brown mackerel tabby with gray field

document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Stay informed! 13. To answer this question, in this third article in my series on cat coats we are going to talk about all the types of markings a cat can have, and the genetics behind them. And all that fur ensures they receive plenty of attentionPersian cat parents should brush their pet daily and introduce baths at an early age to continue as an integral part of their grooming routine throughout adulthood. Until just now after doing a search on your site did I know there was such a type of kitty! https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/be924924eb3fd21bea083337df39982c297e1955f0a876ab7b39d42e43e06081.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c4e51b4c291d095f13896f69f181c58526631f8740f1ad09611c9092ccaeb625.jpg. Cat color genetics can be quite complicated. deafness has been linked to white color coats in cats. Mackerel tabbies are the tigers of the tabby cat, rocking a stylish coat of stripes that stands out amongst other tabby variations. Let's explore more about what makes the brown tabby cat irresistible . For more information about our privacy practices please go here. This feline sports the familiar tabby pattern as well as the "M-shaped" marking on the forehead; that's why they are also called tiger cats. He was neutered and ear clipped, but during recovery the vet realized he was not feral kitty. Note: in this part, I will dive into the genetics behind the tortie color. 337,6101 (2012): 1536-41. doi:10.1126/science.1220893, Lyons, L A et al. See if you can figure out which tabby your cat is: The classic tabby has bold, swirling patterns along his sides much like a marble cake. What You Need to Know. I had a little girl that was a solid gray, but when the sun hit her fur, you could see some reddish stripes. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Red tabby: Dark red spots, stripes and whorls on a light red/cream background. Their stripes vary from nearly black to tan over a cream or white body. Give us your guesses in the comments and tell us about the tabby cats youve known and loved. Tortoise Shell Colorations Random color distribution among varying shades of red, black, and cream. So, a fur composed of agouti hairs has a clearer color than a solid one. It consists of narrow stripes that start at the dark stripe along their spines and run vertically down towards their tummies. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Diatomaceous earth for cats has risen sharply More Cat acne is a relatively common and normally More All mammals are known to yawn. So lets take a look at which combinations could result in this pattern. I dont know why theyre so classic and mackerel tabbies arent. So how do our cats get that beautiful tabby pattern? So, how do you know if you have a Mackerel Tabby Cat? Thats why if youd like to adopt a cat from the streets, its best to get them spayed/neutered to make sure they wont encounter much of the dangers that lurk outside. a grey tabby cat in portrait on a field. If the cat is a/a, it will be solid. Tabbies come in lots of colors and patterns, but here are some of the most common. Bengals are active and intelligent cats. Grooming Needs You have to regularly brush Mackerel tabbies to prevent mat and to distribute the oil through their fur so that they don't shed their undercoat fur. The pattern of circular smudges on the classic tabby's body closely resembles a bullseye. Again, this pattern isnt common in regular cats, but Bengals, Savannahs and Ocicats have spotted tabby coats. Brown Mackeral Tabby with Gray-Brown Field Black stripes with gray- brown background. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the term tabby originated from a type of silk taffeta with a wavy surface produced in Baghdad called attb, after the neighborhood it was created in. The mackerel tabby cat has stripes that run perpendicular to the cats spine and line his legs and ring his tail. Well, the chances of having this cat are very likely since they are quite common and are seen in a variety of breeds (not just mixed breeds or shorthairs). and in fact describes all cats. Contrary to popular belief, the witchy companion cat wasnt always the black cat, but mostly the tabby cat. We are not veterinarians. "This is due to their hair having multiple colors on each strand which 'dilutes' the distinct tabby markings.". This is incorrect. All tabbies have thin pencil lines on their faces, expressive markings around the eyes, and a distinct letter M on their foreheads. The health of Tabby cats can vary depending on their breed, but their average life expectancy can be upward of 15 years. Eizirik, Eduardo et al. Finn for short. It was a joy for us to get to know him over the last 3 months or so. "Tabby" is common lingo for cat lovers, but the real meaning of the word might get lost the more it's