Breed Coloring
Color Class: Solid
White
Body: Pure glistening white.
Nose Leather & Paw Pads: Pink.
Black
Body: Dense coal black, sound from roots to tip of fur. Free from any tinge of rust on tips or smoke undercoat.
Nose Leather & Paw Pads: Black or brown.
Blue
Body: One level tone from nose to tip of tail. Sound to the roots.
Nose Leather & Paw Pads: Blue.
Red
Body: Deep, rich, clear, brilliant red; without shading, markings, or ticking. Lips and chin the same color as coat.
Nose Leather & Paw Pads: Brick red.
Cream
Body: One level shade of buff cream, without markings. Sound to the roots.
Nose Leather & Paw Pads: Pink.
Color Class: BiColor
Black & White
Body: A combination of black and white, with or without white on face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Blue & White
Body: A combination of blue and white, with or without white on face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Red & White
Body: A combination of red and white, with or without white on face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Cream & White
Body: A combination of cream and white, with or without white on face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Color Class: Parti-Color
Tortoiseshell
General: Black with patches of red or softly intermingled areas of red on both the body and the extremities. Presence of several shades of red acceptable.
Blue-Cream
General: Blue with patches of cream or softly intermingled areas of cream on both the body and the extremities.
Color Class: Parti-Color & White
Calico
General: White with unbridled patches of black and red. White predominant on underparts.
Dilute Calico
General: White with unbridled patches of blue and cream. White predominant on underparts.
Tortoiseshell & White
Body: Color as defined for tortoiseshell with or without white on the face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Blue-Cream & White
Body: Color as defined for blue-cream with or without white on the face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Color Class: Shaded & Smoke
Chinchilla Silver
Body: Undercoat pure white. Coat on back. flanks, head, and tail sufficiently tipped with black to give the characteristic sparkling silver appearance. Legs may be slightly shaded with tipping. Chin, ear tufts, stomach, and chest, pure white. Rims of eyes, lips, and nose outlined with black.
Nose Leather: Brick red.
Paw Pads: Black.
Shaded Silver
Body: Undercoat white with a mantle of black tipping shading down from sides, face, and tail from dark on the ridge to white on the chin, chest, stomach, and under the tail. Legs to be the same tone as the face. The general effect to be much darker than a chinchilla. Rims of eyes, lips, and nose outlined with black.
Nose Leather: Brick red.
Paw Pads: Black.
Chinchilla Blue-Silver
Body: Undercoat white. Coat on back, flanks, head, and tail sufficiently tipped with blue to give the characteristic sparkling silver appearance. Legs may be slightly shaded with tipping. Chin, ear tufts, stomach, and chest, pure white. Rims of eyes, lips, and nose outlined with blue.
Nose Leather & Paw Pads: Rose desirable.
Shaded Blue-Silver
Body: Undercoat white with a mantle of blue tip- ping shading down from sides, face, and tail from dark on the ridge to white on the chin, chest, stomach, and under the tail. Legs to be the same tone as the face. The general effect to be much darker than a blue chinchilla. Rims of eyes, lips, and nose outlined with blue.
Nose Leather & Paw Pads: Rose desirable.
Shell Cameo
Body: Undercoat white, the coat on the back, flanks, head, and tail to be sufficiently tipped with red to give the characteristic sparkling appearance. Face and legs may be very slightly shaded with tipping. Chin, ear tufts, stomach, and chest white.
Nose Leather, Rims of Eyes & Paw Pads: Rose.
Shaded Cameo
Body: Undercoat white with a mantle of red tipping shading down the sides, face, and tail. Face and legs may be a deeper shading than the rest of the body. Chin, ear furnishings, stomach and chest (ruff) to be white. The general effect to be much redder than the shell cameo.
Nose Leather, Rims of Eyes & Paw Pads: Rose.
Shell Cream
Body: Undercoat white, the coat on the back, flanks, head and tail to be lightly tipped with cream. Face and legs may be very slightly shaded with tipping. Chin, ear furnishings, stomach and chest (ruff) to be white.
Nose Leather, Rims of Eyes & Paw Pads: Rose.
Shaded Cream
Body: Undercoat white with a mantle of cream shading down the sides, face and tail, face and legs may be a deeper shading than the rest of the body. Chin, ear furnishings, stomach and chest (ruff) to be white.
Nose Leather, Rims of Eyes & Paw Pads: Rose.
Shell Tortoiseshell
Body: Undercoat white with a mantle of cream shading down the sides, face and tail, face and legs may be a deeper shading than the rest of the body. Chin, ear furnishings, stomach and chest (ruff) to be white.
Nose Leather, Rims of Eyes & Paw Pads: Rose to black, may also be patched.
Shaded Tortoiseshell
Body: Undercoat white. Mantle of black and red shading down the sides, face and tail. Face and legs may be a deeper shading than the rest of the body. Chin, ear furnishings, stomach and chest (ruff) may be white to lightly tipped. The general effect is to be much darker than the shell tortoiseshell.
Nose Leather, Rims of Eyes & Paw Pads: Rose to black, may also be patched.
