- Joined
- Aug 13, 2017
- Messages
- 222
- Purraise
- 252
I thought it might be interesting and fun to start some threads talking about variations of specific traits, where people could post pictures of their cats with these traits, along with what is known about their cats ancestry. As I understand it, specific breeds of cats generally have a constellation of carefully selected traits. Sometimes these traits get enhanced through selection and careful breeding. On rare occasions some traits may only have one ancestral source, and others are very common in the general cat population. A cat with a few unusual traits in combination, that are also seen in combination in a specific breed, would suggest the cat probably has an ancestor that had been bred to carry this combination of unusual traits.
So I thought I would try to start a general thread about cats with spots, the different types of spots and spotted patterns.
I know very little about this subject myself so please take my observations and even classifications of different types and patterns of spots, as stuff I am wondering about, and not as anything I am sure about. And I may be using the wrong terminology for some things. If this is the case, hopefully if I am someone will correct me.
For better information than I can offer, the link below has some interesting information on different types of the tabby pattern including spotted tabbys.
STRIPED, SPOTTED AND TICKED CATS
What I have noticed with my cat is from some angles his spots seem to run in diagonal lines, and from others he has a more messy pattern of broken mackerel coming up from his spotted tummy that mixes with the diagonal spotted lines running from his shoulders down towards his back end. He has spots on his tummy, upper sides, shoulders, head, a group of little spots just above his armpits, and more faintly on his neck and the inside of his legs.
That got me wondering about the patterns spots make and what they might tell about a cats ancestry. There seems to be several spotted patterns.
Broken Mackerel is the most common. Some cats seem to have Random Spots. Some cats have spots that seem to run in Horizontal Lines along their sides. Other cats have spots that run in Diagonal Lines. And most of these patterns seem to have a few non conforming random spots here and there. There is also a pattern of spots that is more of a Circular Swirl similar to the pattern on a marbled tabby.
Then there is different shapes of spots. Some are Round, some are Oval, some are round or oval with a Horizontal V smudge, some are Elongated vertically. Some are large and some are small like freckles.
There is the color of the spots. Some are all one tone. Some are 2 tone with a darker outline with a lighter center.
Then there is the fur that makes a spot. Is the fur making the spot all one color or does it change to a different color closer to the skin? Is the skin also spotted or is it just the fur?
And there is the placement of the spots. Many or most tabby cats have spotted tummys, but spots can also be on the sides, just the upper sides, just the lower sides, the shoulders, just above the armpits, the neck, the head and the legs. Where are your cats spots located?
I have attached some pictures of my cats spots and also the patterns I think I have observed. I was told my cats Mom is an F7 Savannah and his Dad is unknown, though they thought his dad might be a Bengal mix. Communication has been spotty ( ha ha) and I don't know why they thought this, or if any of the information about either of my cats parents is correct.
I am not asking what breed my cats looks like here. (Already did in a thread here asking what might be in the mix) Instead I am just hoping to discuss and share examples of different types of spots, patterns, what people know about their spotted cats ancestry, and from that get a better idea of what kind of spots are common throughout the cat world, and what kinds (if any) are usually only seen in a specific breed.
Thanks and I hope it is OK to try and start a discussion like this in this thread!
So I thought I would try to start a general thread about cats with spots, the different types of spots and spotted patterns.
I know very little about this subject myself so please take my observations and even classifications of different types and patterns of spots, as stuff I am wondering about, and not as anything I am sure about. And I may be using the wrong terminology for some things. If this is the case, hopefully if I am someone will correct me.
For better information than I can offer, the link below has some interesting information on different types of the tabby pattern including spotted tabbys.
STRIPED, SPOTTED AND TICKED CATS
What I have noticed with my cat is from some angles his spots seem to run in diagonal lines, and from others he has a more messy pattern of broken mackerel coming up from his spotted tummy that mixes with the diagonal spotted lines running from his shoulders down towards his back end. He has spots on his tummy, upper sides, shoulders, head, a group of little spots just above his armpits, and more faintly on his neck and the inside of his legs.
That got me wondering about the patterns spots make and what they might tell about a cats ancestry. There seems to be several spotted patterns.
Broken Mackerel is the most common. Some cats seem to have Random Spots. Some cats have spots that seem to run in Horizontal Lines along their sides. Other cats have spots that run in Diagonal Lines. And most of these patterns seem to have a few non conforming random spots here and there. There is also a pattern of spots that is more of a Circular Swirl similar to the pattern on a marbled tabby.
Then there is different shapes of spots. Some are Round, some are Oval, some are round or oval with a Horizontal V smudge, some are Elongated vertically. Some are large and some are small like freckles.
There is the color of the spots. Some are all one tone. Some are 2 tone with a darker outline with a lighter center.
Then there is the fur that makes a spot. Is the fur making the spot all one color or does it change to a different color closer to the skin? Is the skin also spotted or is it just the fur?
And there is the placement of the spots. Many or most tabby cats have spotted tummys, but spots can also be on the sides, just the upper sides, just the lower sides, the shoulders, just above the armpits, the neck, the head and the legs. Where are your cats spots located?
I have attached some pictures of my cats spots and also the patterns I think I have observed. I was told my cats Mom is an F7 Savannah and his Dad is unknown, though they thought his dad might be a Bengal mix. Communication has been spotty ( ha ha) and I don't know why they thought this, or if any of the information about either of my cats parents is correct.
I am not asking what breed my cats looks like here. (Already did in a thread here asking what might be in the mix) Instead I am just hoping to discuss and share examples of different types of spots, patterns, what people know about their spotted cats ancestry, and from that get a better idea of what kind of spots are common throughout the cat world, and what kinds (if any) are usually only seen in a specific breed.
Thanks and I hope it is OK to try and start a discussion like this in this thread!
Attachments
Last edited:
