Cats don’t care about their mate’s coat color or pattern

Domestic and feral cats do not have a ‘color prejudice’ concerning their coats.

Of all the aspects of a domestic cat’s anatomy, people are most interested in the cat’s coat. Potential adopters often have distinct preferences. Some people like tabbies while others prefer the tricolour coat and pattern (tortie-and-white). Long fur is popular in purebred cats as evidenced by the exceptionally long fur of the ever popular Persian.

However, here’s the interesting thing: the cats themselves couldn’t care less about the coat color of the cat with whom they are going to mate. It is not on their radar. That’s the way it appears. Although there have been no studies to confirm this. I am not sure we need them because layperson observations confirm it.




We don’t see female cats with tortoiseshell coats avoiding male cats with black coats or tuxedo males getting priority from the females over tabby males when it comes to mating.

There may be an indirect connection between a female preferring a cat with a tabby coat over e.g. a white coat. The white coat is more conspicuous which may make hunting trickier which in turn, for a feral cat, may result in the cat looking less healthy. The female may pick this up and spurn the male.

However, the fact that cats are disinterested in coat colour says something about humans. We are too obsessed with appearance especially concerning domestic cats. Cats are more practical and pragmatic aren’t they?

Idea and some detail: Cat Sense by Dr Bradshaw.