Tabby generally refers to a coat pattern seen in domestic cats, characterized by stripes, swirls, or spots and an distinctive “M” shape on the forehead. It is not a breed, but a common pattern that occurs in many mixed-breed and pedigreed cats alike. Key points

• Coat pattern: Tabby cats display various patterns—mackerel (narrow stripes), classic/blotched (swirled patterns), ticked (agouti hairs with no strong banding), and spotted (spots rather than stripes). Each pattern has genetic underpinnings.

• Not a breed: “Tabby” describes coloration, not a specific breed or lineage. Many cats—both purebred and mixed—can be tabby.

• Etymology: The term originates from historical fabrics described as tabby (watered silk), later applied to cats due to their striped coats.

• Related notes: Some sources also define tabby in broader cultural uses (e.g., “tabby” as a descriptor for a female cat in older slang), but in modern usage the core meaning is the coat pattern.

If you’re choosing a cat or identifying a cat’s coat, you’ll likely see tabby described as one of the main patterns (mackerel, classic, ticked, or spotted), often with the characteristic forehead M-shaped marking. If you want, I can show side-by-side examples or explain how to tell which tabby pattern a cat has.