Show Me Your Stripes And Spots! Tabby Cats Only ;)

[abyeb]

I'm pretty sure that Iris is a spotted tabby?
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I agree with 1CatOverTheLine, she is a very nice Egyptian Mau lookalike! Not just in the spotting, but body type as well (lean and muscular). Are the spots only at the top of her fur?

 

[fiorya]

I agree with 1CatOverTheLine, she is a very nice Egyptian Mau lookalike! Not just in the spotting, but body type as well (lean and muscular). Are the spots only at the top of her fur?

Looks like the fur on the spots is black all the way down to the root. Guess she's not a mau, then? She also has red paw pads, not black ones.

This is a little off-topic, but is it true that maus' spots show up on their skin? Or do they not? Different websites say different things.

 

[kittypa]

This is a little off-topic, but is it true that maus' spots show up on their skin? Or do they not? Different websites say different things.

I thought that all cat markings showed on their skin.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

I thought that all cat markings showed on their skin.

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kittypa - The short answer is, "no." The compressed answer is that cats expressing a particular mutation of the agouti protein (i.e. α-melanocyte stimulating hormone) and the MC1R antagonist end up with certain patterns seen only in the tips of the hairs, since their agouti bases are typically lighter-coloured. The relationship between the protein receptor and the antagonist is what allows the hairs to be darker at the tips and lighter at the base, since the melanocortin 1 receptor interaction allows - for all intents and purposes - melanin biosythesis to become an "on" / "off" switch. Skin colouration will always match the base colour of agouti hairs, but as the hairs grow out, the melanosythesis switches back and forth between pheomelanin and eumelanin, creating a pattern only in the upper portion of the coat. Animals both phenotypical and genotypical for spots and rosettes (Jaguars and Leopards) will exhibit patterns which go straight to the skin, since the hairs aren't bicoloured (agouti), but cats whose pattern is owed to mutations in the MC1 receptors (the Egyptian Mau, the Arabian Mau, et al) will have spots and stripes only in the upper coat.

There's a much longer answer, of course, but I'd need a lot more coffee for that.

Edit: Perhaps abyeb or @stefanz would chime in here with more expansive explanations while my coffee brews?
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[kittypa]

There's a much longer answer, of course, but I'd need a lot more coffee for that.

Edit: Perhaps abyeb or @stefanz would chime in here with more expansive explanations while my coffee brews?
.

No thank you. That won't be necessary.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

No thank you. That won't be necessary.

Yeah - I've never been any good at getting the words to match the explanation; darned good thing I didn't end up a teacher. Hopefully abyeb or @stefanz might yet drop in to improve on my explanation.
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[Alejandra Rico]

Yeah - I've never been any good at getting the words to match the explanation; darned good thing I didn't end up a teacher. Hopefully abyeb or @stefanz might yet drop in to improve on my explanation.
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It was a pretty good explanation, Joe. I think It was just a little bit overwhelming for how detailed it was.
Anyway, I managed to take more pictures of Freya almost without blurry parts, so I think I can share a couple of them.

Those rounded eyes make her look super surprised about everything around her

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

It was a pretty good explanation, Joe. I think It was just a little bit overwhelming for how detailed it was.
Anyway, I managed to take more pictures of Freya almost without blurry parts, so I think I can share a couple of them.
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Those rounded eyes make her look super surprised about everything around her

Alejandra Rico - Freya is just so fabulous! I hope that she grows into the foundation cat you're hoping for. As to her eyes - she always looks like she's about to say something of earth-shaking importance; she shares that trait with tabbytom 's handsome January.
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[abyeb]

kittypa - The short answer is, "no." The compressed answer is that cats expressing a particular mutation of the agouti protein (i.e. α-melanocyte stimulating hormone) and the MC1R antagonist end up with certain patterns seen only in the tips of the hairs, since their agouti bases are typically lighter-coloured. The relationship between the protein receptor and the antagonist is what allows the hairs to be darker at the tips and lighter at the base, since the melanocortin 1 receptor interaction allows - for all intents and purposes - melanin biosythesis to become an "on" / "off" switch. Skin colouration will always match the base colour of agouti hairs, but as the hairs grow out, the melanosythesis switches back and forth between pheomelanin and eumelanin, creating a pattern only in the upper portion of the coat. Animals both phenotypical and genotypical for spots and rosettes (Jaguars and Leopards) will exhibit patterns which go straight to the skin, since the hairs aren't bicoloured (agouti), but cats whose pattern is owed to mutations in the MC1 receptors (the Egyptian Mau, the Arabian Mau, et al) will have spots and stripes only in the upper coat.

