Spotted Torbies: Spotted torbies have spots instead of stripes. The stripes run horizontally along the body and are relatively narrow.Ĭlassic Torbies: Classic torbies have large swirls that are present on the sides of the body. Mackerel Torbies: Mackerel torbies have the most common type of tabby markings. There are three main types of torbie cats: mackerel, classic, and spotted. It makes Torbie cats quite rare and unique! Types of Torbie Cats Since both of these genes are recessive, it is relatively unlikely for a cat to inherit both of them. So, a cat must inherit the red/orange coat color gene and the tabby striping gene from its parents to have a Torbie coat. The torbie coat pattern is created by combining two genes, one for red (or orange) color and one for tabby striping. The main difference between a tortie and a torbie is that a tortie has no tabby markings. A Torbie has these same color combinations but has the bonus of having the classic tabby pattern on its body. Tortie: What is the difference between a Tortie and a Torbie?Ī Tortie is a cat that has patches of two colors in a tortoiseshell pattern, usually orange and black, brown and black, or cream and gray.Ī Torbie is a cat that has both Tortie and Tabby markings. Some popular cat breeds with the torbie coat pattern include the American Shorthair, British Shorthair, and Maine Coon. Instead, it is a coat pattern that can be found in different cat breeds. Torbie cats can also have classic tabby markings, which are large swirls that are present on the sides of the body.Īlso Read: Persian Tuxedo Cats: The Most Fashionable Felines Worldwide Are Torbie Cats Specific Cat Breed? It is when the stripes run horizontally along the body and are relatively narrow. The most common type of tabby marking is called a mackerel tabby. It is because tabby markings are usually present on a torbie cat’s face, legs, and tail. The tabby part of a torbie’s coat pattern will often be quite visible. Torbie cats can also have small amounts of white on their fur, but this is not always the case. The pattern is pretty mottled, with large patches of both colors spread evenly throughout the coat. The stripes on a torbie’s fur are usually darker than the background color. The coat of a torbie cat is usually made up of orange and black coloring, with orange being the dominant color but can also have cream, gray, or brown coloring. “Torbie” is a portmanteau of the words “tortoiseshell” and “tabby.” Torbies are also sometimes referred to as “patched tabbies.” What is a torbie cat?Ī torbie cat is a feline that has both tortoiseshell and tabby markings in its fur. Torbies are relatively rare and one of the most beautiful cat coat patterns. These are the cats with tortoiseshell markings.īut what about a cat that is tortoiseshell and has stripes? It is called a torbie pattern. And then there are the cats with tortoise-like patterning. Similarly, patterns can range from stripes, spots, or swirls. They can be solid black, white, or any color in between. Cats have a wide range of coat colors and patterns.

Mackerel cats