Cats come in many shapes, sizes and colors.  While many characteristics are related to the type of breed of the cat,  the patterns of their fur can be quite unique from cat to cat.  Tabby and calico are terms used to describe the patterns of a cat’s coat.  Neither is a distinct breed; calico and tabby markings appear on lots of different breeds, and are very common on “moggy”, or mixed breed cats. 

Calico cats have patches of white, red, brown and black all over their bodies.  Generally, the more white fur a calico cat has, the larger the patches of other colors.  Sometimes the coloring is more speckles than actual patches.  When the orange and black fur is mixed, and there is little or no white fur, the cat is referred to as tortoiseshell.  

There is a common myth that all calico cats are female.  This is almost, but not entirely, true.  The pattern is caused when genes on the X chromosomes are activates.  Females have two X chromosomes, while males have only one.  In rare cases, males are XXY.  This syndrome is known as Klinefelter’s.  This abnormality results in an infertile male.

Tabby is also a pattern rather than a color or a breed.  Tabby cats can be striped, spotted or swirled.  Very tiny spots are know as stippling.  Tabby markings are most commonly brown, but can be any color,  These cats usually have an M pattern on their foreheads.

Calico cats were long considered lucky by sailors.  They were taken to sea, as it was believed that they would give their masters early warning of storms, allowing the sailors time to get back to port in safety.  In Japan, the tri-colored cat is considered particularly lucky.

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