British Tabby Cat

The British shorthair cat has a great amount of variation due to its long running breeding programme which dates back many hundreds of years ago. As one of the earliest breeds that were readily available, a number of finer breeding practices resulted in new variations. It is no surprise that the genes of the Tabby cat would make its way into the gene pool eventually, giving birth to what is now known as the British Tabby cat. The tabby gene is one of the most obvious traits to sport as the visual differentiation from solid colour and bi colour is considerably large. The tabby gene is an exotic gene that has come from wild cats that held the markings that are often seen in the Tabby. While this might seem like a gene that can be very easy to distinguish, there is a degree of standardisation that follows identification of the Tabby markings. There should be a certain symmetry in the markings across the coat.

There are different types of tabby cats too, typically they are divided into classic markings, stripes and spots. Further variation comes in the way of different colours that are introduced, this creates a great variation throughout the British Tabby breed. New owners will enjoy searching for the pattern that suits their personal taste while being able to explore different colour spectrums. As with other shorthair cats, the Tabby also has rounded eyes that are typically golden or orange. The silver Tabby however will possess green and even hazel eyes, an interesting variation that owners can look out for when making a selection.

Overall, the British Tabby is a great choice for new owners and the perhaps endless combination of patterns, colour and eye colour will give some interesting moments of research and exploration. There are even Tortie Tabby cats that combine the Tabby gene with the Tortoiseshell style, this is a very interesting blend as colours are often richer in this mixture. This variation will be easily distinguishable through its distinct stripes. The Tabby comes in warmer colours too and this is sometimes rare across certain breeds. The reds and oranges make the British Tabby an interesting choice. The rest of the features such as the ears, legs and mouth are expected to be exactly the same as the other British Shorthairs. Owners will not face any issue with grooming either if a regular and easy regime is followed.