The Tuxedo Cat
Not a Breed!

Is the kitten in the picture above
a member of the tuxedo cat breed? Yes and no.

The tuxedo cat is in fact, not a breed at all, but a black and white bicolor coat pattern. The discussion on coat types, patterns and colors gets a little muddy depending upon what sources you trust.

The book, For the Love of Cats defines it this way: a cat with a coat that has some white in it is considered parti-color. There are many variations of parti-color patterns. The most common pattern in parti-colors is the bicolor, which is two-thirds color (or pattern, such as tabby), and one-third white, or the inverse of that.

A black-over-white (one-third white) bicolor coat is your "typical" tuxedo. The black fur covers most of the back and the tail. They often have a white face with a black "mask" effect. Some of them will have black spots on their faces, or a "goatee" effect of black on the chin. In addition, they have a white underbelly (chest and abdomen), and lower legs and paws.

Tuxedo Cats in Breeds

Different countries and registries define breed, color, and coat standards a little differently. The CFA, for example, has an interesting story of the history of parti-color Persians. This description doesn't mention any requirement, however, for white.

Some breeds are accepted in bicolor black and white by certain associations of the cat fancy. Many black and white cats are accepted for showing even if the pattern differs from that of a tuxedo pattern. Breed identity is defined by each registry, but some of the breeds accepted in black and white are the Manx, the Persian, the Norwegian Forest Cat, and the Maine Coon. Oriental cat breeds do not show in this color combination.

Famous Tuxedo Cats

There hadn't been a cat in the White House for 12 years (Since Amy Carter's Siamese cat, Misty Malarky Ying Yang, vacated the position).

Socks had his own newsletter and fan club.

Of course, he is always unsuccessful. This either makes him the most persistent cat in the world, or the worst hunter of the feline species, or both.

He may, however, actually be the most well known and famous tuxedo adorned kitty ever.

Jellicle Cats

I first encountered the term "Jellicle cat" in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, CATS. CATS is based on T.S. Eliot's (much older) collection of poems, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. The musical, however, doesn't strictly follow the original work upon which it is based.

According to Eliot's poem, The Song of the Jellicles these cats are black and white, smallish, have cheerful faces, and pleasant voices. They rest during the day, and come out at night and dance under the Jellicle Moon at the Jellicle Ball. In Lord Webber's musical, however, the Jellicles are not strictly black and white, but exhibit a variety of coat patterns.

Topics Related to Tuxedo Cat

The calico cat is another coat pattern and not a breed

Tabby is also a coat pattern, and it comes in many colors. Some bicolors can have tabby patterns

Books on felines, including information on breeds, coats, and colors