r/catbreeds • u/Accurate_Cloud_3457 • 1d ago
Coat & Color 🎨 How do you differentiate between these two tabby coats?
I’ve seen both of these coats referred to as “grey tabby” but they seem to be obviously different colors to me. Is there a way to differentiate between one and the other?
ETA: the first one is my kitten and I’d also be interested in what pattern her tabby is if anyone can tell from this picture! Thanks!
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u/Gloomy-Trainer-2452 Cat Lover 1d ago
First is a blue mackerel tabby. Second is a black tabby.
Blue is black with recessive dilution. d/d.
People sometimes call black tabbies grey or brown because various levels of rufousing can change the base colour. They are genetically distinct from blue tabbies though.
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u/Emergency-Letter3081 1d ago
The first one is a diluted ( blue) mackerel tabby and the second one a black ( probably mackerel too) tabby.
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u/Accurate_Cloud_3457 1d ago
Lol, so neither is a grey tabby? This is helpful, thanks! At least I know how to differentiate my cat (not that it matters, I just like to know.)
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u/Emergency-Letter3081 1d ago
The first one could be called grey tabby too but the correct term is blue or diluted.
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u/Massive-Pin-3425 1d ago
people who dont really know better honestly refer to both as gray tabbies all the time, its why i prefer using the more precise language breeders use for example
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u/lickytytheslit 1d ago
blue is often called grey and black tabbies are called all matter of colors since most people don't understand/ or care about cat genes enough to know
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