The Colors of Cats

White is white, and black is black, right?

Well, not quite when it comes to colors of cats. In the cat fancy, one color can have a number of different names depending upon the breed. For example, “black” is “black” in most breeds, but when the cat is an Oriental, “black” is called “ebony.” A cat that you may think is “grey” is really called “blue.” An “orange” cat is called “red.”

Here’s a look at some colors and the correct terminology for them:

Common name: Orange or Ginger

Correct name: Red

Common name: Gray

Correct name: Blue

Common name: Tuxedo

Correct name: Black and White Bi-Color

Common name: Tri-color or Harlequin

Correct name: Calico

Now that you know a little bit more about colors, how about patterns??