Bicolor cat

A bicolor cat (also bi-color cat or Tuxedo Cat) is a cat with white fur combined with fur of some other color, for example, solid black, tabby, or colorpointed.^[1] There are various patterns of a bicolor cat. The coat patterns range from the Van-patterned, which has color on the tail and crown of the head, to a solid color with a throat locket or medallion.^{[citation needed]} Bicolor coats are found in many cat breeds and are in domestic longhair and domestic shorthair cats.^{[citation needed]}

Tuxedo cats have a low-to-medium grade white spotting limited to the face, paws, throat, and chest of an otherwise black cat. This nickname is used in the United States. ^{[citation needed]} Van-patterned cats have high-grade bicolor, which is typical for the Turkish Van breed. There are many patterns, such as "cap-and-saddle", "mask-and-mantle" and "harlequin" (also known as "magpie").^[2]

Solid-color bicolor cats occur because there is a white spotting gene present with a recessive allele of the agouti gene. The agouti gene evens out the striped pattern within coat colors. In contrast, tabby cats have an agouti gene that produces striping of the coat. The Abyssinian has agouti (ticked tabby) fur, giving the appearance of even color with color-banded hairs.