Lapchums Cattery

The Nursery

Breeding Season 2008

The future is full of "New Beginnings" for Lapchums in 2008

'click' on pictures for pedigree

line bred Finchfield, Hankypanky & Hapajo lines

Litter Born 3rd February, 2008

Sire: BDGC Lapchums Kiss N Tell

Dam: Lapchums Tibetan Belle

Black Smoke Persian - female

Black Classic Tabby Persian - male

Pictures soon

Tuxedo, Magpie or Jellicle Cat

From Wikipedia,( the free encyclopedia)

The Bicolour cat has white fur combined with fur of some other colour, for example black or tabby. There are various patterns of bicolour cat. These range from the Van pattern (colour on the crown of the head and tail only) through to the solid colour with a throat locket. The tuxedo pattern is one of many possible bicolour patterns.Where there is low-to-medium grade white spotting limited to the face, paws,throat and chest of an otherwise black cat, they are known in the United States and Australia as a Tuxedo cat. High grade bicolour results in Van Patterned cats, highly sort after for the show bench by breeders in Cat Fancys around the world.

There are also many patterns between, such as cap-and-saddle, mask-and-mantle and magpie (more randomly splashed) . Bicolours are found in many breeds as well as being common in domestic longhair cats and domestic shorthair cats.

There are 10 identifiable grades of bicolour in cats, plus several patterns with their own names. The cat labelled "bicolour" and "van pattern" are the preferred pattern in Show-quality purebred cats.

Different bicolour patterns

A low grade spotting black and white bicolour cat is often known as a tuxedo cat or a Jellicle cat. To be considered a tuxedo cat, its black colouring should be solid through out, with white limited to the paws, belly, chest, throat and possibly the chin. The tuxedo name is just that. It should appear as if the cat is wearing a tuxedo.

Another type of black and white bicolour cat is nicknamed "cow cat" and includes the magpie, cap-and-saddle and mask-and-mantle patterns. A cow cat doesn't have the solid black "jacket" of the tuxedo cat. Instead, it has big black patches over a mostly white body, often with a black mask over the head. Some owners attribute characteristics such as a love of water, big personalities and a playful nature to cow cats. "Black Mask cCats" are so called because they look like they are wearing a black mask over their head.

Van pattern is known to animal geneticists as the Seychelles (Seychellois) Pattern and is classified into 3 variants.

  • Seychellois Neuvieme - white with coloured tail & head splashes (classic Van Pattern)

  • Seychellois Huitieme - white with coloured tail and head splashes plus additional splashes of colour on the legs.
  • Seychellois Septieme - white with splashes of colour on the legs and body in addition to those on the head and the coloured tail.

This is high grade white spotting of types 9, 8 and 7 on the bicolour chart above.

Tuxedo Cats

A Tuxedo cat is a bicolour cat with a white and black coat. Most tuxedo cats are also black mask cats, a common name for felines who, due to their facial coloration, look as if they are wearing a black mask over their eyes and often over their entire head. To be considered a true tuxedo cat, the feline's colouring should consist of a solid black coat, with white fur limited to the paws, belly, throat, and often the chin, although many tuxedo cats appear to sport goatees, due to the black colouration of their mandible - that is, the lower jaw and chin. The derivation of the term tuxedo cat is self explanatory as the animal appears to be wearing the type of black tie formal wear commonly known as a Tuxedo. In the United Kingdom, the Tuxedo cat is sometimes known as the "Jellicle Cat", after the (fictional) tribe of black and white cats described by T.S. Eliot in Old possum's Book of Practical Cats, which was first published in 1939.