Will Black Kitten Keep Tabby Markings

humblekat

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Aug 25, 2020
Messages
6
Purraise
14
I am looking to potentially adopt this kitty. I have not met him in person yet. I was curious if he will keep the tabby markings or if he will transition to solid black as he gets his adult coat. It looks like his mom is solid black. His father is unknown.
 

Attachments

maggie101

3 cats
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 20, 2014
Messages
8,378
Purraise
11,102
Location
Houston,TX
Hard to find sometimes so I clicker trained Maggie to come when called
P1010917.jpg


It looks like your kitten will be beautiful!
 

lutece

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
4,499
Purraise
5,744
I am looking to potentially adopt this kitty. I have not met him in person yet. I was curious if he will keep the tabby markings or if he will transition to solid black as he gets his adult coat. It looks like his mom is solid black. His father is unknown.
He's very cute! Does his color make a different in whether you want to adopt him? Or just his personality?

It looks like he will either be solid black, or black smoke. It's common for young solid black kittens to have ghost markings, and a lighter brownish or grayish undercoat. If his hair becomes much lighter at the roots (white or nearly white) as he gets his adult coat, he may be a smoke.

You can tell that he isn't a tabby cat (unlike the lovely Maggie) by comparing his facial markings with Maggie's. Tabbies like Maggie have a much lighter face.
 

white shadow

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 28, 2010
Messages
3,133
Purraise
3,085
Location
CA
.
Hi humblecat and welcome to the forum !

What a beauty !

Just a tidbit of info for you: the longer kittens remain with their momma and siblings, the better socially-adjusted they will be. Kittens removed too soon are often more 'difficult' because they just haven't learned to behave themselves. (I have a 'problem-child' here LOL.)

While most people just want to get the kittens adopted out quickly, some might be willing to work with you and keep one with the mother for just a few weeks longer, 12-14 being ideal. Sometimes offering a little bribe could help....say, a few cans/bags of food on offer ?

Thought I'd mention that because he looks really young.

Hope you stay around - it would be sweet to watch him grow up!
.
 

Willowy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
31,931
Purraise
28,362
Location
South Dakota
Black/black smoke kittens do mostly outgrow their ghost stripes, but even after they get their adult coat, if the sun hits their fur just right, you can see faint stripes on their tail and sometimes on their feet :D.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #7

humblekat

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Aug 25, 2020
Messages
6
Purraise
14
lutece lutece - His coat does not affect if I will adopt or not. I am choosing based on personality. I'm just curious how he would grow up.

white shadow white shadow - He is a few weeks out from adoption still, they just have him posted now to get interested for when he is ready to go home. I agree, the more time with mom and siblings the better. :)
 

maggie101

3 cats
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 20, 2014
Messages
8,378
Purraise
11,102
Location
Houston,TX
Maggie used to start in the kitchen, run to the porch window, splat her paws, shake her head back and forth, chase her tail,run up the 72 inch tower and back down, go room to room and give a loud meow, then do it all over again. Very playful. Peaches acts like she's queen, Coco is a lap cat and rubs all over my face. So you never know
 

The Goodbye Bird

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
May 15, 2020
Messages
267
Purraise
145
The ghost markings get less apparent with age. Even cats that are not tabby show you just a little bit of what they would be if they were tabby. These are called ghost markings. They're considered a flaw in most solid breeds (but I think they're pretty).

However, the shorter and silkier the coat, the more they may stay. Normally you see this effect most on grey cats, but this picture is of a black cat that has retained its ghost stripes into adulthood, IMO the effect has been intensified because the coat is very short.

bubbles-a-black-cat-with-stripes-21702654.jpg
 

maggie101

3 cats
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 20, 2014
Messages
8,378
Purraise
11,102
Location
Houston,TX
He is soooooo cute! It is fun to watch them grow. He will be beautiful with his stripes. Keep updates!
 

cataholic07

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 28, 2014
Messages
1,545
Purraise
1,724
I'd just wait and see. :) Kittens don't get their adult coat until 6 to 12 months old (my girl is 11 months old and still has a bit of her baby fur). He might be a smokey black so that's why you see the stripes more right now.
 

jefferd18

Ms. Jeff's Legacy
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 2, 2019
Messages
2,269
Purraise
2,067
He is really really quite cute. :) How old is he?- looks like he still has his blue eyes. I am thinking too that he is going to keep his stripes, they are just so visible.
 

lutece

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
4,499
Purraise
5,744
His dark face tells us that he is not a tabby cat. He will either be solid black, or black smoke, but as he's still very young, you will have to wait and see!

Black smoke cats are genetically solid cats that have a white section at the base of each hair starting from the skin. The white base tends to make ghost tabby markings more visible. Some black smoke cats appear solid black with a white undercoat that is only visible when the hair is parted, while other black smoke cats retain obvious ghost tabby markings into adulthood.

Here are a couple of examples of black smoke shorthaired cats. If you were to part the fur on these cats, you would see a white undercoat.

Guppy_large.jpg 1600px-Shimatora_Smith_3.JPG
 
Last edited:
Top