A Breed and Color Guide to Different Types of Cats

Breed standard includes a number of detailed descriptions: head shape, the shape of the legs, body length, tail length, body type, eye color, the shape of ears, length of hair, and color. It also includes the temperament of the breed, such as its intelligence, energy level, and trainability. The breed standard also outlines any disqualifying faults that would make a dog ineligible for showing in confirmation events.

To characterize the color of the cat, the terms are used; with their help, limnologists all over the world describe hair color, the presence of the pattern, the spots, color uniformity of hairs, and so on. Hair Color:

The most common hair colors for cats are black, white, gray, brown, and tabby. Other colors such as red, orange, cream, blue-gray (blue-silver), and tortoiseshell are also possible.

Pattern:

Cats can have a variety of patterns including solid (one color), tabby (strip)

In certain colors, hairs are stained due to natural pigment dyes, called - melanin. It also paints the color of the eye. If there is a lot of melanin in the hair, the cat is black or brown in color; if there is a lot of yellows - the cat will be red; if there is no melanin at all, the beauty will be snow-white.

Thus, the terms denote:

  • - Solid. It is a solid, evenly colored hair color.
  • - Tortoiseshell. As a rule, it is more common in females. This is when a pelt pattern emerges spots resembling tortoise shells.
  • - Tubby or Tabby. The pattern is in the form of strips or circles. This color is very close to the original coloring of the ancestor of the domestic cat. In other words, it is a wild color. Thousands of years ago, patterns of their skin, helped their mask in the grass, in the leaves the predator could calmly wait for their prey.
  • - Marble tabby. This is when wide strips are seen on the skin resembling marble lines.
  • - Mackerel or brindle color. The pattern consists of parallel strips.
  • - Smoky or Silver. The cat has each hair painted in two colors; the second half is always white. That creates a beautiful effect of haze, mist, and iridescence.
  • - Colorpoint is the most spectacular color! The cat's body is bright and its paws, tail, ears, and snout are dark. The contrast is expressive, attractive and bright. As a rule, it is the standard of the Siamese breed.
  • - Calico. It is three colors. The white hair with black and red spots. As a rule, with such hair color only female cats are found, thoroughbred or yard. The people believe this cat brings happiness!

Each breed has its own color standards. Therefore, for example, the Persian cats should be blue (light gray), black, white, gray, red (Auburn), purple (gray with a purple tinge), cream, and red.

The British shorthair may have a variety of shades of gray: purple, gray, or blue. The British shorthair can be red only if the wool has a tortoiseshell pattern. Siamese or Balinese must be painted in color point, different options are allowed.

A Breed and Color Guide to Different Types of Cats