Shell Blue-Cream
Body: Undercoat white. The coat on the back, flanks and tail to be lightly tipped with blue and shades of cream. Face and legs may be lightly shaded with tipping. Chin, ear furnishings, stomach and chest (ruff) may be white to very lightly tipped with shading.
Nose Leather, Rims of Eyes & Paw Pads: Rose to blue, may also be patched.
Shaded Blue-Cream
Body: Undercoat white. Mantle of blue and cream shading down the sides, face and tail. Face and legs may be a deeper shading than the rest of the body. Chin, ear furnishings, stomach and chest (ruff) may be white to lightly tipped. The general effect is to be much darker than the shell blue-cream.
Nose Leather, Rims of Eyes & Paw Pads: Rose to blue, may also be patched.
Black Smoke
Body: White undercoat, deeply tipped with black. Cat in repose appears black. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask black with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. Light silver frill and ear tufts.
Nose Leather & Paw Pads: Black.
Blue Smoke
Body: White undercoat, deeply tipped with blue. Cat in repose appears blue. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask blue with narrow band of white hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. White frill and ear tufts.
Nose Leather & Paw Pads: Blue.
Cameo Smoke
Body: White undercoat, deeply tipped with red. Cat in repose appears red. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask red with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted.
Nose Leather, Rims of Eyes & Paw Pads: Rose.
Cream Smoke
Body: Undercoat white, deeply tipped with cream. Cat in respose appears cream. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask cream with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted.
Nose Leather, Rims of Eyes & Paw Pads: Pink desirable.
Tortie Smoke
General: White undercoat, deeply tipped with black with patches of red or softly intermingled areas of red on both the body and the extremities. The presence of several shades of red is acceptable. Cat in repose appears tortoiseshell. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Face and ears tortoiseshell pattern with narrow band of white at the base of the hairs next to the skin that may be seen only when fur is parted. White ruff and ear tufts. Blaze of red or cream on face is desirable.
Blue-Cream Smoke
General: White undercoat, deeply tipped with blue, with clearly defined patches of cream as in the pattern of the blue-cream. Cat in repose appears blue-cream. In motion, the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Face and ears blue-cream pattern with narrow band of white at the base of the hairs next to the skin which may be seen only when the fur is parted. White ruff and ear tufts. Blaze of cream on face is desirable.
Color Class: Shaded/Smoke & White
Chinchilla Silver & White
Body: Color as defined for chinchilla silver with or without white on the face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Shaded Silver & White
Body: Color as defined for shaded silver with or without white on the face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Chinchilla Blue-Silver & White
Body: Color as defined for chinchilla blue-silver with or without white on the face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Shaded Blue-Silver & White
Body: Color as defined for shaded blue-silver with or without white on the face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Shell Cameo & White
Body: Color as defined for shell cameo with or without white on the face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Shaded Cameo & White
Body: Color as defined for shaded cameo with or without white on the face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Shell Cream & White
Body: Color as defined for shell cream with or without white on the face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Shaded Cream & White
Body: Color as defined for shaded cream with or without white on the face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Shell Tortoiseshell & White
Body: Color as defined for shell tortoiseshell with or without white on the face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Shaded Tortoiseshell & White
Body: Color as defined for shaded tortoiseshell with or without white on the face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Shell Calico
General: White with unbridled patches of black and shades of red. The coat on the back, flanks and tail to be lightly tipped with black and shades of red. Face and legs may be lightly shaded with tipping. Chin, ear furnishings, stomach and chest (ruff) may be white to very lightly tipped with shading. White predominate on the underparts of the cat.
Shaded Calico
General: White with unbridled patches of black and shades of red. Mantle of black and red shading down the sides, face and tail. Face and legs may be a deeper shading than the rest of the body. Chin, ear furnishings, stomach and chest (ruff) may be white to lightly tipped. The general effect is to be much darker than the shell calico. White predominate on the underparts of the cat.
Shell Blue-Cream & White
Body: Color as defined for shell blue-cream with or without white on the face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Shaded Blue-Cream & White
Body: Color as defined for shaded blue-cream with or without white on the face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Shell Dilute Cameo
General: White with unbridled patches of blue and shades of cream. Mantle of blue and cream shading down the sides, face and tail. Face and legs may be a deeper shading than the rest of the body. Chin, ear furnishings, stomach and chest (ruff) may be white to lightly tipped. The general effect is to be much darker than the shell dilute calico. White predominate on the underparts of the cat.
Black Smoke & White
Body: Color as defined for black smoke with or without white on the face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Blue Smoke & White
Body: Color as defined for blue smoke with or without white on the face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Cameo Smoke & White
Body: Color as defined for cameo smoke with or without white on the face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Cream Smoke & White
Body: Color as defined for cream smoke with or without white on the face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Tortie Smoke & White
Body: Color as defined for torti smoke with or without white on the face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Blue-Cream Smoke & White
Body: Color as defined for blue-cream smoke with or without white on the face.
Requirement: Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Calico Smoke
General: White with unbridled patches of black and shades of red. Black and red patches to have a white undercoat. White predominate on the underparts of the cat.
