Cats come in a variety of colors and patterns. While many people are familiar with tabby cats, tuxedo cats, calico cats, and Siamese cats, some may wonder if fully brown cats without any other markings exist. This article will examine if there truly are cats that are completely brown from head to toe without any stripes, spots, or other markings.
Common Cat Coat Colors and Patterns
Most cats have more than one color in their fur. Here are some of the most common cat coat colors and patterns:
- Tabby – Tabby cats have stripes on their fur. The stripes can vary in width and pattern. There are several tabby patterns including classic/blotched, mackerel, spotted, and ticked.
- Tuxedo – Tuxedo cats are black with white patches typically on their chest, paws, and chin giving the appearance of wearing a tuxedo.
- Calico – Calico cats have a coat with patches of orange, black, and white. They are almost always female.
- Tortoiseshell – Similar to calicos but instead of white patches they have patches of red/orange and black. Like calicos, tortoiseshell cats are nearly always female.
- Siamese – Siamese cats are light colored with darker areas on their face, paws, tail, and ears. This color pattern is due to the temperature-sensitive albino gene.
- Bicolor – Bicolor cats have white fur combined with patches of another color like black, orange, or brown.
While these coats are very common in cats, some may be solid in color without stripes, spots, or multiple colors. The most common solid color is black, but others exist as well.
What Determines a Cat’s Coat Color?
A cat’s coat color is determined by the genes inherited from its parents. Cat fur colors are coded by genes that produce different types of melanin pigment. Melanin is what controls the darkness or lightness of the fur. Genes related to melanin production include:
- B gene – Controls the production of black pigment. The dominant form, B, produces black pigment. The recessive form, b, does not produce black pigment.
- D gene – Dilutes the intensity of pigment. The dominant form, D, allows full color. The recessive form, d, dilutes color.
- O gene – The orange gene. The dominant form, O, produces orange pigment. The recessive form, o, does not produce orange pigment.
- A/a genes – The agouti gene controls whether pigment is distributed evenly (a) or in bands/patterns (A).
- S/s genes – White spotting. The S allele produces solid color. The s allele produces white spots.
Different combinations of these genes produce all the various cat colors and patterns we see. But what about cats that appear solid brown? Let’s look deeper into that.
Are There Truly Solid Brown Cats?
At first glance, some cats may appear to be completely solid brown from head to toe. However, upon closer inspection, subtle variations in shading and patterns are often visible. What may look solid brown is often just a very dark tabby pattern or black ticking that obscures stripes and spots.
True solid brown cats without any patterns are quite rare. For a cat to be fully brown with no markings, it would need to have the bbee genotype. This means:
- bb – Two recessive b genes so no black pigment is produced.
- ee – Two recessive e alleles that dilute color to shades of brown/cinnamon.
This combination removes any black fur and dilutes the orange to a brown or cinnamon shade. Even with this genotype, most cats will show some faint markings especially as kittens. However, it is possible for some solid brown cats to exist. These brown cats are sometimes referred to as Havana Browns or chocolate cats.
Examples of Solid Brown Cat Breeds
While rare, there are a few cat breeds that commonly exhibit the solid brown coat:
Havana Brown
Havana Browns are a breed developed in England in the 1950s by crossing Siamese and domestic black cats. They were bred specifically to produce an all brown cat. They have a rich, chocolatey brown coat color and green eyes. Originally there was some faint tabby marking on the face and legs as kittens, but breeders worked to develop lines with solid brown fur.
Oriental Shorthair
Oriental Shorthairs exhibit a wide range of coat colors including solid brown in shades of chocolate or cinnamon. While they are not exclusively brown cats, brown oriental shorthairs without markings are not uncommon. They have shorter coats than Havana Browns but should still lack any tabby patterning in a solid brown coat.
Russian Blue
Russian Blues are typically a cool gray color. However, a recessive gene mutation can produce brown-coated Russian Blues. They have a warm chocolate brown to cinnamon brown coat but lack any tabby stripes or spotted patterns. The coat is a solid, rich brown shade. This color is sometimes called Russian chocolate.
Abyssinian
While Abyssinians typically have tan coats with darker ticking, on rare occasions they may be a genetically solid brown called usual or tawny. These brown Abyssinians do not have the typical ticking pattern and shade to a solid chocolate brown all over though some ghost tabby markings may be present.
