Tabby Cat

A pet owner's guide to the tabby cat

Strictly speaking, the tabby is not a unique breed. Rather, the word "tabby" is used to describe these cats' characteristic coat markings and patterns, which are typified by stripes and swirls. Typical variants include the orange tabby cat, silver tabby cat, brown tabby cat and gray tabby cat, with the color referring to the primary base hue of the animal's coat. Stripes and swirls are usually dark.

History

A long list of cat breeds show the tabby pattern, especially Maine coon and Abyssinian cats, and it's estimated that up to half of the domesticated cats in the world could be accurately described as tabby cats. Many tabby cat breeders think the distinctive pattern has been around as long as domesticated cats themselves – in other words, thousands of years.

Appearance

Size: The size of a tabby cat will vary according to its breed. Regardless of the particular breed, an adult cat with a weight exceeding 18 pounds is unusual.

Coat: Dots, swirls or striped typify the coat of the tabby cat. It's also common for these cats to have a white bib, white underbelly and white "socks" on their legs, regardless of the base color of their fur.

Eyes & Ears: Eye shape and color varies according to breed, as does the size and form of the ear.

Tail: Most breeds have tapered tails lightly lined with soft fur, though certain breeds have bushier, hairier tails and others have strong, narrow, whip-like tails.

Disposition

Cats are known for their curiosity, wanderlust and aloofness. However, tabby cat breeders hasten to point out that any individual animal's personality is dependent on a large number of factors, including early socialization and the home environment in which it lives. Generally, though, even highly independent cats grow attached to a particular person in the household and seek daily attention from that individual.

Health and Care

Grooming: Cats are very clean animals and look after most of their grooming needs on their own. That said, regular brushing and petting helps remove dead fur and spread essential oils throughout the cat's coat. Some experts also recommend bathing cats during shedding season.

Activity Level: Lap cats can easily become overweight, so take care to feed less active cats a limited diet. More lively breeds will find their own ways to work off their energy, and many cats enjoy going outdoors to do so.

Health Problems: All cats are prone to liver and kidney troubles as they get older. Hairballs can cause respiratory problems. Regular veterinary care is essential. Sexually active cats may also develop a syndrome informally called feline AIDS, and overweight animals are more likely to develop feline diabetes and feline arthritis in later adulthood.

Average Lifespan: Most domesticated cats live for 12 to 15 years. Especially healthy animals may live considerably longer.

