[General] Tabby Cat: Salt-n-Pepper, Ghost Striping and Ticking....

[pinbong]

Hi, teachers:

I was reading the wiki entry of the tabby cat and there were something quite foreign to me. I want to check if I understand the article correctly.

According to the article, ticked tabby cat is one of the three major kinds of tabby cat.

The ticked tabby pattern produces hairs with distinct bands of color on them, breaking up the tabby patterning into a salt-and-pepper appearance. Residual ghost striping or "barring" can often be seen on the lower legs, face and belly and sometimes at the tail tip.

1. About the "salt and pepper appearance." I know "salt and pepper" generally refers to the color of a hair dye that produces a sort of grey-and-white effect, just like pepper and salt mixed together, doesn't it? I don't know how you native speakers picture a "salt-and-pepper appearance", but to me, the term strongly suggests something mixed with grey-and-white particles, instead of grey-and-white bands, like this:

And the ticked cats shown in the wiki illustration are not banded either, instead their coats are just like the "particled" effect shown above . Another ticked tabby cat I found on internet is also sort of "grey and white particled" all over his chunk. So I guess I understand it correctly?​

2. About the "ghost striping". At first I had no idea what it meant. Later I found a post explaining about this "ghost striping". And if I understand it correctly, "ghost striping" refers to stripings with a looming(or fading) effect. They're unclear. Am I understanding it correctly??​

3.Ticked and Ticking: I don't know what sense does the word "ticked" make here? Why is a "salt-and-pepper-looking" tabby cat named a "ticked" cat? I checked all the meanings of the word "tick"(as a verb, of course) but couldn't figure out which one fit in this context.
Plus, from what I googled, some pet owners would juxtapose "ghost striping" and "ticking", giving me the impression that these two words are similar in their meanings. And I also found another two "tick" terms— "a ticked coat" and "ticking coloration",—in the Abyssinian (cat) entry of wikipedia.

Any one know about "ticking"?? I need a in-depth explanation.
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Apologies for so many questions asked. And sincere thanks in advance. ​

 

[pinbong]

I just did more googling. And from what I googled , ticking is a strong and often twilled and striped fabric. Most "ticking" pictures I found are striped.

But the three wiki cat entries—somali, singapura, Abbissinian—all use "ticking coloration" to describe their physical characteristics. The wiki illustration for this "ticking coloration" is certainly not striped. It's more like the "salt and pepper appearance" mentioned above, by which I mean, a mixed-colored, "particled" effect. (sorry, had to coin the word "particled").

In another word, the ticking coloration illustrated on wiki cat entries is a sort of fur with finely mixed color, not striped.

And what's so special about this "ticking coloration"? Why is it considered a characteristic? Aren't all cats' fur sort of like that?? Finely mixed with colors? Are cats in English countries mostly pure-colored, making "ticking coloration" looks special?

Confusing. :-(

 

[pinbong]

Still no answer yet? *sighs*

Looks like this question is too hard.:-(

 

[5jj]

1. About the "salt and pepper appearance." I know "salt and pepper" generally refers to the color of a hair dye that produces a sort of grey-and-white effect, just like pepper and salt mixed together, doesn't it? I don't know how you native speakers picture a "salt-and-pepper appearance", but to me, the term strongly suggests something mixed with grey-and-white particles, instead of grey-and-white bands, like this: If your this refers to the picture following the next paragraph in your question, then I agree that the body of the cat has a salt-and pepper appearance.

2. About the "ghost striping". At first I had no idea what it meant. Later I found a post explaining about this "ghost striping". And if I understand it correctly, "ghost striping" refers to stripings with a looming(or fading) effect. They're unclear. Am I understanding it correctly?? More or less. Faint, hard to see, almost not there.

3. Any one know about "ticking"? Sorry, no.​

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5

 

[Tdol]

Ticking is small spots or patches of a colour found in areas of predominately white fur, I believe, though the technicalities of dog and cat breeding may be more precise.