Whether a kitten displays the tabby pattern depends on whether it inherits a dominant or recessive agouti gene. Because a female orange tabby must have two X chromosomes to be female, there is only about a 20% chance an orange kitty will be female. This interesting fact explains why most orange tabbies are male. The gene for orange coloring is dominant (O), so a kitten need only inherit one copy of the orange gene to display some degree of orange color in its coat. A kitten inherits two copies of each gene from its parents (one from each), and each gene can be either dominant or recessive. Female cats have two X chromosomes (XX) while males have one X and one Y (XY).Ĭats inherit a combination of genes from both parents, though the wide variety of colors you see in cats come from just two main colors: black and orange (or red). When it comes to feline genetics, characteristics like coat color and pattern are carried on the X chromosome. A common example of a bi-color orange tabby is an orange tabby cat with pure white patches. These tabbies have a combination of tabby patches which are darker in coloration than the rest of the body. While traditional tabby cats often exhibit the same solid orange tabby pattern all over their bodies, orange tabby cats can often be seen in a bicolor pattern. Though they may look like tiger stripes, they actually branch out from a single stripe running down the cat’s spine which creates a pattern that resembles a fish skeleton, hence the name “mackerel.” 2. In an ideal example of the pattern, the stripes are evenly spaced with no broken lines. The mackerel tabby is the iconic “tiger cat” with narrow stripes running parallel down the length of its body. When you hear the phrase “orange tabby” this is probably the variety you picture. Now that you have a better idea of what physical characteristics define the orange tabby, let’s take a closer look at each of the five tabby patterns.
Though each orange tabby is different, tabbies in general have specific characteristics that are easily identified. In other cats, the striping is much more subtle or appears only on the cat’s legs and tail. In some orange tabbies, the stripes may be bold and clearly visible running down the length of the cat’s back and body. While tabby cats come in an array of patterns, most have some degree of striping on their coats. The tabby pattern comes in five different varieties: The term tabby refers to the combination of stripes, spots, and swirls which cover the cat’s body.ĭepending on the breed of cat and its individual genetics, the tabby pattern can be localized to patches or certain body parts, or it could cover the entire body of the cat. Shop At Basepaws For Cat DNA Kit What Makes Orange Tabby Cats So Special?Īll cats are beautiful, but orange tabby cats are known for their colorful coats and unique pattern.
That being said, there are some interesting facts about orange tabbies you should know. How can you not love a ginger cat, especially one with tiger stripes?īecause the orange tabby is not a specific breed of cat, it’s difficult to make overarching generalizations about things like temperament and personality. Tabbies are known for their striped coats and, while they come in a wide variety of colors, the orange tabby is uniquely beautiful. While the term “tabby” doesn’t refer to a specific breed of cat, it does represent one of the most common coat patterns seen in the world of cats – both wild and domestic. The orange tabby cat is not a breed, but it is certainly one of the most iconic (and some would say cutest) cats out there. What do famous cats like Garfield, Morris, and Milo have in common? They’re all orange tabby cats.
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