Tuxedo Cat: Info, Fun Facts & Care Guide
27.01.2022.
Cat owners know cats come in all sorts of colors and coat lengths. There are even bald cats, like the Sphynx, and cats with beautiful long coats, like the Persian. However, there is something special about the dashing coat color of the tuxedo cat. You probably noticed the unique color combination and distribution tuxedo cats have. Their coat color gives the impression of the cat being ready for a very high-class event. The only thing tuxedo cats are missing is a monocle. Here’s what you should know about the tuxedo cat.
What type of cat is the tuxedo cat?
The first thing all cat lovers should know about these cats is that the tuxedo cat is not actually a breed. Tuxedo is simply a coat pattern with a unique color placement that gives the impression of a cat wearing a tuxedo. Different cat breeds can inherit this unique coat pattern, and some of them are;
Tuxedo cat personality
We established that tuxedo cats can belong to different cat breeds, which means their temperaments will most likely be in line with the whole breed. For example, if the American Shorthair comes in a tuxedo pattern, the tuxedo American Shorthair will have a personality that fits the breed. That means the cat will be moderately active, adaptable, affectionate, and calm. However, other breeds with the tuxedo pattern can have different character traits. All future tuxedo cat owners should know they can get a cat with different characters, so they must study the temperament of the breed they are interested in.
Tuxedo cat fun facts
Here at World Cat Finder, we absolutely love learning interesting things about specific cat breeds and cats in general. Writing about the tuxedo cats got us really interested in their fun facts, so we decided to dig a bit deeper and see what tuxedo cats have to offer. Here are our favorite tuxedo cat fun facts;
1. The richest cat in the world
Cat owners can be crazy about their cats (trust us, we know!), and one American cat owner topped them all. He had a tuxedo cat called Sparky. After he passed away in 1998, he left his cat an inheritance of 6.3 million dollars. We only hope Sparky invested it wisely and didn’t get hooked on catnip.
2. Egyptian Gods
Cats have a long history in Egypt. They were worshipped there, and even Egyptian goddesses were depicted as cats. You might have heard many Egyptian artifacts include hieroglyphics of cats, but did you know that more than 70% of those cats were tuxedo cats? They were absolutely adored in Ancient Egypt, which is a true testament to this coat pattern’s popularity. It seems that tuxedoes never go out of style!
3. Famous tuxedo cats
Humans were captured by cats for thousands of years, so it is not a huge surprise many tuxedo cats became famous and had famous owners. The most famous owners include William Shakespeare, Sir Isaac Newton, Bill Clinton, and Beethoven. These cats were even included in pop culture. Mr. Mistoffelees from the Broadway show cats is a tuxedo cat. Sylvestre from Looney Toones and Cat in the Hat (a character from Dr. Seuss) are tuxies as well.
4. War hero
Humans used animals in wars for thousands of years. However, we mostly used horses and dogs, but one tuxedo cat called Simon was a World War II hero. He was taken to the western front and was entrusted with keeping the British army’s food supplies rodent-free. He received a medal for his service after the war ended.
5. Piebald
Tuxedo cats earned the name for their distinct pattern. However, the correct name of that pattern is piebald. This is a fairly common pattern in the animal kingdom. It is present in horses, dogs, birds, snakes, deer, and many other species. It can be defined as having a white coat with large colored patches.
Tuxedo cat care guide
If you’re looking into becoming a tuxedo cat owner, you should know how to properly care for your cat. Even though tuxedo cats are not a distinctive breed, they still have needs that need to be fulfilled. If you do that, you will have a healthy and happy cat. Here are the most important things to remember;
1. Nutrition
The first thing your tuxedo cat will need is high-quality cat food. Good nutrition will improve your cat’s overall health, and it can significantly prolong your cat’s life. Poor cat foods often use taste inhibitors and preservatives that are not the healthiest option for cats.
2. Grooming
The good news is that cats mostly take care of grooming themselves. However, since tuxedo cats can be of different breeds, the exact amount of grooming should be adapted to the breed. Still, your cat will need occasional brushing, bathing, and groomer visits. You should check your cat’s ears and clip its nails regularly.
3. Socialization
We all want our cats to be as friendly as possible. The best way to ensure that is to socialize your cat while they’re still kittens. Make sure your cat is exposed to different sights, sounds, surfaces, dogs, other cats, and people. Your cat will become familiar with those things and learn to react in any situation.
4. Physical activity
Some cats can be notoriously lazy. However, physical activity is vital for the cat’s health. You should ensure your cat has plenty of physical activity so its health remains peachy. You can achieve that by getting your cat trees to climb on or an exercise wheel to run on.
In conclusion
Tuxedo cats are not a distinct breed. “Tuxedo” is a coat pattern that combines black and white colors in such a way that makes the cat look like it’s wearing a tuxedo. These cats can be of different breeds and can have different coat lengths. This coat pattern has been popular for thousands of years, and these cats were worshipped in Egypt.
World Cat Finder Team
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