The first thing you need to know about tabby kittens is that, despite what most people think, they are not actually a breed. Tabby refers to the coloring pattern on their fur, rather than any sort of actual breed. People tend to think that they are an actual breed because the pattern is so common among so many other breeds. The pattern itself generally consists mainly of stripes, but can also include swirls and spots, either mixed into the stripes or on their own. There are several different varieties of tabbies, but the most common are listed below.
Classic Tabby Kittens
The classic, or blotched tabby cat is the one most commonly observed. The stripes and swirls across its body will be clearly defined and usually contrast highly with the surrounding fur. They also tend to have a wide band along its body that all the striping joins up to.
Mackerel Tabby Kitten Pattern
Mackerels, so named because of their resemblance to the striping common to the fish, will generally display vertical stripes down the side of the body, as well as solid rings around the tail, somewhat similar to that of the tiger. Many believe that this is the original design tabby kittens displayed, and all others derive from it.
Spotted Mackerel Pattern
This pattern will be very similar to the original mackerel pattern in that the coloring is laid out in straight lines. The defining difference in tabby kittens showing the spotted mackerel pattern is that, rather than having solid stripes down their body, those stripes are broken up into a series of dots that follow the original straight path that the stripes would have followed.
Tickled Tabby Cats
When you first spot a tickled tabby cat, you may not think that they are a tabby at all. On closer inspection, you will see that their individual hairs display a very interesting coloring pattern. The Abyssinian is the best example of a tickled, sometimes called an agouti tabby.
Again, just about any breed of cat out there could potentially show the tabby pattern, but the coloring itself tells you little about the personality or other physical characteristics to expect. The most dramatic appearance of the tabby pattern is found in Bengal kittens, which closely resemble their tiger cousins.
In the end, newborn kittens born with the tabby pattern are going to be just like others of their particular breed, save for the interesting coloring. Unless they are going to be a show cat, the coloring isn’t nearly as important as their personality.
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