Burmese
Burmese cats exhibit sable, champagne, and platinum coat colors. The sable or brown Burmese can appear almost solid chocolate brown in color though they may still show faint darker paw pads or nose leather. The coat overall lacks ticking or markings and has a rich, warm brown color.
Are Brown Cats Rare?
Truly solid brown cats without any tabby markings, spots, or ticking are quite rare. Most cats exhibit some sort of subtle pattern in their coat even if faint. However, selective breeding has produced cat breeds such as the Havana Brown and Oriental Shorthair that commonly exhibit the solid brown trait. So while not extremely rare, solid brown cats are still relatively uncommon compared to other patterns. The genetics required to produce a cat with no markings only occurs occasionally. Even most brown cat breeds will still show some faint tabby patterns.
Why Are Solid Brown Cats Uncommon?
There are a few reasons why solid brown cats are not as common as other coat patterns:
- Requires a specific combination of recessive genes – For a cat to be solid brown it needs genes for a lack of black pigment (bb) as well as dilution genes (dd or ee) to modify any orange to brown. This combination is not passed on too frequently in the general cat population.
- Breeding preference – Until more modern times, solid brown cats were not specifically selected for in cat breeding. Breeders focused more on other patterns and did not breed to select cats that lacked any markings. So the genes were not concentrated.
- Difficult to distinguish from other cats – Many cats appear solid brown but upon closer inspection have subtle tabby, ticking, or spotting patterns not readily noticeable. So cats that looked solid brown may have been common but actually had faint markings. It can be difficult to distinguish truly patternless brown cats.
- Melanin masks patterns – High levels of melanin can obscure or hide markings that are genetically present in the coat. So some cats may have tabby patterns but they are obscured by excess black/brown pigment.
So a combination of genetic, breeding preferences, difficulty distinguishing subtle patterns, and heavy melanin production all contribute to solid brown cats being fairly uncommon.
Do Male vs Female Cats Have Differences in Brown Fur?
When it comes to brown coat color, there are no major differences between male and female cats. The main genetic differences in coat color between sexes in cats are:
- Females are more commonly calico/tortoiseshell – The O gene for orange coat color is carried on the X chromosome. Since females have two X’s, they can exhibit both black and orange genes resulting in calico or tortoiseshell patterns. Males only have one X and thus normally just display one coat color.
- Males are more prone to being ginger – For a cat to be ginger, it needs to inherit two orange (O) genes. Since males only inherit one X, if that chromosome carries the orange gene, the male will be ginger. A female needs two orange genes, one on each X, which is less likely.
When it comes to solid brown coat color, males and females have equal likelihoods. The brown color requires recessive b genes for lack of black pigment and recessive d or e genes for color dilution. These are on autosomes that both sexes inherit equally. So male and female kittens, whether mixed or purebred, have the same chances for inheriting genes coding for solid brown fur.
At What Age Can You Tell a Cat Will Be Brown?
With some cats, you can begin to distinguish that they will have primarily brown coloring as early as 2-4 weeks of age. However, many cats don’t fully show their mature coat color until around 3-4 months. Some key points on discerning color in kittens:
- Kittens are born with blue eyes – All kittens are born with blue eyes that change to their permanent adult eye color between 6-8 weeks old.
- Newborn fur color is not always indicative – Kittens are often born with a very different coat than their mature color. They may start very pale or gray only to develop much darker pigment as they grow.
- Color develops gradually – Kittens will go through progressive color changes. Their final shade may not fully develop until reaching maturity.
- Look at paw pads – The color of a kitten’s paw pads, lips, and nose are often indicative of their final coat color, more so than their initial fur which may lighten and darken as they age.
- Patterns emerge slowly – Tabby stripes, ticking, and spots develop slowly. Just because a kitten appears solid early on does not guarantee no patterns will show up later as melanin increases.
So while you can start to predict a kitten may end up brown based on eye color, paw pads, and early fur shades, it is often not until 3-4 months that you can be sure no markings will appear as the coat fully comes in. The final mature color is most evident between 6-12 months.
Are Brown Cats More Expensive?
