What Breed Does My Kitty Look Like?

[AC1819]

Hey! A few days ago I got this kitty from a friends brother at his farm. She was found behind a barn. She's only about 3 weeks old. She has big paws and a short patterned coat. Can someone help me figure out her breed? She almost looks like a bobcat and comparing her to pictures of bobcat kittens is a pretty close match. She has the little tips on the ears like one but she has a long tail. Although, it almost seems impossible that she would be part bobcat. Any ideas?

 

[StefanZ]

Please, a couple pics from aside?!

 

[AC1819]

Please, a couple pics from aside?!

I do have more pics that I can attach. From aside? What do you mean?

 

[Kieka]

I do have more pics that I can attach. From aside? What do you mean?

From either side so they can see her side patterning. She is some sort of tabby but there are different names depending on how the sides look.

 

[AC1819]

From either side so they can see her side patterning. She is some sort of tabby but there are different names depending on how the sides look.

Oh ok thanks Kieka for clarifying

 

[AC1819]

 

[Kieka]

Oh ok thanks Kieka for clarifying

Anytime.

I know she is a domestic short hair (or DSH) which is applied to any cat of unknown background. She is a tan tabby with white socks. I don't think there is enough white to go to bicolor so that would make her "with white" to describe the amount of white in the coat. Like I said, there are specific names for each of the tabby patterns but that is really not my specialty; I am sure someone else will chime in shortly with that specific. Wild guess would be a mackerel as the pattern. She may be brown instead of tan but I am getting more of a tan vibe from the front photos. So breed is DSH and coloring is tan mackerel tabby with white if I am looking right.

Hopefully StefanZ will agree because its always fun to get it right, lol. It seems like a mouthful but we tend to group cats into their fur length then describe by pattern. Unlike the dog world where there are very clearly defined breed describing traits there are very few specific cat breeds that have uniquely identifying traits. Most cat breeds are refined from naturally occurring patterns and haven't been bred and refined to the point of exclusivity (breeds like the Persian or Munchkin being the exception of course). My girl, for example, is no particular breed despite looking much like a Snowshoe she just got that mix that made people want to breed for Snowshoes in the first place.

She (yours, not mine.... although I am partial to mine too) is a very cute little moggy (moggy, means any cat of mixed heritage kind of similar to a mutt for a dog but I think 10 times cuter, I call my girl a moggy a lot with all my love and affection).

 

[AC1819]

Anytime.

I know she is a domestic short hair (or DSH) which is applied to any cat of unknown background. She is a tan tabby with white socks. I don't think there is enough white to go to bicolor so that would make her "with white" to describe the amount of white in the coat. Like I said, there are specific names for each of the tabby patterns but that is really not my specialty; I am sure someone else will chime in shortly with that specific. Wild guess would be a mackerel as the pattern. She may be brown instead of tan but I am getting more of a tan vibe from the front photos. So breed is DSH and coloring is tan mackerel tabby with white if I am looking right.

Hopefully StefanZ will agree because its always fun to get it right, lol. It seems like a mouthful but we tend to group cats into their fur length then describe by pattern. Unlike the dog world where there are very clearly defined breed describing traits there are very few specific cat breeds that have uniquely identifying traits. Most cat breeds are refined from naturally occurring patterns and haven't been bred and refined to the point of exclusivity (breeds like the Persian or Munchkin being the exception of course). My girl, for example, is no particular breed despite looking much like a Snowshoe she just got that mix that made people want to breed for Snowshoes in the first place.

She (yours, not mine.... although I am partial to mine too) is a very cute little moggy (moggy, means any cat of mixed heritage kind of similar to a mutt for a dog but I think 10 times cuter, I call my girl a moggy a lot with all my love and affection).

Awe! Moggy... I like that. Thanks for your help in trying to identify her breed and coat type and things like that. I really appreciate all of your help so far in this amazing journey.

 

[Kieka]

Awe! Moggy... I like that. Thanks for your help in trying to identify her breed and coat type and things like that. I really appreciate all of your help so far in this amazing journey.

We are always here to help at TCS. Don't forget to introduce yourself and your new fluffy family member on New Cats on the Block we love new faces and we love lots of kitty photos.

