The Vet’s Tabby Cat Guide: Facts, Care, and Training Tips

A household name, tabby cats are known for their distinct tiger-like pattern, but in reality, the term Tabby cat is not a specific breed, but actually encompasses a range of breeds! This means that the Tabby cat varies in temperament, pattern and size. They are often low-maintenance, and don’t show health issues as frequently as some other purebred cats.

• Tabby cats are not a specific breed, but rather a coat pattern that can be found in many different breeds of domestic cats. The tabby pattern is believed to have originated in ancient Egypt and spread throughout the world by traders.

• Tabby cats are easily recognised by their distinctive coat pattern, which features stripes, dots, or swirling patterns on their fur. They come in many different colours and are known for their expressive eyes and playful personalities.

• Tabby cats are often described as friendly, curious, and intelligent. They are known for their playful nature and love to explore their surroundings. Many tabbies are also affectionate and enjoy spending time with their humans.

“I find them to be fascinating cats. Tabby cats are not actually a specific breed but rather a coat pattern that can be found in many different breeds. What I find interesting about tabbies is that they come in a variety of colours and patterns, each with its own unique personality traits. For example, some tabbies are very social and outgoing, while others are more independent and reserved.”

- Dr Jane Miller BSc, BVSc (hons)

Appearance: The fur of a Tabby cat varies, resulting in patterns ranging from classic, striped, spotted and ticked coats. The most common type of Tabby coat is the striped, often referred to as the mackerel or tiger pattern that results in a distinctive ‘M’ marking on their foreheads. Brown, grey and ginger are common Tabby colours.

Temperament: Due to there being a wide range of breeds that carry Tabby genes, it is difficult to make general personality statements about them. However, this breed is often friendly and holds strong bonds within a family. Be sure to understand your tabby’s unique personality.

Activity level: Once again, since all tabbies are different, their activity levels and needs are going to vary depending on their breed. In this guide, we will break down the most common breeds of Tabby and their specific needs.

Health: Many purebred cats run into health problems throughout their lives, but many mixed breeds, such as the tabby cat, can live long and healthy lives without any health complications.

Lifespan: The average lifespan of a Tabby is likewise dependent on the breed you have, but generally, tabbies can live anywhere from 12 to 16 years.

Like many breeds of cat, tabbies will shed their fur. Whilst the shedding of the Tabby isn’t as extreme as some double-coated and fluffy breeds, they will still shed their fur throughout the year.

Shedding patterns: The Tabby is like many other breeds of cat in that they shed throughout the year, but see their height of shedding in the spring and autumn. This is due to your Tabby getting their coat ready for the new season of weather.

Abnormal shedding: If your Tabby cat is experiencing some unusual or concerning shedding patterns, such as shedding in clumps, this could be caused by stress and anxiety in your cat. Be sure to monitor this, eliminate stressors and talk to your vet if this progresses.

Grooming: Whilst cats are known for grooming themselves in a general sense, you should ensure that you take care of their grooming needs frequently. 

Frequent brushing: To minimise shedding, and therefore reduce the discomfort of your Tabby, be sure to brush your cat frequently with a high-quality brush.

Whilst a generally healthy and low-maintenance breed, the tabby cat is still susceptible to health conditions and issues. However, these can be identified and minimised through regular checkups with your vet to monitor their health.

Hyperthyroidism: Hyperthyroidism is a common disease found within middle-aged and older tabby cats. This disease affects the hormone production in your cat, leading to high hormone production that impacts the speed of metabolism. This disease often stresses the internal organs of your tabby and leads to impacts on their health.

Prevention: To ensure that your tabby doesn’t become greatly affected by hyperthyroidism, be sure to take them to the vet for frequent checkups and look for symptoms such as changes in appetite, vomiting and behaviour changes. Early intervention is key.

Vomiting: If your tabby is vomiting, it could be caused by many different things such as their eating habits, viral infections, worms, diseases or eating something they shouldn’t have. If vomiting persists, be sure to take your tabby to the vet to ensure that the issue is not serious and that your cat can be treated by professionals.

Upset stomach: When your tabby is having stomach issues, it can often be fixed through a change in diet. Your cat may be reacting poorly to a type of food, or a certain ingredient in their meals. If you’re unsure about what you should be feeding your tabby, we go in-depth further in this guide on what we recommend.

If you want to train your tabby at home, you can use these simple tips to make training easier for you and your cat. The key is to remain calm and patient with them. Through repetition and consistency, your tabby cat should be able to learn basic commands and tricks. Be sure to give them lots of love, and be tolerant of them!

