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Tabby Cats
April 15 2023
Do you have a tabby cat? If so, you may want to pick up a new catnip toy or a special treat for Fluffy this week: April 30th is Tabby Cat Day! An Oshawa, ON vet discusses these pretty kitties below.
Introducing Fluffy
Tabby kitties aren’t a unique breed: many of our feline pals sport tabby coloring. One thing these furballs all have in common is that M-shaped mark on their foreheads. Experts have not yet come to a consensus on where that M came from and what it symbolizes. According to Christian beliefs, Mary traced that M into Fluffy’s forehead after finding her cuddled up with baby Jesus in the manger. Maine Coon fans may have a bone to pick with that tale, however: many insist it stands for Maine.
Patterns
Tabby cats have their choice of four fashion-forward patterns. The Mackerel is the most common. Kitties sporting this coat often look like they’re wearing tiger stripes, or perhaps have decorated themselves in a fish skeleton pattern. Then we have the Classic tabby, who has thicker stripes and often a sort of shaped pattern on their sides. Ticked tabbies wear solid colored coats, but still accessorize them with that iconic M logo on their foreheads. Last but certainly not least, there are also Spotted tabbies, who often look a bit like tiny leopards. The Bengal is a good example of that type of coat pattern.
Camouflage
Fluffy’s pretty coat doesn’t just look great: it’s also purrfect camouflage. Fluffy inherited those patterns from one of her closest ancestors, the African Wildcat. These small but ferocious felines are the closest relative to the domestic furballs that we know and love today.
A Rose By Any Other Name
It’s always interesting seeing where different words and sayings originated from. Fluffy actually got her moniker from a specific type of silk, Atabi. This was made in Attabiah, or modern-day Baghdad.
Tabby Celebrekitties
Many famous kitties wear tabby colorings. One of the most famous felines ever, Garfield, is a tabby, as is his tiny nemesis, Nermal. Then there’s Jonesy, from Alien; Milo, from Milo and Otis: and Keanu, from Keanu.
Population
Tabbies are many things: cute, lovable, playful, and intelligent. One thing they aren’t? Rare. About two thirds of our feline pals are tabbies!
Do you have questions about your cat’s health or care? Contact us, your Oshawa, ON animal clinic, today!
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