At the adoption centre and within the rescue, we see many black and white cats and kittens, each with a unique coat pattern. With a black and white kitten or cat, you definitely have a ‘one of a kind’ pet.
Did You Know?
- The most common eye colour for black and white cats is green but all black and white kittens have blue eyes. Their eyes will change colour around one month of age.
- Their fur can be long or short.
- There are an equal number of males and females.
- They are not a distinct breed but black and white coats are prominent in several purebreds such as Maine Coon, Cornish Rex, Manx, Persian and Siberian, to name a few.
- Most tuxedo cats have white whiskers.
- Tuxedo cats were worshiped in Ancient Egypt
- The gene for tuxedo cats distinctive white spotting is dominant, so it only takes one parent with this gene to pass it on.
Coat Patterns
There are various black and white patterns: tuxedo, van, cap and saddle, cow, Thai, blanket, tips, etc. The article, 11 Fascinating Facts (linked below), describes these patterns.
Famous Black & White Cats
There have been famous black and white cats like Felix the Cat, Sylvester of cartoon fame, Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat and Disney’s Figaro. The cats pictured above are all former HALR felines.
Unsinkable Sam
One remarkable tuxedo was named Unsinkable Sam. He survived the sinking of not one but three ships during war time: The German Bismarck in 1939 (the cat and only 118 crew out of 2200 survived), the torpedoed HMS Cossack in 1941, and the HMS Ark Royal, also torpedoed in 1941.
After the third sinking, he was transferred to a job on land and spent his days hunting mice in the building of the Governor General in Gibraltar. Eventually, he was sent back to the UK where he remained at a ‘Home for Sailors’ in Belfast until the end of his earthly days in 1955. See the link below for the full story and photos.