Intelligence and trainability: Tabby cats are said to be highly intelligent, with a great memory and the ability to adapt to new environments. Once again, it is still so important to remain patient with them to increase the likelihood of them picking up a skill in a positive way.

Patience: We can’t say this enough - patience is key! When training your tabby, repetition and tolerance is vital, and will make the experience more enjoyable for both you and your cat.

Positive reinforcement: tabby cats often react positively to immediate reinforcement of their behaviour with treats and affection. Through providing positive reinforcement for wanted behaviours, your tabby can correlate the behaviour with the reward.

Training Tape & Scents: If you need a bit of extra help in keeping your tabby away from furniture or certain areas, you can utilise training tape and scents. By using these tools, your tabby can begin to understand the correlation between a scent or piece of tape, with a space they cannot go in.

Always be sure to keep the training experience positive and have fun with your tabby! Give them lots of love and affection, along with their favourite treats.

Each tabby cat will have different exercise needs, as the breed is so varied. Whilst your tabby may have different exercise needs and thresholds, we recommend short bursts of exercise throughout the day to keep them active.

Short bursts of play: The primary activity we recommend is short bursts of play throughout the day. By breaking up your cat’s activity through playtime bursts, they will be stimulated more throughout the day, without growing tired from one very long play session. Through using play as a form of exercise, you can also further bond.

Give them toys: We understand that it can be difficult for you to have time throughout the day to exercise your tabby, so we recommend that you provide them with a diverse range of toys to play with when you’re not home. Cat trees can be a great way for tabbies to keep up their exercise, and can keep them entertained for long periods.

The personality and behaviour issues of your tabby cat will differ, as tabbies have a diverse group of personalities and breeds. However, there are some common behavioural issues that you may encounter during your time with a tabby that is good to tackle as soon as possible.

Stubborn & bossy: Some breeds of tabby can be stubborn and bossy. This varies, but this breed can get quite cranky when they don’t get their way, which can be difficult for you to set ground rules. This comes down to your cat’s unique personality.

Aggressive with touch: Some tabbies can become aggressive when being held or touched. This behaviour likely stems from their treatment as a kitten - whether they were improperly handled or did not receive very much physical affection. Whilst difficult, addressing this behaviour will result in a happier tabby.

Patience and consistency: For a bossy and stubborn tabby, it can be difficult for them to do what you desire. However, patience and positive reinforcement can help you greatly. Reinforcing positive behaviours with their favourite treat allows them to have positive experiences with boundaries, instead of negative ones. Consistency is key with this behaviour, so be sure to stick to it!

Resilience and early intervention: As for an aggressive tabby, this will likewise take time and patience. Intervening early can really change the progress of reducing this behaviour, along with a positive attitude. Be sure not to handle your tabby if they are uncomfortable, and reward brief petting and handling with lots of treats. Take time to help your tabby through this behaviour, and seek professional help if this behaviour persists.

Like many breeds, tabbies require a balanced diet to ensure a long and happy life. You should also consider the activity levels of your tabby, and allow this to inform the portions you provide them every day to avoid any health issues.

No human food: Whilst it’s tempting to feed your cat a little bite of your dinner, you must ensure that your tabby is being fed with cat food only. This ensures that your tabby stays healthy, and they gain the nutrients they require.

High protein: Tabby cats are known to be a carnivorous breed, meaning that you must provide them with a meat-centred meal containing protein, vitamins and minerals. If you’re unsure of what cat food or meals to feed your tabby, be sure to consult your vet on what food is best for your cat and their specific needs.

Access to water: Be sure to give your tabby access to fresh and clean water at all times to prevent dehydration in your cat. By keeping your tabby hydrated, you can avoid the impacts of sickness and better your cat’s health.

High-quality food: We recommend finding good quality cat food that is full of protein and nutrients to keep your tabby happy and healthy. You essentially need to give your tabby the same nutrients they would get if they were out hunting every day, so be sure to portion appropriately, and give them fresh meat and high-protein meals.

Wet food & raw meat: Including wet food and raw meat such as sardines and mackerel will give your tabby nutrients, whilst also giving them what they enjoy. We recommend balancing with dry foods as this can aid dental hygiene, by scraping away plaque as your cat chews. Never feed them raw chicken.

Whether you already have a Tabby cat or you're thinking about getting one, we hope you learnt something by reading our article. Whilst this guide is great start to learning about Tabby cat ownership, never stop seeking out new information from reputable sources. Share your experiences with other Tabby cat owners, and always continue to learn more about your cats breed, temperament and how best to care for and love them.

This article was written by Dr. Jane Miller