used. Youll also see the M-shaped markings on the forehead of the cat. These dog training tips will help you get started. hU6+Hc*NNvDypIFe{S"A3=mvYeU dET I-%}p:Fj,}Zk"lW]&D *+x~`q}SNM!l^-n T?1 hDblh\:hD10 s(2$.1[:fnK)MNLlYUmpSed dFh@Zk Thank you for your info! Maine coons often sport mackerel tabby coats, which, tabby or not, require monthly if not weekly bathing to stay silky and smooth. And have you ever seen a solid red or orange or cream cat without the familiar tabby markings? Tabby occurs in several colours, the most common are brown tabby, silver (grey) and orange . most common color for cats with this pattern. I always wondered why Tabbys have the M! Most cat experts and breeders agree that the Mackerel Tabby Cat originated from the African and European Wildcat due to the distinctive stripes that are common in tabby cats. Still others believe it is the blessing of the Virgin Mary. As you can see, we dont use ads on this site. Generally, tabbies are known for being sweet, outgoing, and social. This means that an orange cat carrying a/a will still look tabby and that explains why all red cats always look tabby. Mama calls them tabico cats because shes silly. "Because of this, most cat breeds today have tabby genes even if they do not show any tabby patterning.". Not sure if this will work, but Charley is on the left, Mya on the right. Most pet owners prefer organic food and they also set proper scheduling to avoid weight issues and the like. In one litter, there are extremely friendly tabbies, extremely shy tabbies and everything in between. These are mackerel, blotched, ticked, and spotted. Subscribe to our email list to be instantly notified when we make a new post. , Your email address will not be published. So, its history is widespread across a variety of cat breeds. The Tabby cat locus maps to feline chromosome B1.Animal geneticsvol. Tabby cats need plenty of fresh, clean water. by The Paws and Effect Gang | Dec 28, 2014 | Fun Cat Facts | 16 comments. Hoss is all black; Cookie is a mackerel tabby with black markings over a golden tan base that is ticked with silver on the ends. Like all Tabbies, they have the characteristic M marking on their forehead, usually matching the color of the bands of darker color throughout their bodies. Don't panic: the spotted Bengal may seem like she came straight from the jungle, but only part of her lineage came from a wild cat parent. And just like the saying, a tiger cant change his stripes, its impossible to resist the cuteness thats at the core of all mackerel tabby cats. Depending on their size and age, theyll need around 20-30 minutes of interactive exercise per day. I have what someone called a mackerel tabby and she has broken stripes like dashes. Learn the differences between tabby cat patterns right here. She was said to be a bullseye tabby, as she had stripes in big spirals on her sides. The Classic Tabby is typically an intelligent, friendly, and sociable animal, no matter the breed. But what sets it apart from the other types? I love my baby. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. The Guinness Book of World Records once awarded Himmy, an Australian Mackerel Tabby, as the worlds fattest cat. Here it gets a bit more complicated as there are several genes at play, and still some incertitudes. We make no pretense of being veterinarians and we don't know anything about your specific cat's health or behavior history. Defining and mapping mammalian coat pattern genes: multiple genomic regions implicated in domestic cat stripes and spots.Geneticsvol. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. ), but arguably the most popular is the mackerel tabby. Diatomaceous Earth For Cats What Is It And What Can It Do. read more about these historical debates here. 91 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<1A1F97E8AAB18541BD076F91FC36627D>]/Index[78 27]/Info 77 0 R/Length 75/Prev 236777/Root 79 0 R/Size 105/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream She looks directly into the camera, you can see the green eyes, the white nose and the fine drawing in the fur as well as a blue gps transmitter at the neck. Cat Nail Biting: What to Do If Your Cat Chews & Pulls His Claws, Why Is My Kitten So Hyper? Finally, the last theorized gene (it could be that, in reality, it might be one unique gene but the influence of multiple polygenes) is the Spotted gene. However, since itis not often easy to determine easily the products or care that your pet manyrequire, it is important you consider the advice of a pro before purchasing anythingfor your cat. I never play with her with my hands so knew there was a reason! The spotted pattern, as its name indicates, is characterized by spots on the cat's body. Tabby patterning is one of the most commonly seen patterns across all breeds, and due to natural selection, no matter the markings that your cat has, all felines possess the