If you’re a pet parent of a tuxedo cat you may be wondering what breed your tuxedo cat is. The short answer is, it could be any breed because the tuxedo cat is not a specific breed. Are you kinda confused?
A tuxedo cat is not a breed but a coat pattern
A tuxedo cat has a distinct, bi-colored pattern in its coats that resemble a tuxedo, a formal black and white menswear that we often see on occasions like corporate events and weddings. This bi-colored pattern is also referred to as “piebald”, wherein a cat’s coat has a large portion of unpigmented hair, usually white, along with patches of pigmented hair that’s usually black. These cats can also be orange, silver, gray, or tortoiseshell with patches of white.
Tuxedo cats may be short or long-haired, shaggy, silky, purebred, mixed-breed, or any domestic cat not defined by coat color. To put it more clearly, the Cat Fanciers Association stated that a tuxedo cat has a white color on the paws, chest, throat, belly, and at times, on the face. The white patch is due to the white spotting genes and the effects of the genes are graded from one to ten. The lower the grade the lesser the white color is on a cat’s coat.
Types of tuxedo cats
While most tuxedo cats or tuxies, as they’re often called, are completely black except for paws, throat, face, and chest, there are other variations and types, too. These include the following:
- Van pattern – cats with mostly white color except for the tail and cap of the head.
- Cap and saddle – cats with black color on the head or even just on the ears with a black patch covering the rump, tail, and some parts of the back.
- Mask and mantle – cats with black color from the head to the tail tip and the rest of the body in white.
- Magpie or harlequin – cats with random patches of black and white while some will have spots on their throats that resemble a bowtie
- Combination of tuxedo and tabby pattern- cats which are tuxies but also have a tabby pattern, characterized by an M-shaped marking on the forehead and stripes near eyes, cheeks, back, and tail.
Interesting facts about tuxedo cats
Tuxies are very popular even during ancient times and have even been immortalized in movies. Here are some fun facts about tuxedo cats:
- They usually have green eyes and white whiskers.
- They are smart and develop quickly.
- There’s an equal number of male and female tuxies.
- They are common in any place around the world.
- They’re sociable, lively, and energetic.
- They were worshipped in ancient Egypt.
- There are many famous tuxedo cats, both real and fictional. Here are some of them:
Famous real tuxedo cats:
- Sparky, who inherited millions of dollars when his owner died in 1998
- Stan, who ran for mayor in Canada in 2012
- Simon, who sailed with the British Royal Navy in 1949 and was awarded a medal for protecting the soldiers’ food rations
- Roderick, the only cat to have reached Mt. Everest.
Famous fictitious tuxedo cats:
- The Cat in the Hat, the mischievous cat featured in Dr. Seuss’ books
- Tom, of the famous “Tom and Jerry” cartoons of Warner Brothers
- Figaro, the pet cat of Gepetto in the film, “Pinocchio”
- Sylvester, of the Warner Bros. cartoons, “Looney Tunes”, the cat who was always chasing Tweetie Pie, the canary bird
Cat breeds that possess the piebald pattern
The tuxedo or piebald pattern is considered a standard among some purebred felines although no specific breed only comes in a bi-color pattern. Here are some of the cat breeds that manifest the tuxedo pattern:
British Shorthair
This breed has a distinctive stocky body with a broad face and dense coat. It’s a pedigreed version of the British domestic cat. Its dominant color is British blue and has a muscular neck and strong jaws.
American Shorthair
This cat breed is native to the United States and usually has short, pointed ears with a large head and full cheeks. It also has a stocky and muscular build.
Exotic Shorthair
Cats under this breed are friendly, playful, and developed as short-haired versions of the Persian cat breed. It has a soft and plush coat, and a soft voice, and gets along well with children and other animals.
Scottish Fold
This is a domestic cat breed that originated in Scotland. It has folded ears due to a gene mutation affecting the cartilage in its body. It’s an affectionate and charming cat breed that’s easy to care for and live with.
Maine Coon
It’s one of the famous cat breeds in the US and is considered one of the oldest natural breeds in Northern America. It has a muscular body with a smooth and shaggy coat and has great hunting skills.
Persian
This long-haired breed has a short muzzle and round face. They’re known as Shirazi cats in Iran. They have a docile personality and their eye colors are usually copper, blue, hazel, or green.
Conclusion
Tuxedo cats are common and can be found in almost all parts of the globe. They’re well-loved and make good pets because they’re smart and sociable, not to mention their “cool” demeanor owing to their distinct tuxedo-style color pattern. Famous figures like Sir Isaac Newton-John, William Shakespeare, and Beethoven even had pet tuxedo cats. So, if you happen to be a pet parent to tuxies then you should be proud of it because tuxies are special and one-of-a-kind.