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Posted by Susette on January 29,2012 at 05:16 PM
We have a 14 year old amputee(right front leg)who is very laid back and very sweet..we just adopted a tiger kitten 3 months old male who is very playful and hurts our old guy by jumping on him and bites him. How can I stop this rough housing and hurting our old guy?? Any suggestions? We put him in a cat carrier for time out...but that isn't helping.
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Posted by Tom smith on January 24,2012 at 05:21 AM
I have a 1 year old dark grey tabby named lucy. Whenever she is really relaxed she'll lay on her back
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Posted by Kelley on January 15,2012 at 02:15 PM
My Female Orange Tabbys is a little over 3 ft long ..Is that normal? ( I think I have a tiger cub)
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Posted by Danielle on January 30,2012 at 06:59 PM
I also have a one year old tabby, Greta, who does the same. I think she just likes to relax and 'air out'. Probably feels good after being on her feet on tummy most of the time. Its super adorable too!
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Posted by Dayna Winchera on January 04,2012 at 09:32 PM
My cat is 5-6 months old, is male, was fixed at four and a half months old, is a tabby, is the only cat in the house, and is treated very well. My husband and I both work from home so we spend alot of time with him and he has never been hit or abused but for somr reason we can not get him to sit for a minute to pet him. He squirms and tries to get away the second we hold him and try to show him some love, even when he's the one who comes up for the attention. Why does he want to run away from us? we dont smother him. Are tabby's not affectionate? HELP!!
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Posted by Autumn on January 28,2012 at 08:11 AM
It depends on the cats personality, i've had several cats through out my life and some have been more affectionate than others. One I swore hated me, every time i went near it, it would run away or hiss at me. The two I have now are both orange tabbies and one is very affectionate, one not as much. It really depends on the cat.
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Posted by Alice on January 18,2012 at 01:36 PM
Hey, My Nahla was the same way. She warmed up eventually and began to cuddle next to me on the couch, but she still gets squrimy when I pick her up 3 years later. I don't bother forcing it because when she wants a snuggle she'll prop herself up beside me. Some cats just don't like being held and when they do want attention its on their terms. Ex-cuse mE!
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Posted by Mari on January 21,2012 at 11:55 AM
I agreee my tabby pouncer is very squirmy and touchey!!
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Posted by Brooke on January 26,2012 at 04:37 AM
I have 2 tabbies and they're both the sweetest, most affectionate cats ever! One is the traditional grey and black and white and the other is orange. They like to ride on my shoulder when I'm walking around the house, the way you'd hold a baby. They're both males, one neutered and one not. Both were rescues, although at different times in their lives. I don't think I've ever met cats so sweet in my life!! And they're sweet to each other as well. Most of the time, Haha!
Posted by chrystal on July 15,2011 at 10:41 AM
my cat throws up some times should i b worried
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Posted by Rachel on December 30,2011 at 08:18 AM
You shouldnt be worried becuase as a part of most cats diet, hairballs or throw up consist occasionally. Unless this is continuosly happening, you should not be worried.
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Posted by pam on August 16,2011 at 01:50 PM
You might see if you need to give your cat something to break down hair balls. they have treats
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Posted by jennifer on November 12,2010 at 09:33 AM
hello my cat has really bad lesion on his neck that he keeps scratchin at and it wont close up is there any thing that i can do
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Posted by Linda on October 13,2010 at 11:42 AM
My vet perscribed Acepromazine to relax my 11 year old tabby for airline travel. The medicine gave her the opposite effect and she was full of energy. Can I try 1/2 of .05 zanax.
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Posted by zuri on July 19,2010 at 12:50 PM
There is a stray in my backyard that has puple eyes with no pupils and is blind. But she is just a kitten. Should I do anything?
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Posted by maureen kinsella on January 22,2012 at 11:42 AM
i WOULD take the kitten in and give it a good home. Never heard of a cat with purple eyes. I would love it and give it a good home.
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Posted by Shirley on July 15,2010 at 01:14 PM
I have a cat named Tony the tiger We have had him since march. & he is very much curious I have noticed that he jumps onto my grandaughers bed while she is sleep & has her blanket over her. & he bites the sheet then he begins huntching onto the sheet . continusly or until we remove of him. Do You know why he does of this? Thanks:).
