Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Unique or Ordinary Fur

Mom took a close-up photo of my fur. Mom was looking at each strand of fur. Below is a picture of my shoulder. The fur close to my skin is black. Then the middle layer is tan and it's like an undercoat. The next layer is a bit of brown. And the very top layer is a fleck of gold, just on the tippy tip tip. Mom says a lot of people would pay good money for a dye job like this. I'm lucky my color is natural. I was born beautiful.




Here's another shot of me. This time it's of the black stripe down my back. You can see my natural flecked highlights on the tips along the side of my body.




And here's a picture of the whole ME!



Is my fur color unique or ordinary? What type do I have, if there is a word for it? Am I a ticked (agouti) tabby because I have bands of various color on each strand of fur? Likely a mackeral ticked tabby? Since I'm not in touch with my birth parents, I'm not able to ask them. Can you help me out? Please take a look at my other blog pics and you'll see I have the "M" on my forehead and spots on my belly and stripes on my body, too.

Edited: I found this but still am not quite sure what I am: "Both the mackerel tabby and the classic tabby have stripes and bars on the legs and tail and the classic "M" (or fleur-de-lys) marking on the forehead and the belly is usually spotted. The background colour is an agouti pattern, meaning that each individual hair has several bands of colour along its length. The foreground colour is the solid colour (non-agouti) of the markings."

21 comments:

White Dog Blog said...

Don't know much about kitties and lineage, but "What Are You?" I would say: You are loved. You are healthy and safe. You are handsome.

Kas said...

You are just a special pussycat!!!

Jemma Chihuahua said...

We think you are a brown mackerel tabby, but we could be wrong. Either way, you are handsome!

The Creek Cats said...

We are not good with the colorings and markings, but we'd agree with Jemma and Tofu! You are very handsome too!

Brian's Home Blog said...

You are a Classic Handsome Tabby!

Kea said...

We think you're a brown mackerel tabby, too, and very handsome to boot! We're all mackerel tabbies here, Annie and Nicki are brown and Derry is blue, I guess, since "grey" doesn't really exist--or so our human read recently. She's not sure if that's the case!

We don't think it matters what colour pattern you are. The most important thing is to have a good forever home, with lots of love and cuddles, food, toys, and sunbeams!

Hansel said...

Not sure what you are dear! However, you are standing very funny in that photo! is your harness too tight?

tegan said...

Oh Prints,
You're correct....you were just born beautiful!
L,
Tegan

SeaThreePeeO said...

You're a very handsome tabby cat. Looks like normal tabby furs to us!

SASS....Sammy Andy Shelly Sierra said...

Prints, you are probably like us....a totally special "Heinz 57" variety with a very mixed breeding line.....each of us being totally unique!!!!! xxxxxxxxxx

Jacqueline said...

We don't know a lot about breeds, but just think you're a special kitty with unique markings!...xo...Calle, Halle, Sukki

Amy & the house of cats said...

We are all basic housecats but we do have 2 tuxies, a muted calico (or muted tortie - it is a bit of a controversy)and a tabby with white. The tabby with white boy has the agouti furs and white furs. But we are all basically mutts because we don't know the parents of 3 and the parents of the 4th are an orange tabby and a black kitty (that is the muted calico's parents). We aren't sure what specific type of kitty you are but we do think you are a gorgeous one!

Cindy said...

Great furs! I think you are an original. Great idea for photos.

Hoshi said...

Yes... I think you are a brown mackerel tabby, but the sexy one!!
Amanda is a classic brown tabby, which she has bulls eye marking on her side.

White Dog Blog said...

I don't mind that Quinn is beginning to feel at home, Prints. It is just that he just does seem to understand the rules I have set down...like I always get first choice AND I am second in command (after mom). Otherwise, he is nice to have around.

The Florida Furkids said...

We think you're a Classic Tabby. Whatever you are - it's purrty!!

Sniffie and the Florida Furkids

Goldie, Shade and Banshee said...

Whatever you are you're as handsome as can be!

Maxie said...

Furry Beautiful!

Cat with a Garden said...

You're definitely a mackerel and not a classic tabby. I'm a mackerel too although my floof hides it very well. Handsome furs!
Purrs, Siena Snowfox

JB's Big and Small Worlds said...

This is a very good study of your furs. We never have thought about our fur colors much. Whatever kind of tabby you are, we know you are the much loved kind!
--JB
Pee Ess: Chester is a tabby too and he has all sorts of different color furs....we think it is probably cuz his mama, Gaia, must have run around with lots of different ManCats, so Chester got fur colors from all of them! hee hee

Teddy Bear said...

So you are adorable kitty, Prints. We love the color of your fur and your stripes.:)

Love,
Teddy Bear