Typically, brown cats are not more expensive than cats with other coat colors. For common domestic cats, coat color does not significantly influence price. However, there are a few cases where brown cats may have a higher purchase price:
- Purebred brown breeds – Some purebred cats like Havana Browns that come in the rarer solid brown coats demand higher pricing than their other color counterparts. Buyers pay more for the novelty.
- Specialty breeders – Some breeders that specialize in brown domestic cats may charge slightly higher prices for their solid brown kittens than tabby or bicolor kittens.
- Exotic genetic lines – Occasionally breeders may charge premium prices for cats with exotic but natural genetic mutations such as brown oriented shorthairs or Russian blues. The unusual coloring adds value for collectors.
- Mix-up with chocolate breeds – Sometimes pet stores or breeders mistakenly advertise brown tabby mixed breed kittens as a expensive exotic breed like the Ocicat leading to inflated prices.
However, for the most part mixed breed brown cats have coat colors that make them no more valuable than any other color domestic shorthair. It is only purebred brown varieties or specialty genetic lines that might have elevated pricing.
Are Brown Cats More Aggressive?
There is no evidence that a cat’s coat color is linked to aggressiveness or temperament. Brown cats do not display any more tendencies toward aggression, aloofness, friendliness, or other personality traits compared to other cat colors.
A cat’s temperament is much more influenced by factors like:
- Breed – Certain pedigree breeds like Siamese tend to be more vocal and active.
- Socialization – Early and frequent positive exposure to people helps produce friendlier, well-adjusted cats.
- Environment – Cats that live exclusively indoors in stable environments with all needs met are less likely to be aggressive or anxious.
- Routine – Cats feel more secure and calm with predictable daily routines and schedules.
- Handling – Gentle handling and play when young gets cats accustomed to people and touch.
- Genetics – While not deterministic, inherited personality traits can influence aggression levels.
Coat genetics linked to melanin and striping patterns have no connection to brain development or behavior hormones. So brown cats display the full normal range of temperaments and aggressiveness levels.
Are Brown Cats More Affectionate?
There is no scientific evidence that a cat’s fur color predicts its level of affection toward people. Brown cats are not necessarily more affectionate and friendly compared to other coat colors.
Differences in affection levels between cats are more related to factors like:
- Breed – Some breeds have been selectively bred for friendliness and companionability like Ragdolls.
- Socialization – Positive experiences with humans from a young age leads to more affectionate cats.
- Environment – Cats raised indoors with regular positive human contact tend to bond more strongly.
- Personality – Just as with humans, some cats are simply more outgoing, playful, and interactive than others.
- Routine – Establishing a daily routine builds trust and comfort with a cat leading to more affection.
- Handling – Gentle handling and physical play helps cats to enjoy and seek out human touch.
There are no studies demonstrating correlations between melanin-related fur pigments and hormone/neural factors that control bonding and affection in cats. Brown coat color alone does not make a cat anymore loving or aloof compared to other colors.
Do Brown Cats Have Advantages?
Aside from novelty appeal, there are no significant advantages to solid brown coats in cats. Some misconceptions related to potential brown cat advantages include:
- Camouflage – Not necessarily better camouflage. Brown coats don’t blend into more environments compared to black or striped tabbies.
- Heat tolerance – Darker brown coats don’t confer any heat adaptation advantages over other colors.
- Cold tolerance – Browns are not necessarily better insulated against cold than lighter or darker fur.
- Markings/patterns don’t matter to cats. No coat pattern provides a camouflage or survival advantage to domestic cats.
- Rarity doesn’t confer health advantages. No correlation exists between brown coats and fitness.
Solid brown coats are simply an aesthetic result of recessive fur pigment genes. They do not provide any inherent health, sensory, reproductive, or survival advantages compared to more common cat colors.
Do Brown Cats Have Disadvantages?
Brown coated cats are not considered to be at any disadvantage compared to other fur phenotypes. There are some alleged disadvantages that are not supported by evidence:
- No camouflage – Brown does provide camouflage, just not necessarily better than other colors.
- Temperature sensitivity – There’s no evidence brown furred cats have more difficulty regulating temperature.
- Visibility – Brown cats are no more visible to prey or predators than other colors.
- Uneven melanin distribution – All cats can have uneven melanin leading to color variations.
- Inbreeding depression – Brown coats are not intrinsically linked to harmful inbreeding.