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Posted by kristina on July 04,2010 at 11:58 AM
i have a stray tabby since last year i want to know how do i find out her age she has a low belly not sure if she was regnant n recently she has brought in a live and a dead mouse can some one answer my question please
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Posted by David on February 08,2011 at 01:48 AM
If she is less than 10 inches from chest to rear, she probably is one year old or less. My tabby girl is 3 years old and she is about 16 inches , chest to rear. She may have been recently or currently maybe pregnant. If her nipples are fairly prominant she has probably had kittens which may also explain her low ride belly. She also may have been injured in some way in her abdomen. The momma who gave birth to mine has diaphragm damage due to abuse before she wandered into our yard. She breathes hard all the time and had to have my brother and me deliver her kittens. The vet said she might have either got hit by a car or kicked or stomped in the chest area. She likes car rides, but is skittish around us sometimes and especially with others who visit so I am thinking somebody kicked or stomped her, maybe because she is overly affectionate and wants to be rubbed every chance she gets. As far as the mice, she is giving you presents to show her thanks for your kindness, gross as it may be. Our tabby when she got old enough latched herself to my Mom, one of the things they said in the article above. She was very protective of Mom and sometimes gave us trouble when we came into Mom's room. Either because of her breeding or maybe because Mom was suffering from cancer. As Mom got weaker she got more territorial and protective of Mom. The night Mom died, I am sure Tabby was beside her and may have saw the Mom's Spirit leave her. I was in the living room and I heard Tabby let out a strange hiss. When I came in to check Mom for a pulse, Tabby was quiet and looked very sorrowful. Her and Mom both had a deep love for each other. I hope my info helps you with yur questions. Good luck with her and hope thing work well. If you do decide to care for her more, best thing to do would be having her spayed. Besides preventing unwanted pregnancies, it will probably relieve some pain she may be experiencing if she was abused of hit by a car.
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Posted by Elena on June 29,2010 at 10:28 PM
I have a question about cat leukemia i have twin sister tabby cats that aer healthy and are 8 years old.. i had to move and want to bring my cats to my new home but i have found out that the cat upstiars in the 2 family house i want to move into has feline leukemia. is there any way that i can bring them into this home
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Posted by mindy on June 27,2010 at 06:59 AM
I have had my male tabby for 7 years on purina one urinary tract dry food earlier this week he has not had his daily bowel movements it went from every day as normal to every other day the vet told me to give him wet food to try different brands out on him along with giving him hairball remedy paste once a day...HELP!! me someone...he will not eat the wet food!! this weekend I have tried so far 2 different types of food I have also tried to put tuna juice on top of it to entice him.he wont eat it! since yesterday he has not eaten. as of this morning I have just now mixed in a little bit of his dry food in with another can of wet food so far he has not eaten it.has anyone had a problem like this before? if so any advice?
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Posted by Cindy on September 26,2010 at 04:09 PM
I know by now you have trained him on something else to eat, but I have a similiar cat in my household. My youngest (who is 11 yrs old) refuses to eat wet food. As a result, she has always been constipated; which has grown into a bigger problem as she has gotten older. She began to go outside the litterbox on a consistant basis, so I stopped all other food and started a diet of only Purina Pro Plan Indoor Care. It has Omega Fatty Acids for skin care and aids in the digestion. I coupled it with a laxative paste that is catnip flavored and within 5 days she was doing much better. She is a very picky eater; but she immediately began eating this as soon as it hit her bowl. Good luck.
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Posted by Holly Harling on June 07,2010 at 07:46 PM
My orange tabby is an 11 year old male. In the last month or so I have noticed a loss of weight in his hind quarters. I think this is just an age thing. He is eating and drinking fine but I am concerned because he has lost his voice and when he cries it comes out just a squeak. What do you think may be causing this.
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Posted by Cindy on September 26,2010 at 03:47 PM
My american cat, who is age 12, was just diagnosed with hyperthyroidism following her senior bloodwork. Her symptoms were excessive drinking, weight loss, and behavior changes. This disorder is very common in older cats, but can occur in cats as young as age 2. I would recommend letting your vet know the symptoms. They should take it from there and get the answers with the proper tests.
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Posted by Mary on June 29,2010 at 08:02 PM