Tabby gene. This gene is recessive towards the ticked pattern and, therefore, has no effect on a ticked tabby cat.It has also been theorized that homozygous and heterozygous cats don't have exactly the same types of spots. I also have a young mommy (calico) and her 4 boys. These cookies do not store any personal information. With that said, since the Mackerel Tabby Cat pattern appears in most domestic cats of mixed breeds (and rarely on purebred cats); they are most likely not very prone to certain diseases. Many tabby cats have the trademark M created by the stripes on the tabbys forehead. The overall appearance should be one of strength, presence, and alertness, with a sweet facial expression. Please view our privacy policy for details on how we use your information. Hi My name is Tamm. The mackerel tabby cat has stripes that run perpendicular to the cat's spine and line his legs and ring his tail. The price depends on the pedigree of tabbies living conditions breed and health condition. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. Similarly, the other tabby patterns of the Bengal and Sokoke could be the influence of some wild modifiers. Your email address will not be published. Walking Heat Maps, Catster Magazine Subscription Maintenance, Thank you Top 5 Cat Behaviors Explained. To keep him happy and healthy, you need to give him ample mental and physical stimulation. A good side view of the body is what should have been used. We will treat your information with respect. And, of course, theyre all individually lovable. A plus: she has a great sense of humor. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/269a195f69a4a6debc4766b163198a9831335213ba2390ae6c47c53b948e8754.jpg, https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/79b9537097df6018a831799d1b29a7c7f43b612a7eefef5fd920c966ddef417f.jpg, https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/79b9537097df6018a831799d1b29a7c7f43b612a7eefef5fd920c966ddef417f.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/49b1598c208b233526104e4d73b258020833472e0276e70260664ea89a031707.jpg, This was very helpful. I know you are going to say but solid black cats arent tabby. What kind of tabby is it that also has the white fur? Gorgeous Pair of Vintage Cat Lover Mugs ~ Brown Mackerel Tabby Siberian and Abyssinian. So, how long does a Mackerel Tabby Cat live? "M" marks the spot! He wasnt displaying any of the signs that he was an annoyed cat, hed just get super excited; so excited that if you tried to move away from him, hed jump down, rubbing his body against your legs. Black Mackerel tabbies are brown or bronze in color with black spots over a brown or brownish base color. Patched tabby (also known as torbie ): Two-toned tabby markings, which usually consist of brown and red. Tabby Cat Health. They have a reputation for being a great first cat. These cats are generally gentle, affectionate, and loving animals that have a long history of being close to humans. Daily Paws is part of the Meredith National Digital Network. Quick filters: Cut Outs | Vectors | Black & white. Some believe the M is for Mau, the word for cat in ancient Egypt. only way i can actually describe my two tabbies. Fierce only in their love for their families, Persians prefer nothing more than being pampered and doted on by those they adore. Creative commons photos used in posts must be shared with original artist credits intact. These spots can be large or small, and sometimes appear to be broken mackerel stripes. Although thoroughly researched, articles are not written or edited by a veterinarian. 2022 The Little Carnivore. Its easy to spot them because of their frequency in a clowder (a group of cats). You could SEE her thinking and planning it was amazing! This is a cat that nature designed to survive, with no extremes in type. As with tigers and their stripes or cheetahs and their spots, domestic tabby cats, too, are known for their distinct coat patterns. What a blessing Thank You! Your email address will not be published. All cats have a tabby pattern, and yes, this may sound confusing. This means that there are no distinct dark-colored markings on the cat's body. Your cat receives one tabby gene from each parent. Regarding their color, red genes are usually inherited if they have the red color gen O codes, which produce phaeomelanin. Mackerel Tabbies are the most commonly seen Tabby pattern, and this is the pattern that most people think of when the term Tabby is used. They love to play, so games that involve chasing and hunting with toys are a sure winner. I miss them. When a cat has a tabby pattern, the dark markings are made of solid hairs of the . Thats why you may want to consider consulting your vet on the best kind of diet and lifestyle for your Mackerel Tabby Cat if thats the case. Mackeral: Narrow, parallel stripes, similar to a "mackerel sky" down the side. The pattern may present itself on