THE TABBY CAT

Classic Tabby

This is a Silver Classic Tabby American Shorthair

The Classic Tabby pattern can easily be noticed because the cat will have swirls and a circle on its side. It also has a "butterfly" pattern across its shoulders which lead into thick lines down the spine.

Mackerel Tabby

This is a Brown Mackerel Tabby and White Manx

The Mackerel Tabby pattern is defined by stripes instead of swirls. This pattern does not have a "butterfly", but it does have thinner spine lines than a Classic Tabby. The solid stripes on the body go from the spine to the belly.

Spotted Tabby

This is a Brown Spotted Tabby American Bobtail Shorthair.

The Spotted Tabby pattern has spots instead of lines. The spine lines will be spotted also.

Ticked Tabby

This is an Ebony Ticked Tabby Oriental Shorthair

The Ticked Tabby pattern is a little more complex in that each hair shaft has "bands" of light and dark color on it. Overall, you will see an evenness to the pattern and the cat will not obviously look like a "normal" tabby would.

Patched Classic Tabby

This is an Brown Patched Classic Tabby and White Scottish Fold

All of the tabby patterns above can also be combined with red and/or cream to create a Patched Tabby. The patched tabby will have splotches of red, or sometimes cream, scattered throughout the tabby pattern. The patching appears to cover, or break, the pattern lines of the tabby pattern. The patching may, in some instances, also show the tabby pattern.