My 15 yr. old Tabby is having the same problems. Drinking lots more water, eating smaller amounts, and not eating what used to be her favorite foods, but losing weight and her bones are very visable. She doesn't seem to be in any pain, I just don't know what is causing this.
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Posted by Delaney on June 02,2010 at 08:35 PM
my cat,Toby has been sick lately,the vet thinks he has something wrong with his liver,and he is only 2 years old,hes been in the vet clinic for two days and now he won't even twitch his tail,any idea what be wrong with him?
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Posted by nunzio on April 22,2010 at 11:22 AM
What is the cheapest of the healthiest cat food for my Kitten.. Wet and Dry
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Posted by David on February 08,2011 at 02:01 AM
Of the name brands, 9 -Lives, wet or dry. After that Purina Cat Chow, Meow Mix, and Friskies. Other than brand names, Wal-mart's Special Kitty is good, wet or dry. We have used these on our 5 cats for the last 3-4 years since kittenhood. The priciest ones are Purina One, Hill's Science Diet, and most brands sold through the vet's as well as the store brands at Petsmart, and Petco.
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Posted by BRITTNEY on March 30,2010 at 10:21 PM
i have no idea why your cat is dripping urine. however, does anyone know why my cat is constantly crying? he never seems to shut up unless he's being pet. any sugestions?
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Posted by Ashley on May 24,2010 at 05:48 PM
Has your cat been (fixed)? That maybe the problem or he may have a health issues you should check out. Have his vet exsamine him and see what that problem is. Sometime the most important things are the things we can't see.
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Posted by Alicelegere on March 30,2010 at 01:15 PM
My 2 year old Tabby cat named Honey is dripping urine. What can I do about it?
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Posted by megan on April 11,2010 at 04:22 PM
i lost my orange tabby and he was named fred and he ran away today and i miss him a lot and he was not fixed and wasnt even 1 yet he was like 7 months
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Posted by Alicelegere on March 30,2010 at 01:10 PM
My tabby cat named Honey is dripping urine? What can I do about it?
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Posted by Steve on March 29,2011 at 09:11 AM
I would recommend that you take him to see your vet as soon as you can. That way you will receive an expert opinion and some advice as to how to correct the problem. Older tabby-cats often experience problems with their urinary system, liver and kidney issues often require the attention of a vet, who can prescribe medicine or dietary changes which may help your cat. Again it's always best to consult a vet about such problems, and it's important to find one you like and who you and your cat are comfortable with.
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Posted by chris on March 28,2010 at 01:16 PM
what do you give a cat with a running nose
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Posted by carmen on February 21,2010 at 05:48 PM
i have so many questions regarding my cat "buddy"..love him so much..think he's overweight.don't know for sure. he's a tabby..black..sheds soooooo much! weighs 20 lbs.and eats alot of iams fur ball and weight control..he loves it.
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Posted by Ashley on May 24,2010 at 05:57 PM
If you can feel his ribs he's to thin, if you have to push your finger so hard agast his chest or side that it may hurt the cat in order to feel his ribs he is fat. And another way to find out is put hem on you lap and try to remember how heavy he felt before, if he seems heavier than the last time he has gained wieght.
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Posted by Fallon on May 22,2010 at 12:45 PM
I have a cat the same way shes fat but now shes on a special weight control cat food the vet recomended. I think you need to brush Buddy and give him some weight control pet food from the vet but fisrt you need to take him to the vet so they can recomend a brand of cat food for Buddy and if you have any questions Email me at lilcondra@yahoo.com.
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Posted by Nicole on February 17,2010 at 11:00 PM
I have a tabby cat that had fleas...I went to the vet and got advantage for her and now I have noticed scabs on her head and neck. I need to know if it is from the fleas or if I should take her into the vet?
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Posted by Tina on November 12,2010 at 10:35 PM
Yes this is from scratching. Your cat like mine is allergic to fleas. When the advantage is first administered the fleas seem to bite more but this stops usually within a day and the scabs will clear up and go away. My poor cat had scabs before we realized he had fleas. It's been a couple of weeks since he had his first dose of advantage and he's feeling so much better.
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Posted by BARB on November 20,2009 at 02:12 AM
