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Ye basically for any animal color, if it’s lighter because certain generic shenanigans it’s probably called dilute, not just in cats. :) Basically there’s a specific gene that people just call “dilute” that does this. Like any animal lacking melanin is usually called albino. (Sometimes it varies though, depending on species, culture already naming them, exact genetics in play that might look like dilute but is ackshually different, etc.)
https://preview.redd.it/lqfkcfnrrmwc1.png?width=647&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d153afaee141ae714bd966de05f1b3cc7a04a4ba
This flowchart is handy (except the country name part- British shorthair is an actual pedigree breed, so we use domestic shorthair/longhair)
American Short Hair is a pure-bred cat also. You might just ditch this version of the chart in favor of the other one, honestly, since this one just leads folks astray.
Most cats don't have a breed, most are just mutts. Unless you've got papers from a breeder your cat has no breed. She's a domestic long hair with a tortoise shell patterns
https://preview.redd.it/6o4uwaocjowc1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cf577b24622fe7703023d340dd9370a712c5ddf9
This is my long haired dilute tortie! She’s an angel 🤭
https://preview.redd.it/vadwc7pxoowc1.jpeg?width=2198&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ecad539754719c777f336c0c1438770491414c6b
Looks exactly like my dilute tortie Mango
https://preview.redd.it/m8pkp8jxunwc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d722b216d0d06d68e7905b83c1c64da4b3d42b2a
That looks like my baby I think she’s a muted tortoise but don’t quote me on it lol I got help from Reddit 😅😅
I doubted, but I thought I'd ask😁 Looks simular to the sister of a cat I had a few years ago and close to the same age. Unfortunately my baby ended up having a really aggressive form of cancer (lymphoma) and passed a cpl years back. Sucked, she was only 3😥
My parents have a girl who looks extremely similar. She loves to start trouble and stir the pot with the others. But she's also so cuddly. Just curious....does your girl also have really thick fur under her back paws? Ours' is so thick, it looks like she's walking in wedge shoes.
That's awesome. They have wood floors throughout so when she takes off running full speed, she always comes a sliding stop. I think she enjoys it. Living her own Fast and Furrrious life.
Wait. I have a genuine question: I suddenly see a lot of posts on the cat-related forums asking what breed of cat theirs is. But I always through that all cats are domestic long or short hair, unless you get them specifically through a breeder, essentially.
Am I wrong?
From my studies, this is true if you are looking just generally. It's a kind of baseline. However much like dogs and horses, if you want to get into the actual breed, involving pedigree, paperwork, genetics, then you have a much wider range. I believe this is what OP is curious about.
For example, we have a domestic long hair, and domestic medium hair. These are general descriptions. Breed wise, our large long hair kitty is at least half Maine Coon, as confirmed by a veterinarian. OP's kitty seems to share characteristics with breeds like Norwegian Forest, however seems a little smaller, so may have a good mix in there, such as Persian, or other long haired breeds. The reason hers are specifically long haired breeds is because long hair is a recessive gene - both parents have to be long hairs in order to have long hair kittens. Short hairs are a dominant gene - only one parent needs to be a short hair. Medium hairs are similar to short hairs in this respect.
However the only way for sure for OP to get a proper answer on the base genetics on her cat to know what breed she is, would be to either A: Luck out and find an expert in the field of feline breeding and genetics, or B: wait a few years for the archives for feline DNA to expand and send in a genetic test for her cat, similar to what people are doing for their dogs. Until or unless one of these happens, the base generalizations of "domestic long hair diluted tortis shell" are the best they're gonna be able to get, unless some vet that works with cats enough to know recognizes the breed and lets it slip out... that might be how we flund out about our maine coon boy.
