Bicolor (Piebald) Cat

A bicolor or piebald cat is any cat that has a coat pattern consisting of a primary color along with any degree of white patches. The white spotting can vary from one cat to another, ranging from a little stripe to almost the entire coat. The name ‘piebald’ has been derived from two words, including ‘magpie’ that refers to a black-and-white-colored bird and ‘bald’ that means white patches. This coat pattern is seen in several breeds, such as the Turkish Van, Persian, Cornish Rex, and Maine Coon.

Bicolor Cat

Bicolor Cat Colors

A bicolor or piebald cat may have a black, gray, cream, orange, red, brown, or any other solid-colored coat alongside white fur. It may also come with tabby patterns.

Black and White Cat

While the cats with gray and white or black and white coats are the most common bicolored varieties, those with cream and white fur is the rarest.

Bicolor Cat Patterns and Genetics

A cat typically gets a white coat from a white-spotting gene (S) that prevents the formation of colored patches over its body. The variation of the bicolored pattern has been numbered from 1 to 10, with 1 representing a completely black or lowest degree of white spotting, while 10 denotes completely white or the highest degree of white spotting. Three different bicolor patterns are possible as a result of the combination of the white-spotting gene (S) and the mutant gene (s).

  • High-grade white spotting: A combination of two S genes creates a cat with 70%-90% white fur. Its main types include van, harlequin, and cap-and saddle.
  • Medium-grade white spotting: When one S gene combines with one recessive s gene, it produces a cat with a 40-70% white coat. Its types include mask-and-mantle and standard bicolor.
  • Low-grade white spotting: Produced by the combination of two recessive s genes, its coat has less than 40% white hairs. The most common low-grade white patterns include tuxedo and locket.

List of Cat Breeds That can have Bicolor Coat

  • Oriental Bicolor
  • Ojos Azules
  • Oriental Shorthair
  • Persian Cat
  • Oriental Longhair
  • Sphynx
  • European Shorthair
  • Exotic Shorthair
  • Oriental Shorthair
  • Scottish Fold
  • British Longhair
  • Napoleon (Minuet) Cat
  • Arabian Mau
  • Peterbald
  • Turkish Angora

Bicolor Cat Pictures

  • Black Bicolor Cat
  • Brown Bicolor Cat
  • Cream Bicolor Cat
  • Gray Bicolor Cat
  • Orange Bicolor Cat
  • Red Bicolor Cat