My stray cat has gotten sick he belongs to the wole street he has been sneezing alot and it is really slimmy white and green he has lost alot of weight ,when i gave him a bath i felt a large sack like mass under his belly he is about 10-12 yrs old I think we will have to put him down he seames to be suffering and thats not good Please Help!
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Posted by Lucy Jones on September 25,2009 at 11:02 AM
My daughter has a cat that looks like a tabby but the face is flatter and her hind legs are just a little longer than her front. Her tail is very long. She was the runt of the litter. She was raised with a puppy and acts like a dog. She is very aggressive and mean. We give her cat nip and she has lots of toys and activity toys. She runs and grabs you with her claws and bites. We have tried to break her from this habit even when she was a kitten. We hide snacks around the apartment so she has to look for them. Nothing we do seems to work with the aggression or biting.
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Posted by maggie on November 16,2009 at 07:16 AM
My cat bites, too, and was reinforced to do so by his previous owner. Search for helpful articles online under cat biting. Suggestions are, when she bites, loudly say "OUCH!" and when she loosens her teeth, remove yourself and don't giver her attention for 15 minutes. Pay attention to warning signs like flattened ears and lashing tail. When she is calmer, DO give her attention--pettings, praise, interactive play with things like laser light, tail-on-a-wand that she can chase & bite, tossed mice...give her time & consistency; she will learn! \
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Posted by Rita on September 07,2009 at 03:43 PM
I have a 20 year old tabby. He is deaf and has sight in only one eye, due to an ulcer. For all that he is still quite active, when he is awake, eats well and basically takes care of his own grooming. He was an indoor.outdoor cat but now only goes out with me. After having him for so long I cannot imagine being without him but I know that is bound to happen within the next couple of years.
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Posted by Dana on November 21,2009 at 09:14 PM
I had a tabby girl for 19 years. Doogie grew up with me... I just lost her a month ago. She was blind for the last two years, and had a heart murmor... but she was still very loving, social and remembered where everything was around our home. I knew she couldn't live forever, it is still hard to believe she's gone. Nothing will prepare you for losing your kitty. She slept on my pillow every night and I dearly miss her. But we are fortunate to have had her in our lives for that long and it just goes to show she had a good long life in a loving home. Enjoy your time with your kitty. We did and I am glad for it. Since Doogie's death, we have adopted a homeless kitten, a tabby also. He is playful and very loving - and I hope Eli has just as long of a life with us.
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Posted by maggie on November 16,2009 at 06:38 AM
I know you treasure him! Be sure to take photos of him, and have someone take pictures of the two of you. They will be comforting reminders.
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Posted by Bridget on November 08,2009 at 03:39 PM
I just lost my 18 yo tabby that was my only child. No children so he was it for me. I want to tell you that it IS VERY HARD when you lose them at that age. But I also want to tell you that the pain WILL lessen in a few weeks. I really just wanted to die I missed him so terribly. But it has been 4 months now and the pain is considerably less and starting to be replaced by wonderful fun memories. I went nuts and had a bunch of things made of him, tons of magnets for the fridge of him in every position. A leather pillow with him hand painted on it , I got post cards of him so I can look at them in bed and not worry about messing up photographs, a canvass bag ect....I has helped trememdously having him all around the house in photos ect...You feel like he is still there. I even have him in the bathroom. It is of great comfort. I will also let you know that he HAS visited us in numerous ways. If you look for the signs, they will be there. Also books on Cats and the afterlife will help you. I feel for you, because I know what you will endure. Perhaps some of these things will help you. Also, close your eyes and touch your kitty all over and print in your mind what everything feels like so you will be able to remember better later. Sincerely, Bridget
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Posted by kathy on August 06,2009 at 03:27 PM
my cat is about to give birth. the sac is hanging out it has been 3 hrs,it looks like a grape should i be concerned?she is small like 10 poundstabby orange
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Posted by Reanna on July 29,2009 at 12:20 AM
I have three tabbys none of them are lazy , not even our lap cat , a Brown Devon silver tabby at age 51\2 weeks (His name is Jonahh Rubius James (Catterie name : Sir Jonahh Tumbler)). The others re a silver tabby by the name of Jebediah Jones at age three and a half he is still very active, and Obediah Ozwick knight of the dark realm is very playful and loving at age 11\2.
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Posted by buster on November 25,2010 at 05:39 PM
should I be concerned about my aging tabi having lentigo simplex
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