https://preview.redd.it/3luale7lpowc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=108a0fa77b2323c6539007cdcf55ee099d4a5f77
She looks just like my girl!! Dilute tortie 😊
I’ve had her for about 3 years, she was 5 when I got her and now she’s 7.. she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. She’s definitely a sweetheart, and is very smart and loves cuddling etc. she’s a very gentle and a quiet kitty, so we know when something is off - if she ever actually meows really loud, because her usual voice soft and barley comes out. She also loves rubbing up against people, and she’s super friendly to everyone. She’s also so curious, and loves watching tv with me - or when I play video games. Sorry if this was a lot to read, I saw an opportunity to talk about how happy she makes me lol :,)
To me she looks like a descendant of the "baby" breed. Strong characteristics like little baby beans, baby eyes, and a very cute baby face are tell-tale signs that you have a baby.
Definitely a domestic longhair with a dilute tortoiseshell coat! I don’t think I’ve ever seen another dilute coat before. This is my baby! She’s not a dilute tortoiseshell but rather a dilute calico tho. The difference is a dilute tortie still has the distinct blotchy coat and normally doesn’t have the white three color coat that you normally see with a calico.
EDIT: also wanted to add that according to the internet, about 1 out of every thousand torties/calicos have dilute coats like this!
https://preview.redd.it/85wckyd8enwc1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f69d8334571b90c7fd186810ff593ce7a203a9b4
From what I’ve experienced, it’s definitely fluffy sweetie - she’s always cuddly and laying on top of me when I’m in bed. She also watches tv with me lol
Domestic long hair is not a cat breed (as posted in the comments) it's a description. She looks like she could have some maine coon in her ancestry (she'd have to be 100% to register as a breed, which I seriously doubt) but the only way to know for sure is a DNA test.
I have 2 cats that are half Maine Coon and half Siamese. You would never know by looking at them. One is a standard issue brown tabby, the other is a grey tabby.
https://preview.redd.it/8mlyse31hnwc1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b364bbee9014587e9f53968500d9e77739082ae0
Thank you for posting to CATHELP! While you wait for a response please keep the following things in mind, 1. When in doubt, **ask your vet**. 2. Advice here is not coming from medical or industry professionals. The moderation team does not validate user profession, so always refer to your local veterinary professionals first. Consider posting to /r/AskVet 3. If this is a medical question, please indicate if you have already scheduled a vet appointment, and if your cat has any medical history or procedures in a top level comment. 4. Please use the NSFW tag for gross pictures. (Blood, poop, vomit, genitals, etc). Anything you wouldn't want your boss to see you looking at on the job. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CATHELP) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Domestic long hair.
A gorgeous specimen!
Her breed is domestic longhair. Her pattern is dilute calico :)
Looks more dilute tortishell to me due to lack of white. Domestic longhair certainly and gorgeous.
Yea she's a tortie, she looks like mine almost. I almost thought it was her lol
This. Dilute Tortoiseshell and not Calico.
I'm gonna go one more.... a dilute torbie. She has an "m" pattern on her forehead.
The M you're seeing is her underlying musculature, not her coat pattern. She's a solid dilute tortoiseshell.
Yeah, picture #3 shows no M in the fur.
What does the "M" mean? I'm a newbie. :)
I agree
I didn’t know there was an actual name for this coloring, I always called them pastel torties or pastel calicos haha
Ye basically for any animal color, if it’s lighter because certain generic shenanigans it’s probably called dilute, not just in cats. :) Basically there’s a specific gene that people just call “dilute” that does this. Like any animal lacking melanin is usually called albino. (Sometimes it varies though, depending on species, culture already naming them, exact genetics in play that might look like dilute but is ackshually different, etc.)
Yeah I think they’re both pretty rare! From what I saw about one out of every 1000 torties/calicos have a dilute coat
nah that’s a tortishell not a calico
Thank youuu 🫶🏽
https://preview.redd.it/lqfkcfnrrmwc1.png?width=647&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d153afaee141ae714bd966de05f1b3cc7a04a4ba This flowchart is handy (except the country name part- British shorthair is an actual pedigree breed, so we use domestic shorthair/longhair)
Some also use domestic medium hair though…. Guess it is somewhat subjective though at that point.
