pattern is known as calico.

Colorpoint - In this pattern, the face, paws and tail (tips/points) are of a darker color than the rest of the body. This pattern is actually temperature-related - the cooler parts of the body develop a darker color. The contrast between the points and the main body color can vary, but this is usually one of the most easily recognized coat patterns. The points can be in various colors and shades, including dark brown (seal), red (flame), blue, and lilac. In fact, in some breeds, the points can be in a tricolor pattern or in a tabby pattern in any of these colors (tabby colorpoints are sometimes called "lynx").

Coat Colors

So much for the patterns. Now let's have a look at the various colors that create them. Remember that most of these colors can be either solid or in a tabby pattern. They can also be part of a bicolor combination. There are often differences between different professional cat associations regarding color definitions and terminology. Different breeds can also have different terms for similar colors.

White - This is the only color that is always solid without any underlying tabby markings. There are several genetic varieties of white, some of which create an all-over solid white cat, others bicolor or tricolor cats. One genetic variety of solid white can sometimes cause deafness; however, not all white cats are deaf (just as not all deaf cats are necessarily white).

Black - Although true solid black is often desired in breeding programs, black cats sometimes have underlying tabby markings. When exposed to sunshine, some black coats develop a rusty tinge. In the colorpoint pattern, the black gene is manifested as dark brown and is referred to as seal-point.

Red - Red is the professional term for the coat color otherwise known as orange or ginger. The gene for red color is sex- linked, which is why red cats are usually males. This color is strongly connected with the tabby pattern, so a true solid red is very hard to achieve. In the colorpoint pattern, red is often referred to as flame-point.