Cute but reserved! I believe those are the first two words that come to your mind when you take a look at a silver tabby kitten. These ice queens (and kings) will steal the spotlight from the moment they walk into the room. And we get it.
There’s something about them that will make you stare. Their tabby pattern looks incredibly unique when combined with the silver color of the fur.
Now, since you’re reading this, I guess you either stumbled upon a silver tabby kitten and realized that you know nothing about this particular furball, or you’ve always had a soft spot for these cuties and now you want to check if you could live with one.
If you keep on reading, I’m sure you’ll learn a lot about these grey furry babies!
1. Tabby kittens aren’t a breed
Once and for all, tabby kittens aren’t a breed. Even though many people think that tabby is a separate breed of felines, the reality is different. Tabby is just a color pattern which means that many different breeds of cats can have tabby colorings. Let’s break it down a bit more.
There are actually five tabby patterns: classic, mackerel, spotted, ticked, and patched.
The classic tabby pattern probably comes to your mind when you think of a tabby cat. It looks like swirls of color on a solid background. The mackerel tabby has stripes that run vertically down the feline’s back and stomach. Its name comes from the fact that it looks like a skeleton of a fish.
The spotted tabby cat has (you’ve guessed it) spots instead of stripes and swirls. And when it comes to ticked tabby, their pattern isn’t that noticeable. It’s because their individual hairs contain stripes. So, it’s not their fur that’s patterned but rather each and every strand of it.
Finally, patched tabby cats have markings on specific parts of the body. It’s interesting that their distinguishing pattern can contain stripes, swirls, blotches, and patches. Plus, one patched tabby cat can have patterns in different colors.
So, the next time you hear someone say that tabby is a cat breed, explain to them how it’s just a pattern and not a specific kind of feline.
2. A number of breeds come with a silver tabby pattern
Now that we’ve made it clear that tabby is simply a fur pattern, it’s important to note that many different breeds come with it. So, if you fancy a silver tabby kitten and would like to get yourself one, then you’ll have many options to choose from.
Some of the breeds that come with this color pattern are British shorthair, Russian Blue, Maine Coon, Siamese, Turkish Angora, American shorthair, Abyssinian, and many more.
We’ll talk more about the most popular of these breeds later on so you can get a better understanding of what kind of feline would go best with your lifestyle. But right now, let’s get back to some other interesting facts about silver tabby kittens.
3. Tabby kittens have an M mark on their forehead
Each and every tabby kitten (regardless of their type of pattern) has an M marking on their forehead. It’s actually in their DNA which means that they can’t be born without it.
Science states that these cats have a gene that passes from generation to generation. Of course, there are also different myths that have their own version of the story.
In Ancient Egypt, cats were called “mau” which led to the belief that the M marking comes from that word. Biblically, this marking was given by Mary to a tabby cat who jumped into the manger. Some Islamic believers state that the cat Muezza saved Prophet Mohammed from a snake and that’s where the marking comes from.
No matter what you choose to believe, one thing is certain – these cats are truly unique. We can all agree on that one.
4. The tabby was one of the first domesticated cats because of their fur
When you think of a tabby cat, your mind instantly goes to a house cat or a tamed street cat that everyone keeps feeding. And the reason for that is quite simple.
Tabby cats were one of the first wild cats that were domesticated. Their pattern resembles that of many wild animals which made people believe that they were good hunters.
So, they tamed these felines and used their skills and camouflaging abilities to keep their crops safe from different animals.
5. Silver tabby kittens have black hairs
Wait a minute! What?! How can a silver cat have black strands of hair? That doesn’t make any sense, right?
Well, it sounds a bit confusing but hear me out. When you look at a silver tabby kitten, she seems to have grey(ish) fur. However, if you take a close look at the root of her individual hairs, you’ll realize that her hair follicles are actually black. It’s just that their fur looks grey because of the pigment.