A tabby cat, or simply tabby, is any domestic cat with a distinctive M-shaped marking on their forehead, stripes by their eyes and across their cheeks, along their back, around their legs and tail, and characteristic striped, dotted, lined, flecked, banded, or swirled patterns on the body: neck, shoulders, sides, flanks, chest, and abdomen. The four known distinct patterns, each having a sound genetic explanation, are the mackerel, classic or blotched, ticked, and spotted tabby patterns.
