Tabbies often have stripes, swirls, or spots of color on their coats determined by their breed and individual genetics. Every cat is unique but what makes tabby cats special is the beautiful patterns that cover their coats. Though every tabby cat is different, there are certain types of markings most cats with this coat pattern tend to exhibit. Most tabbies have stripes across their faces, along their backs, and on their legs and tail. What makes a tabby really stand out, however, is the distinctive M-shaped marking on the forehead. This recognizable M-shaped marking is also seen on a number of wild cats, particularly jungle cats like cheetahs, ocelots, and tigers. Some say the M stands for the word Mau, the Egyptian word for cat.

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Why Are Tabby Cats Special?
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Whether you call them orange, red, ginger or marmalade tabbies, orange tabby cats are not a specific breed of cat, rather it is referring to their fur color. Not only do ginger cats come with perfectly kissable pink noses, they may also develop adorable little freckles! These freckles will normally develop around the gums, lips, or nose area and can continue to appear throughout their life. These freckles are caused by a benign genetic called lentigo which increases the number of pigment-producing cells epidermal melanocytes around the lips, nose, and eyes and results in those little black freckles.
Their big, bold and brightly colored coats is one reason. And there are five different tabby configurations : classic tabby, mackerel tabby , spotted tabby, ticked tabby and patched tabby. So, while all orange cats are tabbies, not every tabby is orange.