Tabby

Tabby Cat Insurance

Contrary to popular belief, ‘Tabby’ is not a breed of cat. Instead, it describes a specific type of colouration that appears in many different breeds. But if you’re looking for Tabby cat pet insurance, you’ll find it through Pet Insurance Australia. We insure a wide variety of breeds, regardless of their coat and colouration.

The Tabby colouration is definitely one of the most common seen in the cat world. Many wildcats have variations of this pattern. In fact, some geneticists suggest that the tabby pattern descends directly from the African wildcat, which is one of the domestic cat’s direct ancestors.

Wherever you go in the world, you’re almost sure to see Tabby cats. Some are from specific breeds, but there’s not any one breed that lays claim to this coat pattern. On the contrary, this colouration can be brought out in many different breeds of cat.

And to be fair, the word ‘Tabby’ has been used rather generously to describe several different feline states over the years. In the 16th and 17th centuries, ‘Tabby’ was often used to refer specifically to the cat of a suspected witch. At times, it was also applied specifically to female cats. In either case, the pattern and colouration were of little (if any) consequence.

Today, we use the word ‘Tabby’ to describe certain coat patterns.

With that in mind, Tabby cat insurance is available for a variety of breeds. In truth, the colouration has no bearing on the type of coverage that you should take out. Instead, we’ll look specifically at the breed and the level of protection that you are interested in purchasing.

The ‘Tabby’ Pattern

There are four major types of Tabby colouration. Here’s a bit of information about each:

Mackerel Tabb

Also called ‘Fishbone Tabby’, this is the most common Tabby colouration. It features vertical stripes that gently curve across the side of the body. This are relatively narrow stripes that can be continuous or broken up into blocks further down on the stomach and flanks. You’ll also see the distinct M-shaped pattern on the foreheads of Mackerel Tabby cats.

Classic Tabby

Also called ‘Blotched’ or ‘Marbled’ Tabbies, cats with this pattern also feature the classic M-shape on the forehead. One of the standout features of this marking is a swirl pattern on the side of the cat. It can even form a shape similar to a bullseye.

Spotted Tabby

This is an offshoot of the Mackerel Tabby. In this case, the stripes are broken up into spots that are reminiscent of those seen on some wild cats. Breeds known for this unique pattern include the Maine Coon, the Australian Mist and the Bengal.

Ticked Tabby

Also known as the ‘Stripeless Tabby’, this category is made possible because of the cat’s specialised hairs. The stripes are broken up into a salt-and-pepper texture instead of solid, unbroken striping.