A tabby cat, or simply tabby, is any domestic cat with a distinctive M-shaped marking on their forehead, stripes by their eyes and across their cheeks, along their back, around their legs and tail, and characteristic striped, dotted, lined, flecked, banded, or swirled patterns on the body: neck, shoulders, sides, flanks, chest, and abdomen. The four known distinct patterns, each having a sound genetic explanation, are the mackerel, classic or blotched, ticked, and spotted tabby patterns.
Mackerel tabby, with the distinctive striped pattern and forehead 'M'.
A European wildcat (Felis silvestris) bearing a similar coat pattern to that of a tabby cat. It is thought that the tabby pattern originates from the numerous related species of wildcat.
A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat
Typical tabby patterns in the head region: An 'M' on the forehead, bright eye rims and borders of the ears
Domestic short-haired cat
A domestic short-haired cat is a cat possessing a coat of short fur, not belonging to any particular recognised cat breed. In the United Kingdom, they are colloquially called moggies. Domestic short-haired cats are distinct from the British Shorthair, American Shorthair, and other standardized breeds with "Short-hair" names recognized by various registries. Domestic short-haired cats are the most common kind of cat in the United States, accounting for around 96% of their number. Other generic terms include house cat and alley cat.
Tabby female domestic short-haired cat
A male domestic short hair lying on a chair
Non-pedigree cats can also compete and win at cat shows.
House trained domestic shorthair cat looking at the camera
