Remember how the “ticked” tabby pattern is primarily displayed on Abyssinian cats? This happens because mutations in the gene Dkk4 result in shorter, thinner strokes of color.
#Spotted tabby pattern skin
This thick-thin skin variation can be detected even before embryos develop hair follicles! Thick patches with more Dkk4 expression are later covered with darker fur, while thin patches with less Dkk4 expression are later covered with lighter fur. Researchers discovered that the gene Dkk4 actually “maps” a pattern of thick and thin skin during fetal cat development. The patched tabby typically features patches of brown and orange tabby patterns, with markings often more apparent on the legs and head.Īssociated breeds: American Shorthair, Birman, British Shorthair, Cornish Rex, Domestic Shorthair, Exotic Shorthair, Japanese Bobtail, Manx, Norwegian Forest Cat, Persian, Siberian, Turkish Van How do tabby patterns form?Ī 2021 study published in Nature Communications answers the question that has puzzled geneticists for decades: how do cats get their stripes, spots, and swirls? What do you get when you cross a tabby and tortie cat, or a tabby and calico? A “torbie” and a “caliby,” respectively. Patched tabby - © carolyn.will / Flickr / CC-BY-SA-2.0 Bonus: Patched tabby cat
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