You are here:

Cats/Is this common?

Advertisement

Expert: - 6/16/2011


Question
My kitten~ Loki
My kitten~ Loki
Hello~ I have a male kitten that was born with two different coat patterns on each side of his face. The right side is orange tiger striped and the left side is gray tiger striped. The rest of his body is a mix of orange and gray tiger stripes. I just thought this was quite unusual and was wondering if it is a common occurrence. I've tried looking it up online but I've had no luck, hopefully you can tell me something about my kitten. Thanks so much!!!

Answer
Lisa,

I would check the gender of your kitten, as I believe Loki to be a female.  Even if she turns out to have male genitals, she is probably genetically a female!  

One of the patterns we commonly see in female cats is the brown patched tabby pattern.  This a brown tabby cat with patches of red tabby.  In this case, it is with white and so would be called a brown patched tabby and white. (the with white is another series of patterns common to many, many breeds of cat and the feral population).

In Loki's case, the brown patched tabby pattern is quite striking with one half the face being red tabby and one half the face being brown tabby. Except for the color the mackerel tabby pattern is the same throughout the cat, which is also normal.

Although the brown patched tabby and white is very common, it can be very, very striking as in Loki's case.

Best regards... Norm.  

Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.