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Bicolor Cat

Grades 1 - 10 of bicolor in cats

The Various Bicolor Patterns

A "cow" pattern

There are 10 identifiable grades of bicolor in cats, plus several patterns with their own names. The cat labelled "bicolor" is the preferred pattern in show-quality bicolor purebred cats.

A low-grade spotting black-and-white bicolor cat is often known as a "tuxedo cat" or a "Billicat". To be considered a tuxedo cat, its black coloring should be solid throughout, with white limited to the paws, belly, chest, throat, face, and possibly the chin: it should appear as if the cat were wearing a tuxedo.

Another type of black-and-white bicolor cat is nicknamed "cow cat" or "moo cat" (for a perceived resemblance to Holstein cattle) and includes the magpie, cap-and-saddle and mask-and-mantle patterns. A cow cat does not have the solid black "jacket" of the tuxedo cat. Instead, it has big black patches over a mostly white body, often with a black mask over the head. Some owners attribute characteristics such as a love of water, big personalities and a playful nature to cow cats. "Black Mask Cats" are so called because they look like they are wearing a black mask over their head. Likewise, "Kitlers" get their name from a black moustache-like marking over their faces, as shown in the cow-patterned cat to the right.

The Turkish Van (white and red) is one good example of a bicolor breed. Van pattern is known to animal geneticists as the Seychelles (Seychellois) Pattern and is classified into 3 variants:

Seychellois Neuvieme - white with colored tail and head splashes (classic Van Pattern)

Seychellois Huitieme - white with colored tail and head splashes plus additional splashes of color on the legs

Seychellois Septieme - white with splashes of color on the legs and body in addition to those on the head and the colored tail.

This is high grade white spotting of types 9, 8 and 7 on the bicolor chart above.

Frequency in different breeds

This coloration is not restricted to a specific breed of cat, as it can be found in many different types of pure-breed as well as mixed-breed domestic cats. However, some breeds of cats are especially noted for having bicolor coats in their breed standards. These include the Turkish Van, American Shorthair, Manx, British Shorthair, Turkish Angora, and Bombay.

In contrast, other common breeds of cat have specific coat patterns specified in their breed standards. These cats are therefore never seen in the bicolor pattern. Cats with such specific coat patterns such as the Russian Blue which has a coat of one solid color.

Genetics of coat patterns

Main article: Cat coat genetics

The basic colors and patterns of cat fur are defined by fewer than ten genes. Cats with white color in their coats are thought to have a mutant white-spotting gene that prevents the formation of coat color in patches over the cat's body. This gene has been investigated in several species, particularly mice, and is co-dominant to normal coat color as it prevents the migration of melanocytes into the developing hair follicles. The genetics of this pattern are not as well understood in cats but at least some of the genes involved in melanocyte migration and survival may play a role similar as in other animals.

Three genotypes possible with the S (white spotting) gene, with capital S standing for a wild-type copy and lower-case s standing for the mutant.

SS (two dominant alleles) results in high grades of white spotting (sometimes resulting in a solid-looking white cat or a white cat with just a few color hairs)

Ss (one dominant, one recessive allele) results in medium grades of white spotting

ss (two recessive alleles) results in solid color or low grades of white spotting (sometimes as little as a few white hairs)

The lack of tabby striping in bicolor cats is controlled by the agouti protein, which inhibits the production of melanin and thus prevents the formation of dark hair colors. In agouti cats the gene is turned on and off as the hair grows, producing hairs with alternating stripes yellow and black. In domestic cats, inactivation of the agouti gene by a deletion mutation causes all-black coat color.

Tuxedo cats

A tuxedo cat is a bicolor cat with a white and black coat. The derivation of the term tuxedo cat is because the animal appears to be wearing the type of black tie formal wear commonly known in the United States and Canada as a tuxedo. Most tuxedo cats are also black mask cats, a common name for felines who, due to their facial coloration, look as if they are wearing a black mask over their eyes, and often over their entire head. To be considered a true tuxedo cat, the feline's coloring should consist of a solid black coat, with white fur limited to the paws, belly, chest, throat, and often the chin, although many tuxedo cats appear to sport goatees, due to the black coloration of their mandible -- that is, the lower jaw and chin. Bicolor may also appear in the skin color. Paw pads may be black or pink. Bicoloring of the nose and mouth are also common.

In popular culture

In the United Kingdom, the tuxedo cat is sometimes known as the "Jellicle cat", after the fictional tribe of black and white cats described by T. S. Eliot in Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, which was first published in 1939. In its derivative musical, Cats, the tuxedo cat is exemplified by the character of Mr. Mistoffelees, who is portrayed as a stage magician wearing a lacy ruff and bow tie. The musical differed from the book in that the characters included cats with many different coat colors, rather than just bicolor cats, but it retains the repeated assertion that "Jellicle cats are black and white."

