![]() It is a standard genetic component of the tabby pattern. The scientific reason behind the ‘M’ on the forehead of tabby cats is genetics. To commemorate this, all tabby cats were marked with the letter ‘M.’ In the Islamic religion, a tabby cat called Muezza once saved his master Mohammed’s life by killing a snake that snuck up his sleeve. In Christianity, a tabby cat came to the manger to keep baby Jesus warm, so Mary marked him with an ‘M’ to thank him. There are several religious stories as to why the cats have earned this marking. Many tabby cats will have a pattern on their forehead that looks like the letter ‘M.’ Religions Have Myths About The ‘M’ On Tabby Cats’ Foreheads (Picture Credit: Getty Images) This pattern is most common in Abyssinians, but other breeds have displayed it as well. These hairs make it seem like ticked tabby cats are glistening in the sun. Each hair is striped with its own pattern. Ticked tabby cats may have classic tabby patterns on their face and agouti hairs on their body. Agouti hairs are individual hairs that are striped with dark and light bands alternating. At first glance, this cat may not even look like a tabby. (Picture Credit: Getty Images)Ī ticked tabby, also know as the Agouti tabby, does not have the traditional stripes or spots of the other tabby patterns. The ticked tabby pattern is a result of a different allele at the same gene locus as the mackerel and classic tabby patterns and this allele is dominant over. Classic tabby Maine Coons display the familiar, up and down striped sides we think of when we hear of a tabby cat. Within the larger category of tabby, there are three different types of tabbies recognized: classic, mackerel, and ticked. The spots can be different shapes, including circular, oval, or tiny rosettes. The tabby patterning is a mix of stripes, spots, and swirls combined with one or more base colors. These spots can be large or small, and sometimes they look like broken mackerel stripes. (Picture Credit: Getty Images)Ī spotted tabby cat has, as the name suggests, spots all over their sides. The stripes are in a vertical pattern and make a tabby cat look like a domesticated, little tiger with different color variations. Mackerel tabby cats have stripes running up and down their bodies, earning them the nickname of “tiger cats.” This pattern is also known as a “blotched tabby.” (Picture Credit: Getty Images) Many American Shorthair cats have this tabby pattern in a variety of colors. ![]() The classic tabby (pictured above) has a pattern that whorls, usually with a center or “target” on the side of the cat. These include the classic, mackerel, spotted, and ticked. While there are many variations of the tabby cat coat, there are four recognized tabby cat patterns. What makes a tabby really stand out, however, is the distinctive M-shaped marking on the forehead. Most tabbies have stripes across their faces, along their backs, and on their legs and tail. ![]() There Are Four Types Of Tabby Cat Coats (Picture Credit: Getty Images) Ticked Patched Though every tabby cat is different, there are certain types of markings most cats with this coat pattern tend to exhibit. Every single domestic cat has the gene for the tabby pattern, which is another reason why tabby cats are so ubiquitous. ![]()
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