a variety of colored coats, with gray, brown, and orange being the most common. Since she was one of the most common pattern/color cats, we named her JustaCat. Van is a bi-color pattern that features a mostly white cat with some color on the tail and top of the head. In addition to those, we can find some other patterns which are often an intermediate between two of the main ones, or patterns which are specific to some cat breeds such as the rosette and marble of the Bengal cat, or the Sokoke marbled pattern.For example, broken mackerel is an intermediate between a mackerel tabby and a spotted tabby: these cats have broken stripes or long spots, depending on the point of view.The Bengal breed has two specific tabby patterns: the rosetted, which is a subcategory of the spotted tabby, and marble tabby, a subcategory of the blotched tabby. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. I love stripes, especially yours! Blessings! There are 4 main types of tabby patterns, which Im going to describe more in detail in this article. Silver Tabby Cat The silver tabby presents with a silver-white background color with black tabby markings. For instance, a Maine Coon tabby cat will cost about $600. They typically have yellow eyes. gene that makes a cat red or cream also makes the tabby markings visible, The Science Behind the Fur: What Makes Black Cats Black, Catster Magazine Subscription Maintenance, Thank you Top 5 Cat Behaviors Explained. You may find an association between cats and fish the Mackerel Tabby Cat is, surprisingly, one of them, due to how theyre named. Technically, breeders call them blue despite the gray color appearance. The Mackerel tabby is by far the most common cat coat pattern with the brown Mackerel tabby being the one you'll spot the most. Tell us what theyre like in the comments! In some cases, the cat may also have much darker stripes so its more akin to a zebra-like design, which might also remind you of the Classic Tabby Cat. Mackerel Tabbies are friendly and affectionate cats in general, and the recessive gene that causes their unique patterning has been evolving alongside humans for centuries. The characteristic lines of these patterns are broken into spots in spotted cats. What about the infamous tabbitude? Every feline parent is familiar with the ubiquitous cattitude. What colour is a tabby cat? Brown Mackerel Tabbies also usually have a dark end color for their tail. These five common tabby cat breeds are beloved for more than just their swirls, spots, and stripesoh my! However, like all tabbies, this coat pattern has tabby markings on the face and agouti hairs on the body. These types of patterns correspond to the way agouti hairs are distributed on the cat's body. 2. Required fields are marked *. complete cat guides for more information. Correction for image caption. Basically, if youwant to build a long lasting relationship with your pet, it is ideal you ensurethat you supply her with all the necessities she may require. In the next article I will talk about the colorpoints cats: stay tuned to know more about cat furs! I have to see this breed of cat is definetly diffirent, lovable. Van is the most common pattern and color scheme. Siouxsie: If you want to learn some cool stuff about the genetics behind cat fur, check out these articles Mama wrote for Catster: My first 2 were tabbies. Drinking dirty water can make us sick, so if the water smells bad or stale, we might avoid it. NHG'd4'!'"!,v? Patched mackerel tabbies can have that mackerel pattern, but also patches of other color. They are not overly needy or attention-seeking and are just as happy to spend the day alone as they are interacting with their family. Ive increased my play with her as she will bite trying to play too! So, a mackerel tabby cat pattern can appear on many different cat breeds and refers to the arrangement of stripes on the kittys body specifically that the stripes run vertically down the cat off his spine. The narrow lines can be . There are two possible alleles: the dominant one ("A") which means the cat is agouti, and the recessive one ("a") which means a cat is non-agouti or solid. Classic and Mackerel Tabbies are easy to tell apart once you know what to look for. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. They may have solid, dark brown fur on their ears and paws. Mine are black tabbys and Ive never seen it before and Ive been searching trying to find out. He loves to run and jump he will lay on me however no one not even myself can pet/cuddle him he will bite hard. Am I a little of both? The ticked pattern is displayed prominently in Abyssinians but also appears in mixed breeds. 