Cat Coat Patterns. Learn about the six basic Cat Coat Patterns. Read the descriptions and view the cat coat pattern images of the basic varieties.

Patterns are combinations of colours in a specific layout. There are six basic varieties : Solid, Tabby, Bicolor, Tortoiseshell, Tricolor, and Colorpoint.

Solid or Self- The easiest one to recognize is a coat of one colour that is evenly distributed all over the body.

If the cat retains any spot of another colour on the coat, it is no longer considered a solid.

Tabby - This is the most common coat pattern in the wild and it has four varieties: striped (Mackerel), blotched (marbled), spotted, and ticked (agouti).

Bicolor - The term bicolor refers to a coat of white and one other colour. The other colour can be a solid or show a tabby pattern. The Bicolor pattern is common among mixed bred cats but it is also acceptable in many breeds.

Tortoiseshell - A consistent mix of orange and black (or their diluted versions of cream and blue) creates this unique coat pattern. Being a mix of black and orange, this coat pattern (like the tricolor) can be seen almost exclusively in females.

Where there is little white, the other two colors will be inter-mixed - a pattern that can also be referred to as a "tortoiseshell and white."

As the amount of white increases, the patches of red and black become more clearly defined - this patched pattern is known as calico.

Colorpoint - In this pattern, the face, paws and tail (tips/points) are of a darker colour than the rest of the body. This pattern is actually temperature-related - the cooler parts of the body develop a darker colour.