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One of the things that cat-lovers adore most about the feline population is the wide array of colors
and patters that each breed can be found in.
When faced with the varieties, from brown (chocolate) to black to grey (blue) and even purple (lilac),
it’s difficult to believe that all domesticated felines originated from a select few wild breeds.
How did all these incredible color combinations come about? Just How Many Color Combos Are There?
Like the flavors at your favorite ice cream shop, there are at many different color combinations found in the feline population.
Here is a sampling of some of the color combinations and their descriptions:
Black Doll Face Persian
Black – Though it may sound straightforward, “black” can actually refer to a few different colors.
Your black cat may appear to be black all over, but actually be coal, grayish- or brownish-black in color.
Black coats also sometimes turn lighter in the sun and appear to be a rust color.
Black and White Bi-Color Doll Face Persian
Black and White Bi-Color – “Bi-color” refers to any coat that is about half white.
If you have a black and white bi-color, your cat has a background of white
with clearly outlined black areas, as opposed to shaded points.
Blue Cream Persian
Blue Cream - The coat of "Blue Cream" cat is the beautiful blue-gray of a blue
with patches of cream mixed into her coat.
Chocolate Doll Face Persian
Chocolate – Rather than solid black, chocolate cats are a more rare and luxurious shade of brown.
Solid coats are created by a recessive gene that suppresses natural patterns,
like stripes and spots. Cream Doll Face Persian
Cream – “Cream” refers to a pale coat in a softer off-white shade than traditional solid whites.
The cream color can vary from a pale orange to beige, and when exhibited on a tabby,
the stripes are sometimes a pale red. Cream and White Bi-Color Ragaper
Cream and White Bi-Color – A cream and white bi-color occurs when the coat is approximately half white,
with cream, tan, or pale orange, clearly defined areas. Dominant Calico with White Persian
Dilute/Dominant/Chocolate Calico – The term "calico" refers to the amount of white background,
as well as size and distribution of colored areas.
Usually, the more white present on the cat, the bigger and more defined the patches
(usually red and black) will be.
A "dilute calico" has blue and cream patches instead of the darker red and black of a “dominant”.
A "chocolate calico has patches of chocolate and red contrasting the white.
Golden/Golden Chinchilla – The descriptive terms “Golden” and “Golden Chinchilla”
refer to cats with an undercoat of rich gold or apricot.
The fur on the back, flanks, tail and head are tipped with dark brown or black
and give the coat an almost sparkling appearance. Lilac Doll Face Persian
Lilac – “Lilac,” like the misleading “blue,” doesn’t necessarily mean bright purple.
Lilac cats really are more of a pale lavender color with a rosy tint. Lilac Cream
Lilac Cream - The "lilac cream", much like the "blue cream", is the beautiful shade of lilac (lavender)
combined with patches of cream to make a truly stunning coat.
Red and White Bi-Color Persian
Red and White Bi-Color – Red and white bi-coloring occurs when a cat is roughly half white,
with blotches of red or pale orange. Red Tabby Doll Face Persian
Red Tabby – A red tabby is one that carries orange or reddish tabby markings
on a white or pale beige background.
Tabbies can either be striped (also called “mackerel”)
or the more traditional “bull’s-eye” pattern. Silver Chinchilla Doll Face Persian
Shaded Silver/Silver Chinchilla – “Shaded silver” or “silver chinchilla” cats have an undercoat of white.
The tips of the fur are gray in color, giving them their silver appearance. Chocolate Tortie Doll Face Persian
Tortie – A "tortoiseshell” or "tortie" cat has randomly patches of red, black or chocolate,
and cream all over her coat.
These patches may blend into each other or be defined to still be considered a tortie.
The tortoiseshell and calico coats are both linked to the X chromosome and appear only in females,
except for rare cases. Blue Eyed White Doll Face Persian
White Blue-Eyed – “Blue Eyed White” describes the distinctive combination of white fur and bright blue eyes. Bi-Eyed (one copper eye and one blue eye) White
White Bi-Eyed – White bi-eyed cats, like white blue-eyed cats have white coats and different colored eyes.
Bi-eyed cats usually have one blue eye and one eye that is green or copper. Copper Eyed White Doll Face Persian
White Copper-Eyed – “Copper Eyed White” describes a cat with white fur and brilliant copper eyes.
