![]() ![]() Genes on the X chromosome are said to be sex-linked. This is because the gene that codes for orange fur is on the X chromosome, and like humans, females have two Xs and males are XY. A male cat needs only one orange gene, which he gets from his mother (orange, calico, or tortoiseshell). For a female cat to be orange, she must inherit two orange genes - one from her mother (orange, calico, or tortoiseshell) and one from her father (who must be orange). Why is this?ĭee: Well, it’s not that orange female cats are rare, it is simply that an orange cat is more likely to be a male. Kissy: I’ve heard that female orange cats are very rare. So, without further ado, let’s get on with it. We interviewed Dee Walter Kruleski, a professor of biology at HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, who told us the facts about female orange cats and lots of other cool facts about cat fur color inheritance. Mama says she’s seen quite a few orange girl cats, so together, we set out for some answers. When Mama adopted me and showed my pictures to the world, lots of people remarked on how rare orange female cats are. This piece was originally published in 2015.Hi everybody, Kissy here! I’m really excited because this week I get to have the whole column all to myself! As you can see from my photo, I’m an orange tabby cat (which Mama sometimes calls a “marmalade cat”) … and a quite beautiful one at that, I might add. Thumbnail: Photography by Shelagh Duffett/Thinkstock. The markings are usually more apparent on the legs and head. Patched tabbies can show any one of the above four distinct tabby patterns. In the typical form, there are separate patches of brown tabby and red tabby on the same animal.Ī tortie who also carries the tabby gene is often called a torbie. This is the term used to describe a tortoiseshell (also called tortie) tabby. Photography ©Angelafoto | iStock / Getty Images Plus. The ticked pattern is displayed prominently in Abyssinians but also appears in mixed breeds. What are agouti hairs? If you look up close at the lighter parts of a tabby’s coat, you will see that the individual hairs are striped with alternating light and dark bands, known as the agouti hairs. However, like all tabbies, this coat pattern has tabby markings on the face and agouti hairs on the body. ![]() It is not known whether these spots developed from a mackerel tabby or come from a separate gene.Ī ticked tabby cat (sometimes called Abyssinian tabby or agouti tabby) does not have the traditional stripes or spots on her body, and may not, at first, seem to be a tabby. Often, a mackerel tabby with a broken pattern resembles a spotted tabby. These spots can be large or small, and sometimes appear to be broken mackerel stripes. They branch out from one stripe that runs along the top of the cat’s back down the spine, resembling fish skeleton - which is why the term “mackerel” is used to describe it.Ī spotted tabby has spots all over his sides. Ideally, the stripes are non-broken lines evenly spaced. This is what some people refer to as a “tiger cat.” The body has narrow stripes running down the sides in a vertical pattern. The pattern of circular smudges on the classic tabby’s body closely resembles a bullseye.Ī mackerel tabby has narrow stripes that run in parallel down her sides. This tabby is called a “blotched tabby” in some regions. ![]() The classic tabby has bold, swirling patterns along his sides - much like a marble cake. See if you can figure out which tabby your cat is: We’ve listed them below alongside photos of each. There are five types of tabby coat patterns, each possessing its own unique markings. Still others believe it is the blessing of the Virgin Mary. Others think the “M” stands for Mohammed, who loved tabbies. Some believe the “M” is for Mau, the word for “cat” in ancient Egypt. And have you ever seen a solid red or orange or cream cat without the familiar tabby markings? You won’t, because the gene that makes a cat red or cream also makes the tabby markings visible.Īll tabbies have thin pencil lines on their faces, expressive markings around the eyes, and a distinct letter “M” on their foreheads. Sometimes you can see those faint tabby markings on a solid-colored cat who is sitting in the bright sun. All orange cats are tabby cats and vice versa. Other cat colors or patterns may hide those tabby markings, but they’re always present. Technically speaking, no matter what colors or markings you see on your cat, all felines possess the tabby cat gene. And it happens to be the most common of all the feline coat patterns. People sometimes call the average domestic cat a tabby, but tabby is not a cat breed - it is actually the pattern of kitty’s coat. ![]()
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