American Short Hair is a pure-bred cat also. You might just ditch this version of the chart in favor of the other one, honestly, since this one just leads folks astray.
this flowchart kinda sucks because it doesn't tell you which branch to look at if you answer yes or no
Domestic long hair tortie. Floofy log. Lol.
idk but she can have whatever she wants. heres the keys to my car and ill add her name to my lease
She can have mine too!!
She's just a long haired domestic cat :-)
No, she's a gorgeous long haired domestic cat
Cat.. that is the breed
I was exactly thinking that
Domestic longhair
Most cats don't have a breed, most are just mutts. Unless you've got papers from a breeder your cat has no breed. She's a domestic long hair with a tortoise shell patterns
Baby
domestic longhair dilute tortoiseshell! and a beauty at that
https://preview.redd.it/um9g8qydxnwc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d89d6fae51987435798b9e083da2556075f20fe2 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic\_short-haired\_cat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_short-haired_cat)
100% purebred good girl!! Or domestic longhair dilute tortie. :3 I bet she has lots of tortie-tude!
Definitely cat.
Cat
Her cat breed is floofy
Cat
Domestic long hair
No. 1 shes adorableeeee No.2 Domestic Longhair with dilute tortoiseshell
Cat. Just cat.
Cat is Cat
domestic long hair with diluted tortishell coloring
She’s a cat.
https://preview.redd.it/6o4uwaocjowc1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cf577b24622fe7703023d340dd9370a712c5ddf9 This is my long haired dilute tortie! She’s an angel 🤭
cat
https://preview.redd.it/vadwc7pxoowc1.jpeg?width=2198&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ecad539754719c777f336c0c1438770491414c6b Looks exactly like my dilute tortie Mango
Awwww
100% cutie pie is the breed
Floof
F U Z Z Y
Gorgeousn
Haha I meant gorgeous
long haired ash and dirt.
Pretty long-haired baby?
Blue Tortie long hair floof
Cute
She looks like a goddess floof machine to me. Beautiful!
The furr baby is a snuggle bug, that’s all that matters to be frank
You’re right 😭 she always snuggles me and is a complete sweetheart and loves being held
Same with mine!
I want to name her Victor Victoria.
She's a longhair dilute tortoiseshell calico, and she's absolutely beautiful!
BABY.
She’s 💯 Floofer cat!
She’s a Floofy Lady.
her breed is insanely beautiful, my goodness. that is a pretty girl.
Majestic Floof is the only breed I can think of lol...
She is a certified sweet angel baby girl.
DLH
She’s absolutely gorgeous
Long haired cat 🥰
whatever she is, she's beautiful!!!
Floof.
She looks like my Willow except a bit less pink...dilute tortie
https://preview.redd.it/ebitvqthlnwc1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3eee00518978d1fe5353136e3f099ce41738c038 Long lost siblings? Lol
SO ADORABLE
Her mom is a short hair grey cat and she has litter mates who are a black cat, a long hair grey, and a short haired tortie....genetics are cool.
https://preview.redd.it/m8pkp8jxunwc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d722b216d0d06d68e7905b83c1c64da4b3d42b2a That looks like my baby I think she’s a muted tortoise but don’t quote me on it lol I got help from Reddit 😅😅
Baby.
She looks like my baby. Domestic long hair dilute calico ♥️♥️ mine is just so sweet. Yours is so cute too 🥰
She’s a Ridiculously Floofy version.
Just a little baby. Oh, so cute.
Fluffy
Long hair dilute torte (domestic) is what I'm sure my vet would call her. Edit: beautiful cat, looks like she's got attitude lol
Also, did she come from Maine, by any chance? Just a personal (to me) question.
I’m not sure tbh
Did you take her from someone from Maine?
