WAFFLES: Holy Mackerel, Boss! Did you know I'm a Mackerel?
KATIE: What. You mean like a fish?
WAFFLES: I'm a FISH???
KATIE: You just said you're a mackerel. That's a fish. Ergo–
WAFFLES: Where did the air go?
KATIE: One topic at a time, Waffles. I swear you've got the attention span of a gnat.
WAFFLES: But a handsome gnat, right?
KATIE: Let's get back to this mackerel business. I think what you mean to say, given tomorrow is National Tabby Cat Day, is that you're a Mackerel Tabby.
WAFFLES: Cool! I have my own day!
KATIE: You and about 50 million or so other tabby cats.
WAFFLES: Yeah, but I'm a MACKEREL.
KATIE: And you've got the signature M on your forehead that most tabbies have.
WAFFLES: Wait. M??? I don't have an M. I have a W on my forehead. For Waffles. See?
KATIE: M.
WAFFLES: W!!!
April 30 is National Tabby Cat Day!
... and Katie is still trying to figure out why Waffles gets his own cat day, he gets National Waffles Day AND he gets every Waffles Wednesday. Guess we'll have to lobby for a National Tuxedo Cat Day.
We did a little looking into the different kinds of tabby cats. Despite our own experiences, there are not tabby cat categories like goofy, trouble maker, noise maker, red dot chaser... we did find that there are typically four types of mixed breed tabbies.
The Mackeral
Waffles is indeed a Mackerel Tabby. He's got the signature rings around his (15") tail and legs. He's got both solid and broken stripes around the rest of his body. Though we don't often get photos of him sitting perfectly straight and facing the camera head on, his markings are all surprisingly symmetrical from one side of his body to the other. Many Mackerels are not orange at all, but a beautiful blend of both deep and light browns or grays, like our friend Brian from Brian's Home. We're pretty sure he's a Mackerel too.
The classic Tabby sports a pattern made up of whorls that take on a target-like shape on their side. Sometimes Katie feels like she's got a target on her back when Waffles is close by, but she's not a tabby. *wink* Sometimes Classic Tabbies are called Blotched Tabbies.
The Spotted
Spotted Tabbies have bands of spots as opposed to stripes like Waffles. Their spots come in all sizes and some of them are so large they look like broken up stripes. We've seen some cats that have stripes on their backs and spots on their tummies. Perhaps those are Spotted Mackerels!
Spotted Tabbies have bands of spots as opposed to stripes like Waffles. Their spots come in all sizes and some of them are so large they look like broken up stripes. We've seen some cats that have stripes on their backs and spots on their tummies. Perhaps those are Spotted Mackerels!
The Patched
Patched Tabbies are often called Totoiseshells, like our Tortie friends Allegra & Ruby from The Conscious Cat and Mudpie from Melissa's Mochas, Mysteries & Meows. We love the gorgeous mix of browns, grays, reds and orange they are known for. We hear they have a personality that rivals a certain orange mackerel. *ahem*
Purebreds
There are also many purebred cats that are considered tabbies too like our friend Summer from SparkleCat. She's an Abyssinian. (Correction!!! She's a Somali!) They can also be called a "Ticked Tabby." (Nothing to do with personality by the way!)
American Shorthairs, Maine Coons, Orientals, Ocicats and American Curls fall into the tabby category too.
American Shorthairs, Maine Coons, Orientals, Ocicats and American Curls fall into the tabby category too.
No WONDER there are millions of tabbies!
I'm a mackerel too and Crockett is a ticked tabby!
ReplyDeleteHuh - I did not know that. Sherpa has an M on his forehead. He is definitely orange though. I don't know where Stinky is at the moment but I suspect she is spotted. Thank you for the education
ReplyDeleteHey, Waffles, our Moko is a Mackerel, too. It's not just the "M" on the forehead, but the pattern of her stripes. She's a gray tabby. Our Arata is tabby w/ white, and I swear he "channels" you. Especially when there is chicken around, or when Moko doesn't want to be bothered by him. Our Moko is a special cat. She absolutely adores people, loves dogs, but doesn't like other cats.
ReplyDeleteI meant to say that Arata is an ORANGE tabby with white.
DeleteWe has a ticked, a spotted and two classics. Sounds like a fast food order! But Miss Jack and Harry say *Tuxies Rule!*
ReplyDeleteWe has a ticked, a spotted and two classics. Sounds like a fast food order! But Miss Jack and Harry say *Tuxies Rule!*
ReplyDeleteWe has the Tortie er Tabby type here...
ReplyDeleteWell I think we do.... If they stand still long enough.....
I'm actually a Somali... the longer-haired version of the Abyssinian, and yep, I'm a "ticked" tabby (meaning my fur has several bands of color on each and every strand) - the M on my forehead reveals the truth about my tabbiness! But I had no idea that Binga had anything remotely tabby! In fact, I thought the inverted V on her head was a bit silly! But apparently, it's actually an M with legs missing!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh!!! How EMBARRASSING!!!
Delete...uh, can we blame Waffles for this???
Wow! We didn't realize tabbies had so many varieties! Our Sam was a mackerel.
ReplyDeleteLucy is a Tabby and her fur has many different tabby shades but only 3/4 of the M on her head.
ReplyDeletewe got lots of tabby here - except for Mo who is a house panther. As for the "W" thing, we always knew Waffles' world view was a little lopsided :)
ReplyDeleteThe orange cat who came before (and gives the Woman the sweet spot for Waffles) was a classic tabby. He was a handsome fellow with the bullseye on his side!
ReplyDeleteHey, I think my kitty sister Pigeon is a Mackeral too!
ReplyDeleteWe have one mackerel, two patched - didn't know torties were considered tabbies either - and a lone tuxedo cat who is in full support of Katie's campaign for National Tuxedo Cat Day.
ReplyDeleteI like your tabby classifications better.
ReplyDeleteI always knew there was something fishy about Waffles...
ReplyDeleteRufus the Red and Mickey Mouser are both mackerals.
Our angel Tommie was a beautiful polydactyl classic.
It's about time that tabby cats had their own celebration day!
xxoo
Maggie, Mickey Mouser, and Rufus the Red
Whoohoo! Finally a day for the most handsomest cats in the whole world! ~Wally
ReplyDeleteWhoohoo! Finally a day for the most handsomest cats in the whole world! ~Wally
ReplyDeleteHey ! I'm a tortie too ! OK, I have some white spots, but I'm full of tortitude ! Pixie
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting blog. I didn't realize the different types of tabbies and gosh, there must be millions of tabbies out there.
ReplyDeleteShoko
http://canadiancats
Very interesting. I never thought of a tortie as a tabby. I wonder my tortie's fur is just too dark on her forehead to see the M. I will have to look closely!
ReplyDeleteThis is so interesting...every kitty here is a tabby except our tuxedo guy Mr Chang..so he is on your side Katie!
ReplyDeleteDidn't know that torties are tabbies. Whoa! They get to be two different color names. I'm part Russian Blue but I'm ticked and I have tabby stripes on my tail and legs.
ReplyDeleteHi Waffles! You might want to check out my Lady's post on tabby's! She's had at least one each of all types of tabby's in her life, including one that looks like you! Love Dolly
ReplyDeleteMudpie is deliriously happy that you included her alongside Ruby and Allegra! Such an honor.
ReplyDeleteCould I be a tabby dog?
ReplyDeleteSnorts,
Lily & Edward
Happy Tabby Cat Day!
ReplyDeleteHave a super weekend...
Noodle and crew
Have a great day Waffles!
ReplyDeleteI am a mackerel tabby too. Happy Tabby Day Waffles.
ReplyDelete