Feline 411: All About Gray Cats

I love all cats no matter the size, shape, or color. But, I will say, there is something super attractive about gray felines. Whether they’re purebred or just your average feline, gray cats are a favorite among many—myself included. While we might see more tabbies, tuxedos, and black cats, gray kitties hold a special spot in the hearts of many cat lovers worldwide.

Keep reading to learn some fun and interesting facts about gray cats…

Gray cats are not actually that rare

Gray cats can come in a few coat varieties. Obviously they can be longhair or shorthair, but they can also have tabby stripes or white on them as well—especially their paws. And there can also be gray felines, like handsome little Taco featured above, which can have faint tabby stripes on the coat which you can see when the sunlight hits their coat just right. Also referred to as “blue” sometimes, gray cats are simply a diluted version of black cats in terms of coat color. This is why you can also see torties and calicos with gray rather than black in their coat patterns. To learn some of the rarest coat colors, click here.

While the Russian Blue might be the most popular, there are a few breeds of gray cats

When you think of a solid gray feline, typically a Russian Blue cat comes to mind. But actually, there are a few breeds which are known for their dazzling gray coats. The British Shorthair can come in a variety of coat patterns and colors, and oftentimes, they will have piercing orange eyes with a “British Blue” gray coat. But when it comes to cats that are exclusively blue like the Russian Blue, there is also the Nebelung, a cat which very much resembles a longhaired version of a Russian Blue cat. Their name literally translates to “creature of the mist” in German for the way as if it appears that their majestic coat is just floating delicately over their body. The Korat of Thailand is another cat breed that is exclusively gray in color. And lastly, the Chartreux of France is another purebred cat which is known for their gray coat.

See also

Interesting little Russian Blue cat coat fact for you: despite all that pretty gray all over their bodies, a purebred Russian Blue cat will have pink paw pads. But remember, although those mentioned above are specifically known for their gray coats, gray cats can be mixed bred or found in several other purebred cats, such as the Oriental Shorthair, Persian, and the American Shorthair. So, if you have your heart set on a gray cat, visit your local shelter—there’s a very good chance you’ll find one! Want to learn more about Russian Blue kitties? Check out my video on them here courtesy of the Cattitude Daily YouTube channel:

Gray tuxedo cats are known for their cattitude—just like black and white tuxedo cats!

I’ve read a few stories about gray cats that had white tuxedo markings that were not afraid to display their cattitude in full force. For one gray tuxedo named Admiral Galacticat, well, he is a bit of a kleptomaniac. And he likes to round up his loot, which is his neighbor’s laundry, and bring it home to show off to his humans. In addition to this naughty feline, when it comes to cats which are most likely to display cattitude, one study out of the UK found that gray and white tuxedo cats fell a close second to traditional black and white tuxedo cats when it came to flexing their cat attitude on their humans. Does this surprise you? I know I’m not surprised one bit! But, when it comes to solid gray cats, there are studies which indicate that these lovely cats are known for being sweet natured and devoted to their humans. I’m sure that gray tuxedo cats can be this way too—but on their terms!

Did you learn anything new about our feline friends? Share this article with other gray cat lovers that you know so that they can learn something, too.

Now that you’ve learned all about gray kitty cats, check out this article here on Cattitude Daily to learn all about the mini panthers of the cat world—black cats!