8 Reasons for This Behavior, Can Adult Cats Eat Kitten Food? The mackerel tabby pattern is the most common type of tabby pattern. Which Type of Dog Fence Is Right For Your Pet? The Science Behind the Fur: What Makes Black Cats Black? A broken mackerel could be a cat heterozygous for the Spotted gene. Thomas: Almost every cat breed carries the tabby gene, even Siamese cats! Brown Mackerel Tabby & White Devon Rex Female 2021-22 show season: International: 2nd Best of Breed GC, DW MAUREX PRINCE HAMI. University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. Here is everything you need to know about tabbies and their pattern. A silver tabby usually has striking black stripes (unlike the gray tabby) against a much lighter gray or white background, but with no brown/red coloration in the coat (unlike the brown tabby) Was so interested in learning about mackerel tabbies but still was confused when the pictures showed cats with large black swirls on their sides not stripes at all. She is rather devoted to me and sometimes I think she knows I saved her. Tabby Cat walking on pavement near wood fence, infographic showing five of the most common tabby coat patterns, classic, mackerel, spotted, ticked, patched. If youre considering bringing a brown mackerel tabby into your home, youll want to learn a little more about their temperament. A way to extend your cats lifespan is to keep them indoors most of the time with proper pampering. This is what some people refer to as a tiger cat. The body has narrow stripes running down the sides in a vertical pattern. This color might be a bit confusing to describe, but it does exist as a Mackerel Tabby color out there. The last tabby pattern, ticked, is in fact an absence of any pattern: all the hairs are agouti on the body of ticket tabby cats. Due to their natural tabby pattern, these cats are excellent at hiding behind foliage. Mackerel Tabbies, on the other hand, have thinner, more evenly spaced striping throughout their bodies that may break into smaller segments, with a singular stripe running down their spines that branches into a distinctive fish-skeleton pattern. A lifelong cat lover, now based in South East Asia, Christian and his wife are the proud parents of an 11-year-old son and four rescue cats: Trixie, Chloe, Sparky, and Chopper. Compiled by Dr. Brenda Griffin University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine www.UFShelterMedicine.com. Doesnt stop her from putting me in my place. A tortie who also carries the tabby gene is often called a torbie. Ginger or Red Mackerel Tabbies are known to be somewhat feisty and bossy at times, but this character trait is linked more to the genetics of the coat color rather than the Tabby pattern. If a cat is sp/sp, it has a normal mackerel or blotched tabby pattern. All Rights Reserved. Many people wonder whether a cats coat color and pattern will have an impact on its health. and 15.2 ounces, and had a 33-inch waistline. 78 0 obj <> endobj She rubs all over my face in a spazy manner & often leaves my face wet..lol She loves to sit on my lap & on my bed at night & also has an abundance of energy & loves to chase the Red Bug a laser light & a fish on a pole! My Wendy was one too! You will find tabby cats in a vast array of coat colors as well ranging including cream cameo lilac seal gray silver red brown golden cinnamon chocolate blue and black smoke. I9M:j0x2,mXy |F J This pattern is often called the Abyssinian one, as its the pattern found in Abyssinian cats. If the cat has black stripes, its not a gray tabby, its a brown or silver tabby. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here. However, the ticked tabby pattern is not limited to the Abyssinian breed. Ha Ha. We can get dehydrated just like you. There is a lot of myth and theory about where the word tabby came from, as well as what the M on a tabbys forehead means. All of the hairs that would be black will instead be blue. Tell us: Do you have a mackerel tabby? I think she's past the trauma of the fire, unlike me. Red solid with a mackerel pattern from @cocodandfrits. Cats called brown tabby are genetically black tabby, Image of an agouti hair By Kersti - CC BY 2.5, The nose is pinkish and outlined with darker pigment. What fun for us and his family gots to bring him home! Since the tabby trait is a pattern only, your tabby cat's personality depends more on their breeding. Gentle giants at heart, Maine coons love staying close to their familythough, thankfully for your lap, they aren't typically lap cats. Often, a mackerel tabby with a broken pattern resembles a spotted tabby. Where I was moved to I was only able to keep T mother I originally had in the beginning, and one of the daughters about a year and a half. Tee hee hee! Note: Before reading this article, I recommend that you read the first article in the series on solid cat colors, as some of the genetic explanations are useful to understand this article.The previous articles in the series covered: A tabby cat is a cat that has agouti hairs. Get tips and exclusive deals. On the left a black ticked tabby (with legs banding) and on the a black tortie tabby from @twomanylegs. Are