 

[abyeb]

Beautiful brown broken mackeral tabby and white Domestic Shorthair! I love those lynx tufts! I'd say not part Bobcat, from what I've gathered online, there has never been a proven Bobcat x Domestic Cat mating. That being said, I do think it's possible your kitten might have some Maine Coon influence. Those big paws indicate some very likely giant breed influence. Her facial structure reminds me of that of a Maine Coon, and those lynx tips are seen in MC cats as well. Furthermore, although Maine Coons are longhair cats, longhair is recessive to shorthair, so it's definitely possible for Maine Coons to have shorthaired descendants! Without a DNA test, through, she would still be called a Domestic Shorthair.

 

[AC1819]

Beautiful brown broken mackeral tabby and white Domestic Shorthair! I love those lynx tufts! I'd say not part Bobcat, from what I've gathered online, there has never been a proven Bobcat x Domestic Cat mating. That being said, I do think it's possible your kitten might have some Maine Coon influence. Those big paws indicate some very likely giant breed influence. Her facial structure reminds me of that of a Maine Coon, and those lynx tips are seen in MC cats as well. Furthermore, although Maine Coons are longhair cats, longhair is recessive to shorthair, so it's definitely possible for Maine Coons to have shorthaired descendants! Without a DNA test, through, she would still be called a Domestic Shorthair.

Thank you, abyeb for the information. And thank you, I think she's adorable!! I'm just curious how big she'll get...?

 

[abyeb]

Thank you, abyeb for the information. And thank you, I think she's adorable!! I'm just curious how big she'll get...?

It's hard to tell at this age. As I said before, with those big paws, I think she has some giant breed (I think most likely Maine Coon influence). Purebred Maine Coons can grow bigger than 25 lbs, but since your kitty is a mix, she'll likely not grow that big. Also, female cats will generally be smaller than males, so I think that if your kitty grows to be 13+ lbs (average for Domestic Short/Medium/Longhairs is 8-10 lbs), we can be more sure that she does have some giant breed influence.

 

[AC1819]

It's hard to tell at this age. As I said before, with those big paws, I think she has some giant breed (I think most likely Maine Coon influence). Purebred Maine Coons can grow bigger than 25 lbs, but since your kitty is a mix, she'll likely not grow that big. Also, female cats will generally be smaller than males, so I think that if your kitty grows to be 13+ lbs (average for Domestic Short/Medium/Longhairs is 8-10 lbs), we can be more sure that she does have some giant breed influence.

Do you know if there's any other way (besides looking at the cats privates) of how to sex a kitten? Or is that the only way?

 

[abyeb]

Do you know if there's any other way (besides looking at the cats privates) of how to sex a kitten? Or is that the only way?

If you post a picture of the kitten's behind, tail up, we can help you with this.

 

[AC1819]

If you post a picture of the kitten's behind, tail up, we can help you with this.

Will do. Is it ok if I do that in the morning? She's sleeping now and I don't want to wake her up.

 

[AC1819]

If you post a picture of the kitten's behind, tail up, we can help you with this.

abyeb

Looks like a girl to me from what I've watched on YouTube but I need clarification

 

[abyeb]

Yep, I'd say a girl too, but I'm not the most accurate with sexing kittens, so someone more experienced will hopefully come to verify.

 

[AC1819]

Yep, I'd say a girl too, but I'm not the most accurate with sexing kittens, so someone more experienced will hopefully come to verify.

Thank you! And is there a special forum for sexing kittens? Or is this the best one? I want to get many people's opinions

 

[StefanZ]

Visit the forum for kitten and pregs / moms care.

 

[abyeb]

Hello ,

We have these four cats, ranging in age and appearance, if anyone can help me figure out what breed they each look closest to, I would be so glad for the information, thank you in advance.

First is Violet, she's a nine year old tortoise shell with short hair but I cannot begin to guess what dominant breed she is from.
Then there's Ripley, a gray tabby I would guess, also short hair and she's about two years old. Following is Sherlock who is a 5 months old male with tabby patterns and the M on his forehead bur he seems different from them all with his longer hair and tail. The last one is Lacey, she's a 3 month old dilute calico who's breed I'm also uncertain of. Photos are in order of intro's.

95% of housecats are Domestic Short/Medium/Longhairs, resulting in most cats having generations of mixed ancestry. Violet would be called a tortie Domestic Shorthair, Ripley would be called a blue and white bicolor Domestic Shorthair, Sherlock would be called a red mackeral tabby and white Domestic Shorthair, and Lacey would be called a dilute calico Domestic Shorthair. They're all very cute!