In Britain cats with this pattern are also known as "Post Office" cats from Postman Pat's "black and white cat" called Jess from the Postman Pat TV series. Cats with these markings also played a starring role in the drawings illustrating The Unadulterated Cat, a book written by Terry Pratchett, with cartoons by Joliffe Gray.

Other well known cartoon bicolor cats include Felix the Cat, Tom from Tom and Jerry, Figaro and Sylvester.

Examples of various bicolor patterns

Tuxedos

Male Tuxedo Cat with a white mustache.

Adult female tuxedo cat.

Adult female long-hair tuxedo cat.

Adult Female Tuxedo Cat.

The same Female Tuxedo Cat.

Adult tuxedo cat showing stomach markings.

Ventral view of a tuxedo cat, displaying extreme separation between chin, chest, and stomach markings.

A nearly perfect tuxedo coat.

Three different tuxedo variations.

Another tuxedo kitten.

A tuxedo kitten with a goatee .

A masked tuxedo cat with a small cape wrapping around his right leg.

Another tuxedo cat.

A 4-month-old female tuxedo cat with bi-color paws (pink and black).

A 7-month-old female; perfect Tuxedo Cat, black all over w/ white feet, underside and mouth area.

Non-tuxedo bicolor variations

Two bicolors with distinct coats.

An adult shorthair displaying the "mask and mantle" pattern

Another non-tuxedo.

An adolescent with a Cap-and-Saddle pattern.

Other Bicolor Variations

Orange bicolor with mostly white (van pattern)

A six days old bicolor kitten, demonstrating how early the pattern can be seen

Ebony White Bicolor Oriental Shorthair Male

A bicolor cat with a symmetrical pattern on his face.

Various Colors of Bicolor Cat

Red bicolor

Chocolate bicolor cat

Black Smoke Tuxedo on male Cornish Rex

A tuxedo pattern in grey.

Bicolor cat with a grade 6 on the bicolor chart.

Grey tuxedo kitten at six weeks old.

See also

Cat

Domestic longhair cat

Domestic shorthaired cat

Felidae

Fictional cats

Felix the Cat

Sylvester the Cat

Socks

References

^ "Cats That Look Like Hitler". http://www.catsthatlooklikehitler.com/cgi-bin/seigmiaow.pl. Retrieved 2010-02-09. 

^ "Seychellois". Fanciers Breeder Referral List. http://www.breedlist.com/seychellois-breeders.html. Retrieved 2007-08-05. 

^ "Cat Breed Descriptions". Laura Gilbreath. http://www.travelswithtigger.com/fanciers/breed-desc.html. Retrieved 2007-08-05. 

^ "CFA Breeds". The Cat Fanciers' Association. http://www.cfa.org/breeds.html. Retrieved 2007-08-05. 

^ a b c "Coat Colors & Fur Types". Feline Genome project. http://faculty.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/faculty/lalyons/Sites/color.htm. Retrieved 2007-08-05. 

^ Yoshida H, Kunisada T, Grimm T, Nishimura EK, Nishioka E, Nishikawa SI (2001). "Review: melanocyte migration and survival controlled by SCF/c-kit expression". J. Investig. Dermatol. Symp. Proc. 6 (1): 15. doi:10.1046/j.0022-202x.2001.00006.x. PMID 11764276. 

^ Cooper MP, Fretwell N, Bailey SJ, Lyons LA (2006). "White spotting in the domestic cat (Felis catus) maps near KIT on feline chromosome B1". Anim. Genet. 37 (2): 1635. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2052.2005.01389.x. PMID 16573531. 

^ Jackson IJ (1997). "Homologous pigmentation mutations in human, mouse and other model organisms". Hum. Mol. Genet. 6 (10): 161324. doi:10.1093/hmg/6.10.1613. PMID 9300652. http://hmg.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/6/10/1613. 

^ Eizirik E, Yuhki N, Johnson WE, Menotti-Raymond M, Hannah SS, O'Brien SJ (2003). "Molecular genetics and evolution of melanism in the cat family". Curr. Biol. 13 (5): 44853. doi:10.1016/S0960-9822(03)00128-3. PMID 12620197. 

^ T. S. Eliot (1982). Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. Harcourt. ISBN 0-15-168656-4. 

^ "Character profile: Jess". Entertainment Rights PLC. http://www.postmanpat.com/. Retrieved 2007-08-05. 

^ Terry Pratchett and Joliffe Gray The Unadulterated Cat Orion; New Ed edition (26 Sep 2002) ISBN 0-752-85369-4

External links

Catfacts about Bicolor cats

The Cat Site about Bicolor cats

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bicolor cats

Categories: Cat types
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