There's a much longer answer, of course, but I'd need a lot more coffee for that.

Edit: Perhaps abyeb or @stefanz would chime in here with more expansive explanations while my coffee brews?
.

I don't have anything to add to that, I don't have as much experience in genetics as you do. Thank you, 1CatOverTheLine, for once again teaching me something new!

 

[Alejandra Rico]

Alejandra Rico - Freya is just so fabulous! I hope that she grows into the foundation cat you're hoping for. As to her eyes - she always looks like she's about to say something of earth-shaking importance; she shares that trait with tabbytom 's handsome January.
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May all Cat Godesses hear you, Joe! She still has a lot of time for growing, thanks godness, so maybe she won't be the tiniest Bengal in the world, but God, she is taking her time. I think she is in an elongating phase at the momment: her body has grown longer, and so has her face.
My favourite trait about her is, however, her personality. She is the sweetest, most sociable cat I have ever had.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

May all Cat Godesses hear you, Joe! She still has a lot of time for growing, thanks godness, so maybe she won't be the tiniest Bengal in the world, but God, she is taking her time. I think she is in an elongating phase at the momment: her body has grown longer, and so has her face.
My favourite trait about her is, however, her personality. She is the sweetest, most sociable cat I have ever had.

Alejandra Rico - A very good reason to add her genetics into the Bengal gene pool. So many early breeders concentrated so much upon coat pattern and size that the gentler aspects went largely unaddressed.
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[Alejandra Rico]

Alejandra Rico - A very good reason to add her genetics into the Bengal gene pool. So many early breeders concentrated so much upon coat pattern and size that the gentler aspects went largely unaddressed.
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That is totally true, and probably the reason why there were so bad opinions about the breed for so long as regards to temperament.

 

[donnae]

Alejandra Rico Those pictures of Freya turned out very well. You can see the definition in her rosettes beautifully. She certainly looks the role of a sweetheart.
Here's my new tabby stripes & swirls, Major Tom Snickers.

So glad Capt KitKat Jack is starting to warm up to him. We allowed them to "play" thru floor to ceiling baby gates tonight. Went very well.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

Alejandra Rico Those pictures of Freya turned out very well. You can see the definition in her rosettes beautifully. She certainly looks the role of a sweetheart.
Here's my new tabby stripes & swirls, Major Tom Snickers.
View attachment 205124 View attachment 205125
So glad Capt KitKat Jack is starting to warm up to him. We allowed them to "play" thru floor to ceiling baby gates tonight. Went very well.

donnae - Lovely photos; these show Major Tom's gorgeous pattern very well. No worries about Jack - he'll come 'round, and these two will doubtless be inseparable in short order.
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[tabbytom]

 

[Rowan_1102]

Here is my Sable doing what she does best!

 

[Alejandra Rico]

Alejandra Rico Those pictures of Freya turned out very well. You can see the definition in her rosettes beautifully. She certainly looks the role of a sweetheart.
Here's my new tabby stripes & swirls, Major Tom Snickers.
View attachment 205124 View attachment 205125
So glad Capt KitKat Jack is starting to warm up to him. We allowed them to "play" thru floor to ceiling baby gates tonight. Went very well.

Wow! That cutie is stunning! I have to admit that I am biased, I really really love blue cats, especially blue tabbies and their silverish aura.

 

[Docs Mom]

Here's my spots n stripes !
Stormy, 18 mos.

 

[Docs Mom]

And his new little sister...

 

[mama africa]

And his new little sister...
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Is that Roxie ?
She is adorable ! The 'M' on her forehead is just perfect.