Question about black cats

[wayne0214]

There are several black cats in my menagerie. The question is, are there any really black cats. It seems as though all of mine are black until you see them in sunlight, then there is visible some faint tabby marks or even Ocicat markings on them. Is this normal?

[ November 14, 2001: Message edited by: wayne0214 ]

[zippy-kat]

Hmmm...good question.

I know that in the horse world, a black horse isn't truly black if it has a brown tint around its muzzle. Wonder if it's the same in the cat world?

My tux kitty boy was def. black (& white). My other 'black' boy didn't have the tabby/ocicat markings but when he sat in the sun, you could tell he was more of a really dark chocolate brown color. I know he was part manx maybe the other 'part' was Havanna Brown?!

Good question!! Maybe someone else will know!

Welcome to pettalk!

[4 feline house]

Yes, Wayne, all black cats are actually black-on-black tabbies.

[Former User]

Casper isn't solid black either...got some white hair in his chest.

[gini]

My very first cat was Sugar - an all white, long haired Angora. But when he was young, he had three (never four or two) black hairs right on his head. As he got older they disappeared. I loved this guy very much.

My third cat that just wandered into my yard was Magic - an all black long haired cat. However, he had three white hairs on his head and as he got older they too disappeared.

The coincidence never escaped me - and both had the sweetest temperments and were so loving.

Magic, in sunlight, had a dark chocolate cast to his coat.

Both are at the Rainbow Bridge now and I like to think about them playing together and being good friends.

[purrley]

Next time ya see a black panther - look close - there's spots under there it's really a leapard in a darth vader suit

[wayne0214]

Thanks for the reply, all. Now I understand. I have an all black kitten who hasn't been under the scritinizing sunlight yet. Perhaps tomorrow I will check him out also.

[LMigliore]

It's probably not a real good idea to get close to a panther-he could be having a bad day and decide to rip you to shreds. That's why we have kitties and not panthers.

And besides that, your house would look like panthers lived in it.

I think the issue of black cats – and the fact that none of them are truly black – has to do with survival.
Remember that in the old days black cats where associated with witches and black magic, and because of that they were killed – so all black cats nowadays have a few hairs of another colour…

[Former User]

Feline, congrats for your new kitten! What's his name? I just loooooooove black cats!!!!

[wayne0214]

YohiDin, My neighbor warned me of danger (yet today) toward black cats. Some people, (and even I have seen this) are still superstitious about them. That is hard to believe, but I know it is true. Most of my black cats are very affectionate. One of the closest cats I have today is a black short hair named "Bear". Every morning, whenever I'm on this keyboard, he is next to me on the table purring. He is only about 8 months old and already weighs 9 1/2 pounds! I suspect that he will weigh about 13 - 15 lbs. when full grown.

[ November 14, 2001: Message edited by: wayne0214 ]

wayne0214,
I just love cats, and any color is fine with me!
But I also know superstitious people that are afraid of black cats crossing their ways.
Their problem – they don’t know what they miss…

[wayne0214]

feline; I chose the name "Bear" because he has a wide ocular (distance between his eyes) and therefore he looked like a bear when he was younger. I took Jumper(Snow Cat's litter mate!) out into the sun today and yesterday, and it is as has already been stated, that he is a black tabby on black. Also, another black cat named "Shadow", appears to have the mentoned chocolate brown coat in the sunlight. There is one other black kitten left to be seen in the sunlight. His name is "Orphan" because he is the only survivor of a litter from a feral tortie queen that I'm attempting to make friends with. I will check him out probably tomorrow. Those are really great photos' of the two black kittens, Casper and Tybald. Perhaps some day soon I'll figure out how to hook up this digital camera and send you all some pictures of my cats. Thanks again to all for the interest shown in this thread.

............Wayne

[ November 15, 2001: Message edited by: wayne0214 ]

[4 feline house]

I thought of this thread today when Cookie was under the light and I could distinctly see her tabby markings down the back of her neck.

For most black cats (or tuxes, like Cookie) it's easier to see their tabby markings when they are still kittens and/or when they are in bright sunlight.