Dilute Calico Smoke
General: White with unbridled patches of blue and shades of cream. Blue and cream patches to have a white undercoat. White predominate on the underparts of the cat.
Color Class: Tabby
Brown Tabby
Body: Ground color brilliant coppery brown. Markings dense black. Back of leg black from paw to heel. White trim around lip and chin allowed.
Nose Leather & Paw Pads: Black or brown desirable.
Brown Patched Tabby
Body: Ground color brilliant coppery brown. Markings dense black with patches of red.
Nose Leather & Paw Pads: Brown, black or brick red desirable.
Silver Tabby
Body: Ground color pale, clear silver. Markings dense black. White trim around lip and chin allowed. Nose leather: brick red desirable.
Nose Leather & Paw Pads: Black desirable.
Silver Patched Tabby
Body: Ground color pale, clear silver. Markings dense black with patches of red and/or cream. White trim around lip and chin allowed.
Nose Leather: Brick red desirable.
Paw Pads: Black and/or pink desirable.
Red Tabby
Body: Ground color red. Markings deep, rich red. White trim around lip and chin allowed.
Nose Leather & Paw Pads: Brick red desirable.
Blue-Silver Tabby
Body: Ground color pale, clear silver. Markings a deep blue affording a good contrast with ground color. White trim around lip and chin allowed.
Nose Leather: Old rose desirable.
Paw Pads: Rose desirable.
Blue Patched Tabby
Body: Ground color pale, clear silver. Markings a deep blue with patches of cream. Undercoat white. White trim around lip and chin allowed.
Nose Leather: Old rose desirable.
Paw Pads: Rose and/or pink desirable.
Cream Tabby
Body: Ground color very pale cream. Markings of buff or cream sufficiently darker than the ground color to afford good contrast but remaining within the dilute range. White trim around lip and chin allowed.
Nose Leather & Paw Pads: Pink desirable.
Cream-Silver Tabby
Body: Ground color off-white. Markings cream. Undercoat white. Lips and chin the same shade as the rings around the eyes.
Nose Leather & Paw Pads: Pink desirable.
Cameo Tabby
Body: Ground color off-white. Markings red. Lips and chin the same shade as the rings around the eyes.
Nose Leather & Paw Pads: Rose desirable.
Color Class: Tabby & White
Brown Tabby & White
Color as defined for brown tabby with or without white on the face. Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Brown Patched Tabby & White
Ground color coppery brown. Markings dense black but with distribution of white markings as described in brown tabby with white. Color as described for patched tabby (torbie) with or without white on face. Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws.
Silver Tabby & White
Color is defined for the silver tabby with or without white on the face. Must have white on bib, belly, and all four feet.
Silver Patched Tabby & White
Color as described for silver patched tabby (torbie) with or without white on face. Must have white on bib, belly, and all four feet.
Red Tabby & White
Color as described for red tabby with or without white on face. Must have white on bib, belly, and all four feet.
Tabby & White
Color as defined for tabby with or without white on the face. Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws. Colors accepted are blue, blue-silver, cream, cream-silver, cameo.
Patched Tabby & White
Color as described for patched tabby (torbie) with or without white on face. Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws. Colors accepted are blue patched or blue-silver patched.
Color Class: Other
Miscellaneous
Any other color with the exception of those showing hybridization resulting in the colors chocolate, lavender, the Himalayan pattern; or these combinations with white. (Cats listed as AOV are to be registered and shown under AOV color class.)
Pattern – Classic Tabby
Markings dense, clearly defined, and broad. Legs evenly barred with bracelets coming up to meet the body markings. Tail evenly ringed. Several unbroken necklaces on neck and upper chest, the more the better. Frown marks on forehead form an intricate letter “M”. Unbroken line runs back from outer corner of eye. Swirls on cheeks. Vertical lines over back of head extend to shoulder markings which are in the shape of a butterfly with both upper and lower wings distinctly outlined and marked with dots inside outline. Back markings consist of a vertical line down the spine from butterfly to tail with a vertical stripe paralleling it on each side, the three stripes well separated by stripes of the ground color. Large solid blotch on each side to be encircled by one or more unbroken rings. Side markings should be the same on both sides. Double vertical rows of buttons on chest and stomach.
Pattern – Mackerel Tabby
Markings dense, clearly defined, and all narrow pencilings. Legs evenly barred with narrow bracelets coming up to meet the body markings. Tail barred. Necklaces on neck and chest distinct, like so many chains. Head barred with an “M” on the forehead. Unbroken lines running back from the eyes. Lines running down the head to meet the shoulders. Spine lines run together to form a narrow saddle. Narrow pencilings run around body.
Pattern – Ticked Tabby
Shows pronounced ticking on body and when viewed from above will show darkening at the dorsal crest but will otherwise be free from pattern or any noticeable spots, stripes or blotches. Body hairs will be ticked with various shades of marking color and ground color. The cat will show full tabby markings on face and legs and the lighter underside may also show tabby markings.
Downloads
Page Content
© The Cat Fanciers’ Association, Inc.