How would you describe this color?

This cat lives at a local business called the neko (cat) cafe. Her name's "Shimeji". She's absolutely gorgeous. However, she's not mine and never will be.

What would you call her coat color(s)?

I used to have a cat named Gracie who had the same round face, cobby build, same size 6lbs, and almost the same coat colors but not so 'dilute'. And the shelter called her a 'calico tabby'. So, would shimeji be a 'dilute calico tabby'?

She's a SILVER Patched Tabby! That is unusual in the general cat population as silver is usually only seen in the pedigree cats. She's got a parent or grandparent that is a purebred silver tabby! Looks like a pretty decent American Shorthair too. Is she purebred or at least 1/2 purebred?

She should be in cat shows!

She is the color of “Cutnessâ€! . Sorry had to add how cute she is.

I know, i know, I am of no help lol.

I've no clue as to what her background is... nor do I speak quite enough Japanese to ask the owners. The other 11 cats at the 'cat cafe' are a mixed bunch of mongrels. They have one cat that could be a 'persian' or a good part, but the rest look very mixed. As is the pet population here on Okinawa in general. A mixture of native pets and large numbers of pets brought in by US military personnel, which has led to a sad abundance of strays and feral animals. In fact I'd seriously question anything obtained here that was purveyed as purebred.

She's very shy and perhaps the only cat in residence who is not too suited to the atmosphere of the cafe. She does not like to be handled much. She's bonded to the owner, but not a great-around-strangers cat. If anything they appreciate my patience with her, as most people pay the money to get some sort of interactive companionship with the felines in residence.

Too bad you can't cat-nap her!

Silver Calico, or Silver Patched Tabby, yes - oh MY, is she EVER beautiful! I love silvers.

I just love the combination of Silver and white. . .

I lived in Tokyo about five years back, and a pet shop along my walk to the train station was selling a litter of silver classic ASH kittens. These cats were being sold intact--I know because I asked the pet show owner about them. I've also seen Abys and Maus sold at a pet shop Roppongi, not sure if those guys were altered or not. Either way, purebred cats are making it to Japan.

GK is right; silver is a very rare color. In addition to Shimeji's head and body type, her deep golden eyecolor makes me think she's part purebred. Most of the time we tell people that unless a cat has papers, it's just a domestic shorthair/longhair. So even if she's not part purebred, she's beautiful enough to fool us all!

Oh, yes. She is stunning! Too bad she's shy - she should be in cat shows she is so beautiful!!

Japan has many many Purebred cats there - there are over 50 CFA clubs in Japan!

In fact - the Best ASH at the recent CFA Internationals, Championship, was bred in Japan.

She's a Blue Cream Silver Tabby and White Same colour as my Flutterby!

Originally Posted by Lyrajean

If anything they appreciate my patience with her, as most people pay the money to get some sort of interactive companionship with the felines in residence.

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What does this mean? People pay to be around the cats?

Originally Posted by Sohni

What does this mean? People pay to be around the cats?

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I think that it's a cafe where there are cats wandering around. Part of the reason people go there is to interact with the cats. Am I right?

Originally Posted by Sohni

What does this mean? People pay to be around the cats?

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Yep, 735 yen for 1 hour of playtime with 12 felines plus a beverage. You can buy a simple lunch too.

This type of business started in Tokyo and the more urban areas of Japan, where apartments are small and most don't allow pets. This way people get to have interaction time with animals.

I had questions at first, about whether the animals were just being used to make money, but the place is really well designed and the owner really loves her cats. There is an elaborate 'catwalk' across the ceiling and elevated shelves so if the felines want to get away from you they can. Lots of interactive toys and cat trees, beds everywhere. They make you disinfect your hands on entering and do not sell pets, although they do seem to do fostering / and or boarding? As near as I can tell the cats are all spoiled rotten. Except for possibly shimeji and a persian, they're all mixed breeds of the type that could be rescued off the streets here.

Wow - that's pretty neat.

I used to visit Nekobukuro in Ikebukuro's Sunshine City (Tokyo.) They had about 20-25 cats in the facility, with about 70% pedigreed cats. The cats all wore collars that had the cats name on one side and the breed's name printed on the other. I personally found it interesting that the Japanese domestic cats "Nihon Neko" and the Japanese Bobtails were "Jyapanesu Bobutairu."

It was more of a petting zoo than a cafe. You paid a flat fee, roughly $5, and could walk around in the awsome cat house for as long as you wished. No food or beverages were available. The cats were kept in immaculate condition--you could see the grooming center as you walked in.

My friends and I used to jokingly call it the kitty brothel