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January 25th, 2009 by PetGuru

When shopping for the perfect addition to your family, you need to consider your options.  Cats are by far the most interesting little creatures, and finding one that makes your heart swoon is almost as fun at giving your furry little friend his first taste of cat nip.  A tabby cat is a popular option for cat lovers everywhere, and there are rich facts and interesting distinctions surrounding this little animal.

A brief note about Tabby Cat?

A tabby cat is not a breed of cat, which many would assume.  It is, in fact, a color pattern.There are quite a few varities of tabby cats available in multiple breeds. Grey tabby cats, silver tabbies, even spotted ones.  It is still debated as to whether of not some form of this tabby pattern is genetic or even inheritable at all.  Scientists say that the pattern of a tabby cat is not related to the color at all, therefore the tabby pattern is a wide variety.  The only color cat that doesn’t come in a tabby pattern is a white cat.  Even a black cat can show a faint tabby pattern.

Spotted tabbies are often classified as true tabbies, although it is not true.  Apparently, there is a modifier that breaks up the stripes of a Tabby making it appear spotted.  Interestingly enough, all of these different variations can be found in a wide variety of breeds, making the tabby cat a more interesting choice when compared to other types of cat.

Legend Has It

Some breeds of tabby have a distinguishable “M” on their foreheads.  There are several legends behind this “birthmark,” and most are religious based.According to myths Mary gave the “M” to the tabby cat in return to its services to baby Jesus , the other fraction claim that it was Mohammed that marked the tabby cat with “M “ after it warned him of an upcoming danger.  
But sadly, the reality is that Mary spoke Aramaic and Mohammed spoke Arabic, so neither of them would have used the letter “M” to distinguish their names.  But the legend lives on, and is a fun story to share, giving your special pet a mystical purpose. 

This tidbit of information makes a tabby cat seem like the logical choice when shopping for your new pet.In addition to its great historical legends, and unique genetic disposition, these cats are a step ahead in terms of their features.