Tuxedo cat
Also called: Tuxedo, Black and white cat, Cat with a bib.
Black from head to toe apart from a white shirt front, paws and often the chin or a moustache: as if dressed for a black-tie evening. It is one of the most recognisable coats among domestic cats, and it is not a breed.
What it looks like
Black (or, in a broader sense, grey or another solid colour) with a white bib on the chest, white paws like socks or gloves, a white belly and, often, the chin, muzzle or a patch on the nose. With more white, it becomes a bicolour.
The genetics, made simple
It is a black cat (non-agouti, with no orange or dilution) with a small or medium amount of the white spotting gene. The white, as in all cats with patches, appears where the pigment cells reach least: chest, belly, paws and face. There is no tuxedo gene: it is simply a name for a particular amount of white.
Myths and what science says
“Tuxedos are cleverer”
It goes round the internet, just like the one about dim ginger cats. There is no basis for it: the pattern says nothing about intelligence.
Fun facts
- Sylvester, from the Warner cartoons, and Dr. Seuss’s Cat in the Hat are tuxedo cats.
- Humphrey, the Downing Street cat in the 1990s, was black and white.
- Tuxedos with a black patch above the lip on a white muzzle have become internet famous for looking as if they have a moustache.
Does it affect its health?
The pattern does not cause disease. As in any cat with white, the pink skin of the nose can burn in the sun.
Breeds where it appears or is typical
This coat turns up in plenty of moggies. These are breeds where it is common, characteristic or accepted; under each one, the colours the breed comes in.
European Shorthair
Shorthair · Europe
Almost all: tabby, black, white, bicolour, tortoiseshell, red…; no colourpoint, chocolate or lilac in pedigree cats
Maine Coon
Forest · United States
Almost all; the classic is brown tabby. No colourpoint in most registries
Norwegian Forest Cat
Forest · Norway
Almost all except colourpoint, chocolate, lilac, cinnamon and fawn; lots of white and tabby
Persian
Persian · Iran / United Kingdom
Almost all: white, black, blue, cream, chinchilla, golden, bicolour, tortoiseshell…
British Shorthair
Shorthair · United Kingdom
Blue (the classic), black, white, cream, lilac, chocolate, silver, golden, bicolours, colourpoint…
Cornish Rex
Rex & hairless · United Kingdom
All
Devon Rex
Rex & hairless · United Kingdom
All, including colourpoint
Frequently asked questions
Is the tuxedo cat a breed?
No. It is a pattern: black with a white bib, paws and belly. It appears mostly in ordinary domestic cats.
What is the difference between a tuxedo and a bicolour?
The amount of white. A tuxedo has little (chest, paws, face); a bicolour, between a third and half of its body.
Why does my black cat have a white spot on its chest?
It is the white spotting gene at a very low grade. If it is just a small spot, it is called a locket.
Educational content from Michipedia. The genetics of coat colour are simplified so they are easy to follow; colour tells you nothing about the personality of a particular cat.