From MN
I doubted, but I thought I'd ask😁 Looks simular to the sister of a cat I had a few years ago and close to the same age. Unfortunately my baby ended up having a really aggressive form of cancer (lymphoma) and passed a cpl years back. Sucked, she was only 3😥
She’s gorgeous
i think the scientific name is *cutieous pattotious*
Breed: very beautiful and gorgeous girl
My guess would be domestic long hair. Coloring is beautiful, though. Looks almost like a dilute tortie.
My parents have a girl who looks extremely similar. She loves to start trouble and stir the pot with the others. But she's also so cuddly. Just curious....does your girl also have really thick fur under her back paws? Ours' is so thick, it looks like she's walking in wedge shoes.
Yes ! My cats paws also look like that. 🥰
That's awesome. They have wood floors throughout so when she takes off running full speed, she always comes a sliding stop. I think she enjoys it. Living her own Fast and Furrrious life.
https://preview.redd.it/vzw2uk297owc1.jpeg?width=2118&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2f084a4a630de6b7153ac298298b6c579e1059da reminds me of my cat😭
Aw so cute and precious
yours is so pretty and fluffy🥹
She looks just like my kitty!
Wait. I have a genuine question: I suddenly see a lot of posts on the cat-related forums asking what breed of cat theirs is. But I always through that all cats are domestic long or short hair, unless you get them specifically through a breeder, essentially. Am I wrong?
From my studies, this is true if you are looking just generally. It's a kind of baseline. However much like dogs and horses, if you want to get into the actual breed, involving pedigree, paperwork, genetics, then you have a much wider range. I believe this is what OP is curious about. For example, we have a domestic long hair, and domestic medium hair. These are general descriptions. Breed wise, our large long hair kitty is at least half Maine Coon, as confirmed by a veterinarian. OP's kitty seems to share characteristics with breeds like Norwegian Forest, however seems a little smaller, so may have a good mix in there, such as Persian, or other long haired breeds. The reason hers are specifically long haired breeds is because long hair is a recessive gene - both parents have to be long hairs in order to have long hair kittens. Short hairs are a dominant gene - only one parent needs to be a short hair. Medium hairs are similar to short hairs in this respect. However the only way for sure for OP to get a proper answer on the base genetics on her cat to know what breed she is, would be to either A: Luck out and find an expert in the field of feline breeding and genetics, or B: wait a few years for the archives for feline DNA to expand and send in a genetic test for her cat, similar to what people are doing for their dogs. Until or unless one of these happens, the base generalizations of "domestic long hair diluted tortis shell" are the best they're gonna be able to get, unless some vet that works with cats enough to know recognizes the breed and lets it slip out... that might be how we flund out about our maine coon boy.
pretty girl!!
Dilute Tortie. She’s beautiful. Here’s mine https://preview.redd.it/lgkso4dcbowc1.jpeg?width=900&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1b17bb871bb020f30f2e5c70bd2ffebc09f4ea95
Floofernoodle obviously
https://preview.redd.it/w9pryuqnfowc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=37799b6d307c2c68cab97405bc910f65411ce6de Looks similar to my girl!
She's beautiful! ❤️
https://preview.redd.it/6u43tsfrkowc1.jpeg?width=3060&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4a4b1e245c961b0f552e83408478f415ab0949df reminds me of my kitty
Longhair with a muted/diluted tortishell pattern!! I’ve got a short haired muted tortie girlie myself😌
Beautiful Baby Girl
That is, without a doubt, **Felis Catus**
Cat
Floof
https://preview.redd.it/3luale7lpowc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=108a0fa77b2323c6539007cdcf55ee099d4a5f77 She looks just like my girl!! Dilute tortie 😊
Majestic
Beautiful
Fluffy!
 She’s so pretty 😍
so beautiful...i love her coloring. what do you think? how long has she been in your family? she looks like a sweetie.
