Red, cream, and apricot colors are closely related and represent various shades of the warm-toned classic tabby coat. This guide includes the description of each color separately, explains how the combination with the silver-suppression gene affects the appearance of a red classic tabby cat, and covers the rare white-marked variation of the color.
Red Classic Tabby Cat: The Bold, Rusty Original
The red classic tabby cat has a cream-to-orange background color with prominent dark rust-red swirls forming the blotches of the classic tabby pattern. Due to the sex-linked nature of the gene, red classic tabby cats are largely represented by male cats. This is because the gene for the orange colour is on the X chromosome and a male cat only requires one orange gene to express it (from one parent) whereas a female cat requires two genes (one from each parent). The key characteristics of the red classic tabby coat are the following:
• Cream to orange background color with dark rust-red swirls
• Depending on the combination of genes, the cat may have a light peachy color or a darker more intense ginger color
• More often than not, red classic tabby cats are male animals
• Depending on the genes received from the parents, the color of the cat may vary significantly.
Red Classic Tabby and White
The combination of the red classic tabby color with the white spots gene results in red classic tabby and white cats. Similarly to other colors covered by this guide, red classic tabby and white cats have rust-red markings on a lighter cream background. However, they also may have white spots on their chest, paws, and belly or on their face. Due to the independent nature of the genes that control the presence of white spots, the amount of white colorization may vary substantially from cat to cat. Moreover, the amount of white colorization is not related to the amount of red colorization, which results in a large variety of appearances for these cats.
Red Silver Classic Tabby: A Rarer Combination
The red silver classic tabby color results from the combination of the silver suppression gene and the red color gene. The red silver classic tabby cat has a pale silvery-cream background color with dark rust-red swirls creating the classic tabby pattern. Several notes regarding this color variation include:
• Two genes, namely the color gene and the silver suppression gene, contribute to this color variation;
• This color variation is relatively rare compared to red classic tabby color;
• The combination of a pale silvery-cream background color and dark rust-red swirls creates a visually striking effect;
• Overall, red silver classic tabby is one of the rarest colors within the red-cream color family.
Cream Classic Tabby Cat: The Softer, Diluted Cousin
The cream classic tabby cat is a diluted version of the red classic tabby color. With the similar pattern of the coat, red classic tabby cats have a lighter, almost butter-cream background color with slightly darker cream or pale buff swirls. In comparison to their red-color cousins, the cats of this color variation have a less intense color appearance.
Apricot Classic Tabby: How Rare Is It?
Compared to the other colors covered by this guide, the apricot color tends to be less common. Apricot classic tabby cats have a pale peaches-and-cream color appearance with light markings of a similar color. The interesting characteristics of the apricot color variation include the following:
• Apricot color is not the result of multiple separate dilution genes, but a dilute modifier gene (dm) on a dilute cream background.
• Apricot color is not specifically targeted during breeding
• Apricot is one of the rarest colors within the red-cream color family
• Apricot variation tends to appear as a result of cross-color breeding rather than targeted breeding
Which Breeds Show This Color Family Most Often?
The red, cream, and their rare variations may appear in any domestic cat breed that possesses the dominant classic tabby gene. However, certain breeds tend to exhibit the colors more commonly than others. The notable breeds that display red, cream, and apricot classic tabby cats include:
Maine Coon
This breed is known for its variety of vibrant colors, including the vibrant red color of the classic tabby pattern;
American shorthair
This breed also displays the wide range of colors, with red classic tabby being just one of them;
British shorthair
This cat breed may also display the red and cream colors, though less frequently than in the previously mentioned breeds. The preferred colors for this cat breed are silver colors, including black-silver color variation.
Conclusion
The red, cream, and apricot colors derive from the same set of genes. The variations of these colors originate from the dilution, suppression, and suppression of silver genes. The sex-linked nature of the color gene and the independent nature of the dilution gene result in substantial variety within the red-cream color family. Specifically, a bold red classic tabby cat represents the vivid colors within the color family, whereas a pale cream classic tabby cat demonstrates the diluted colors. Furthermore, the rare colors within the color family, such as the red silver classic tabby and the apricot classic tabby, originate from the combination of multiple independent genes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between red and cream classic tabby?
Cream is a lightened version of red the same root, but toned down to a much lighter, less contrasting tone.
Is the red silver classic tabby rare?
Yes. It must have both the gene for orange colour and the gene to suppress the silver effect to occur, and is quite uncommon compared to the normal red classic tabby.
What is causing the scarcity of apricot classic tabby?
Apricot is the result of a combination of dilution and modifier genes which is not consistently targeted and is therefore likely to be more of a ‘byproduct’ than a targeted colour.