Both extreme blue and glimmering copper eyes are less common than eye colors
that fall in the medium range of colors. Blue Lynx Point Doll Face Himalayan
Blue Point – “Blue point” describes cats with a cream- or beige-colored base coat
and gray fur on the face, paws, and tails.
Points are most often seen in the Siamese and Himalayan breeds,
but can appear in other breeds as well. Chocolate Point Doll Face Himalayan
Chocolate Point – Cats with “chocolate points” have a cream or beige body
with darker brown on their face, paws and tails. Cream Point Doll Face Himalayan
Cream Point – “Cream point” refers to cats with bright white coats and
light beige colorations on their face, paws and tails. Flame Point Doll Face Himalayan
Flame Point – “Flame point” describes cats with a white coat and red
or pale orange markings on their face, paws and tails Seal Point Doll Face Himalayan
Seal Point – The distinctive “seal point” cat has a pale fawn or cream body color
with deep seal brown points. Seal Tortie Point Doll Face Himalayan
Tortie Point – The “tortie point” has a pale coat with tortoiseshell markings
on her face, paws and tail. What Caused the Color Spectrum?
During the evolution process, the feline’s environment had a big impact on the development of their coat colors and patterns. For example, the leopard’s famous spots serve the purpose of camouflaging them from their prey in the plains of Africa: their pale spotted coats blend in with the dried grasses to render them nearly invisible. Striped tabby patterns serve a similar purpose and are still seen in the African Wild Cat.
The domestication of the cat and resulting spread of the population to other areas of the world determined the colors and patterns that popped up in future generations of cats. For example, tabbies didn’t need the camouflage of stripes in an urban area, and through generations, would develop different colored coats that were better adapted to their surroundings. Black and white cats became more dominant in cities and towns, as their coats provided a better disguise. The tabby color variation remained in cats that needed the cover of the forests and grasslands of rural areas.
Dark-colored cats were thought to have developed in areas where cats lived closer to civilization. The darker their coats, the less likely they would be detected when the ventured into settlements to forage for food and hunt for rodents. Color Stereotypes
Cat owners have debated for centuries whether you can tell what a cat’s personality is like from the color of their fur. Are red-haired cats really hot-tempered like the stereotype that labels their human counterparts? Are calico or tortie felines more likely to be maternal and nurturing? In 2001, Sarah Hartwell, a cat shelter employee, tried to answer this question and came up with some interesting findings.
Interacting with so many cats in her line of work gave her a good base to draw from. She and her co-workers would refer to tortoiseshell cats as “naughty torties” as they often seemed more temperamental than the others, and ginger cats were indeed found to be spirited and feisty – the quintessential, street-wise “alley cat.”
Sarah researched some of the common stereotypes about different colored breeds that have developed over the years. Persians, specifically, included some of these generalizations:
Black – Loyal
White – calm
Red – polite
Cream – even-tempered
Blue (Grey) – gentle
Tortoiseshell – maternal
Calico (Tortie & White) – calm, sweet-natured
Black & White Bi-Color – placid
Tabby – good-natured
Pewter/Shaded Silver – very affectionate and sweet
Color point/Himalayan – gentle, but spirited
Chocolate/Lilac – outgoing, inquisitive Color v. Temperament: Myth or Fact
Believe it or not, it isn’t impossible that cat personalities are linked to coat color, as both are pre-determined by genetics. But just how accurate are some of these generalizations?
In Sarah’s study, evidence that coat color appeared to be less likely to be linked to personality than a personality being linked to certain breeds. For example, in the list above of Persian traits, most of the characteristics (regardless of color) revolved around sweetness, affection, and even-temperedness – standard Persian qualities.
Certain temperaments and established breeds go along hand-in-hand more often than temperament and color, with few exceptions. A study done on black-and-white cats in Bavaria showed that this color of cat was more likely to roam further from home. This study was done on a large enough group of cats that the results suggested that this personality trait had a basis in genetics, rather than coincidence. Are Certain Colors More Popular?
Breed stereotypes have a definite impact on what colors people choose when looking for a pet. If a person once had a ginger cat that was unfriendly and aggressive, they might be more likely to choose a black cat for their next pet. On the other hand, if a person is superstitious, they might avoid black cats, believing that they are unlucky.
Color popularity has shifted over the years with changing trends and ideas. In the 17th century, townspeople were more likely to choose black-and-white, blue-and-white or black cats. The “in” cat color of the 1960’s in Great Britain was red or red-and-white. Recent studies showed that blue was the most sought-after color, with black coming in second, and tabbies third.
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