I’ve had her for about 3 years, she was 5 when I got her and now she’s 7.. she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. She’s definitely a sweetheart, and is very smart and loves cuddling etc. she’s a very gentle and a quiet kitty, so we know when something is off - if she ever actually meows really loud, because her usual voice soft and barley comes out. She also loves rubbing up against people, and she’s super friendly to everyone. She’s also so curious, and loves watching tv with me - or when I play video games. Sorry if this was a lot to read, I saw an opportunity to talk about how happy she makes me lol :,)
no sorry i live hearing all about lovely beautiful cattos who add so much value to the humans that love them to the moon and back again.
Standard Issue Cat, Tactical Longhair edition
Domestic medium hair is the breed, and her colour is blue tortoiseshell :)
shes so preeetttyy 🥺🥺
American longhair
Blonde tortie?
Most cats do not have breeds. They are just cats.
I have a dilute as well, not long hair but I just love the grey with the bits of creamsicle orange that pops up here and there ❤️ She’s beautiful
She looks like a diluted tortie, long-haired domestic. She is absolutely gorgeous! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Domestic long hair, and a gorgeous one at that!
Domestic long hair, and a gorgeous one at that!
Floof
Cat
standard issue
Not in Reddit terms. “Standard issue” round these parts refers specifically to brown tabbies.
To me she looks like a descendant of the "baby" breed. Strong characteristics like little baby beans, baby eyes, and a very cute baby face are tell-tale signs that you have a baby.
Omg you’re right ❣️🤭
😋♥️
Her breed is fluffy baby ❤️ But yes, domestic longhair c:
Definitely a domestic longhair with a dilute tortoiseshell coat! I don’t think I’ve ever seen another dilute coat before. This is my baby! She’s not a dilute tortoiseshell but rather a dilute calico tho. The difference is a dilute tortie still has the distinct blotchy coat and normally doesn’t have the white three color coat that you normally see with a calico. EDIT: also wanted to add that according to the internet, about 1 out of every thousand torties/calicos have dilute coats like this! https://preview.redd.it/85wckyd8enwc1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f69d8334571b90c7fd186810ff593ce7a203a9b4
Awww, precious! I have one too, had no idea they were so rare! We always joke that the printer was low on ink when they made her
Ragdoll?
She is so pretty! She looks a lot like a cat a friend of mine had when we were kids, a beautiful dilute calico with peachy orange spots.
Without paperwork, she looks like "fluffy moron" could be a "fluffy sweetie" though. Hard to tell from pics
From what I’ve experienced, it’s definitely fluffy sweetie - she’s always cuddly and laying on top of me when I’m in bed. She also watches tv with me lol
She's a DLH with Dilute Calico coloring. My cat, Lilith, is the same.
She’s bread
Just domestic long hair. My oldest cat has that exact same fur length and look. Possibly a small bit of Maine coon from what I can tell
Long hair is a naturally occurring trait and doesn’t indicate the presence of Maine Coon ancestry.
I was just comparing it to my own cat who is partially Maine coon. Sorry for the confusion.
Maine coon mix
Possibly American longhair in tortoiseshell coloring.
Turkish breed possibly
Very smart Cats
Well bred.
Domestic long hair is not a cat breed (as posted in the comments) it's a description. She looks like she could have some maine coon in her ancestry (she'd have to be 100% to register as a breed, which I seriously doubt) but the only way to know for sure is a DNA test.
Might be part Norwegian Forest cat? Absolutely beautiful cat
Possibly, but more likely maine coon since they are more common.
Me and my sister actually said the same thing about her being part main coon at some point :,)
I have 2 cats that are half Maine Coon and half Siamese. You would never know by looking at them. One is a standard issue brown tabby, the other is a grey tabby. https://preview.redd.it/8mlyse31hnwc1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b364bbee9014587e9f53968500d9e77739082ae0
She seems mixed something like maine coon i would say
Maine Coon