Most visual differences are caused by selective breeding. If you look at most wild cats (actually wild not just feral) they’re usually the typical grey tiger stripe. There’s a reason cats with that coat are referred to as SIC (Standard Issue Cat)
Different wild subspecies have furr patterns that act as varyingly effective camouflage in their ancestral environment. The breed we see here (tabby, I think) has a pattern similar to the Highland Tiger, also known as the Scottish Wildcat.
Researchers have figured out that wild mamals like cats or foxes lose their typical camo fur after having not to hunt and low adrenaline levels for 3 to 4 generations. Then they get typical mixed colours more often like red, white, brown and so on.
So the cat in the picture is pretty close to the wild colours and obviously it works.
Standard Issue Cats have the best camo. I’m curious about black cats though. In human scale camo, black tends to stand out and makes an obvious silhouette even at night. But some black outdoor cats do really well at hunting, even in wide open meadows in broad daylight
Not familiar with camo black, but I have 3 little voids that are indistinguishable from shadows at night. If they wanted to attack me, I’d be helpless.
Damn that’s some pretty good camo though. What is the science behind different breeds’ coat colors? Is there any evolutionary advantage like this?
Generally no.
Most visual differences are caused by selective breeding. If you look at most wild cats (actually wild not just feral) they’re usually the typical grey tiger stripe. There’s a reason cats with that coat are referred to as SIC (Standard Issue Cat)
Different wild subspecies have furr patterns that act as varyingly effective camouflage in their ancestral environment. The breed we see here (tabby, I think) has a pattern similar to the Highland Tiger, also known as the Scottish Wildcat.
Researchers have figured out that wild mamals like cats or foxes lose their typical camo fur after having not to hunt and low adrenaline levels for 3 to 4 generations. Then they get typical mixed colours more often like red, white, brown and so on.
So the cat in the picture is pretty close to the wild colours and obviously it works.
yes but this photo has been manipulated to death
Standard Issue Cats have the best camo. I’m curious about black cats though. In human scale camo, black tends to stand out and makes an obvious silhouette even at night. But some black outdoor cats do really well at hunting, even in wide open meadows in broad daylight
Not familiar with camo black, but I have 3 little voids that are indistinguishable from shadows at night. If they wanted to attack me, I’d be helpless.