A genetic mutation determines whether a tabby cat is a mackerel (top row) or blotched (bottom row). (Image courtesy of Helmi Flick) Tabby may be a colloquial term for a female kitty, but it’s more ... The coat of the traditional tabby, or ‘bullseye’ or "swirled," is the most typical fur pattern of house cats.

Understanding the Context

It features wide, rounded spots on the sides and a clear ‘M’ on the forehead. Swirls are ... Tabby cats are among the most recognizable and widely loved house cats in the world. A common misconception is that "tabby" refers to a specific breed, but the term actually describes a coat pattern ...

Key Insights

Of the nearly 60 million pet cats in the United States, one of the most common is the classic tabby—a coat pattern that features stripes, dots, and swirls and what looks like an M imprinted on the cat ... Researchers took a deep dive into embryonic development to tease out the source of the tabby pattern in cats. By James Gorman Folklore is full of stories about the coat patterns of cats: How the tiger ... Add Popular Science (opens in a new tab) Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. Get the Popular ...

Final Thoughts

National Geographic news: Now we know how tabby cats get their stripes The New York Times: How the Cat Gets Its Stripes: It’s Genetics, Not a Folk Tale