Don’t know your tabbies from your torties? Help is here!
The solid colours are self-explanatory i.e. black, white, grey (also called lilac, silver, blue) cream etc. Here are some other colours/patterns common in cats.
 Tabby
If a cat looks “striped”, it’s a tabby. The stripe will be darker than the main colour. A common tabby colour is brown or grey with black stripes. Tabby cats also come in orange (described as a ginger tabby). If it a tabby cat has white on it too (often on the paws and/or bib) – it’s described as a “tabby and white”
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 Spotted
Some cats have very distinct “leopard like” or “rosette-like” spots ie the Bengal and Ocicat breeds
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 Ticked
The fur looks ticked like a possum!
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 Tortie (Tortoiseshell)
These cats look like they have been “painted” in a mottled mix of multiple colours. The patterning varies wildly from cat to cat. If the cat is tortie with some white as well, it’s described as a “tortie and white”. If the cat is a tabby with tortie, this is described as a “tabby/tortie or “tabby/tortoiseshell”. A mix of all three – tortie, tabby stripes and white is described as a tabby tortie and white (see picture). A “dark tortie” is a black cat with tortie markings.
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 Ginger/Cameo
An orange coloured cat, usually a tabby (striped). The paler ginger colour is called “cameo”.
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 Smoked
The hair has two colours, an “undercoat” and a “top coat” producing a smoked effect.
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 Colour Points
The cat will have a light coloured body (often cream or white) with coloured ears, face, feet and tail, known as “points”. Points can be numerous colours including brown (seal) or grey (lilac) or even tortie.
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There are hundreds more patterns and colour descriptions in the cat universe! This is just a basic guide to the most common colours.
