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National Tabby Day – April 30, 2023

National Tabby Day falls on April 30 worldwide, celebrating those lovely striped cats. Thought by some people as a cat breed, tabby is not. It’s a coat pattern seen in almost all domestic cats. There are four known patterns on these tabbies’ coats: the classic, mackerel, spotted and ticked. Also, there’s a variant of these patterns — the orange tabby. Orange tabbies have a stereotype of being lazier than other cats. It’s probably due to the popularity of a fictional cat who, you know, hates Mondays and loves lasagna and sleeping.

History of National Tabby Day

National Tabby Day was first celebrated on April 30, 2016, by the Mayor’s Alliance for N.Y.C.’s Animals, Bideawee, and Triumph Books. It’s to celebrate the tabby cats themselves and inform people that tabbies are not a breed of cat but a coat pattern. The first event featured a cat adoption and book signing to benefit Bideawee and a shelter for cats and dogs. The book was “Making the Most of All Nine Lives: The Extraordinary Life of Buffy the Cat” by author and pet lifestyle expert Sandy Robins and oral surgeon and photojournalist Paul Smulson.

A tabby cat is not a cat breed. It is a coat pattern in almost all domestic cats. The tabby pattern is related to the tabbies’ close relatives, such as the African wildcat, Asiatic wildcat, and European wildcat. The distinct appearance of the tabby cats is the M-shaped marking on their forehead. The tabbies have four coat patterns, and those have a variant: the orange tabby. The orange tabby cats have a stereotype of being lazier than other cats. In fact, most orange tabbies are male, and they tend to have an adventurous personality.

The four tabby coat patterns are classic tabby with swirling patterns; mackerel tabby with narrow tiger-striped patterns; spotted tabby with large or small spots; and ticked tabby with tabby markings on the face and agouti hairs on the body, with few to no stripes. It is said that tabby cats tend to be friendly and nonaggressive. And, among all the types of tabbies, the orange tabbies tend to be the most affectionate. This conclusion is based on three different things, such as everyday handling, interactions with humans, and veterinary visits.

National Tabby Day timeline

1690s
Tabby Cat

The term ‘tabby cat’ is used to define a cat with a striped coat.

1774
Shortened Term

The term ‘tabby cat’ is shortened to ‘tabby.’

17th and 18th Centuries
The Word Usage

The word ‘tabby’ becomes commonly used.

April 30, 2016
National Tabby Day

The first National Tabby Day is celebrated.

National Tabby Day FAQs

What is the rarest color of tabby?

Ticked tabbies are considered the rarest among the other tabby cats. It can be very difficult to find one.

What is the rarest cat eye color?

Hazel or orange is the rarest cat eye color. You can find them in the Scottish Fold.

Do cats know their names?

According to a study, cats recognize their names, the names of other cats, and even human names.

National Tabby Day Activities

  1. Adopt one

    If you haven’t done it, this day is probably the best time for you to adopt a tabby cat. Adopting a cat is not only good for the cat itself, but it also has positive effects on you in coping with stress, anxiety, and loneliness.

  2. Volunteer at a shelter

    If you are interested in helping cats and dogs in need, you may want to consider volunteering at an animal shelter like Bideawee. You can foster, walk dogs, socialize cats, or provide administrative help.

  3. Donate to a shelter

    National Tabby Day can also be a chance for you to donate to an animal shelter. Buffy the Cat would be glad to know that you care about his fellow animals.

5 Interesting Facts About Tabby Cats

  1. They are excellent hunters

    Tabby cats can easily catch birds, rats, and mice due to their excellent hunting capabilities.

  2. They prefer groups

    If left in the wild, tabby cats will form colonies for survival.

  3. They like attention

    A tabby cat will do something to interrupt you because it wants your attention.

  4. They are intelligent

    Tabby cats can be trained to stay off the furniture and fetch a ball.

  5. They outnumber non-tabbies

    Tabby cats make up 60 to 70% of all domestic cats worldwide.

Why We Love National Tabby Day

  1. They are great companions

    Tabby cats are great companions for humans. They can entertain us with the things they do. With them around, we will feel less lonely.

  2. To save lives

    Adopting a cat can mean saving lives. We can take care of them. Also, taking care of a pet will be good for our well-being.

  3. To make a difference

    National Tabby Day can be a reminder for us to consider helping animal shelters. We can donate or volunteer to help the shelters provide for the needs of the animals.

National Tabby Day dates

YearDateDay
2023April 30Sunday
2024April 30Tuesday
2025April 30Wednesday
2026April 30Thursday
2027April 30Friday

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