you embarrassed to have stripes? Tabby kittens can get their fur patterns from either the sire or the dam, so the unique markings often emerge in the litters of cat fanciers breeding programs and those unplanned random cat romances. My very first pair were unrelated tabbies. Gabrielle Stroup, shelter manager at NFAWL, says, We have tabby cats come into our facility with a range of personalities. The M as mentioned refers to the inverted chevron markings above his eyes. "Tabby" is common lingo for cat lovers, but the real meaning of the word might get lost the more . Overall randomly bred mackerel tabby kittens will cost 100 or even less. We do our best to help you better understand your cats, but the information on this blog is not a substitute for veterinary guidance. But he will snuggle on me. This is the term used to describe a tortoiseshell (also called tortie) tabby. I found this information pretty much useless. A Bengal black smoke with rosette ghost marking from @leap_of_faith_bengals. Truly had the Tabbitude, but we also got to see his softer side over the last few days. 0 Tabby Pattern Genetics A Whole New Breed of Cat, Genetics of Pigmentation in Dogs and Cats, The Tabby Cat Locus Maps to Feline Chromosome B1, Defining and Mapping Mammalian Coat Pattern Genes: Multiple Genomic Regions Implicated in Domestic Cat Stripes and Spots. Looking straight to camera. Mackerel is the most common tabby pattern, along with the blotched pattern. Required fields are marked *. However, many cats of distinguished breeding boast the striking tabby coat: from the Norwegian Forest Cat to the Maine Coon. Good info. I have two solid grey cats. The spots can be more or less elongated into broken lines. When your cat is often indoors, its easy to tell if theyre sick so that you can take them to the vet right away or give them first aid. Here are pictures of Katie who is darker gray and Spencer who was lighter gray. Thomas: Then theres the patched tabby a calico or tortoiseshell cat whose orange and black spots have stripes! If you look up close at the lighter parts of a tabbys coat, you will see that the individual hairs are striped with alternating light and dark bands, known as the agouti hairs. However, the information found on Excited Cats should not be viewed as veterinary advice. These cats may have a bold personality, meaning they'd likely appreciate coming along on adventures with youon a leash, of course. A mackerel tabbyhas narrow stripes that run in parallel down her sides. No matter what color your tabby is, she is . Both Classic Tabbies and Mackerel Tabbies can occur in any breed and can come in a wide variety of sizes and colors. All cats, no matter their breed or patterning, require regular exercise to stay healthy and happy. The markings are usually more apparent on the legs and head. Maybe a brown mackerel? They have thick stripes and bands on the legs, tail, and cheeks, with varying shades of darker colored bands throughout their bodies. link to British Shorthair Vs Maine Coon Cat. This breed has an additional tabby pattern because it was hybridized with wild cats: this brought new genes for the new tabby pattern. The poster child of the ticked tabby, the "tabby Aby" Abyssinian is lithe, elegant, and graceful, gliding through life eagerly at your heels. Locus is the words to describe a place on the genetic code where the genes for a particular characteristic are located. The Mackerel Tabby has slender, curving stripes throughout their body, and these stripes may be broken into shorter segments resembling spots, especially on the belly and legs, or continue unbroken. However, if you breed two agouti cats, its possible to get solid kittens.As explained in this article on red cats, the orange gene is dominant over the non-agouti genotype. looking at the different tabbies i am still not sure about my two, one has a circle half way up on either side, the other, probably a spotted tabby. What are agouti hairs? The Classic Tabby is an ideal family cat. Can Adult Cats Eat Kitten Food? So even your seemingly solid black cat might have a trademark tabby coatit just blends in since it's all the same color, explains Leslie Lyons, PhD, professor of comparative medicine at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. Patched tabbies can show any one of the above four distinct tabby patterns. It will also have black outlines around its nose and eyes. This may seem like thats all there is to know about tabbies, but read on! Learn more. Love to all of you, and have a Happy and HEALTHY New Year!! My Katie (and her deceased brother Spencer) are gray with Tabby markings. His fur had the color banding on each individual hair. And once it made that leap, the quick-witted tabby left textiles in the dust! An agouti hair is composed of several bands of colors: a dark one with the base color of the cat, alternately with lighter and more reddish ones.