![tabby calico cat tabby calico cat](http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thepilot.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/f6/bf6ad4e6-852c-11e4-96d1-331421728c61/54903cc6e9224.image.jpg)
The pattern is determined by a gene called the agouti gene that determines the pigment of each hair. There are four possible tabby cat coat patterns: mackerel, spotted, classic, and ticked. Tabby is a cat of any breed with a coat pattern of stripes, swirls, dots, and rings. A male can only be calico colored if he has an extra X chromosome. This is because to show the calico coloration, the genes must be present on two X chromosomes. Most calico cats are female, but male calicos can exist. White is the most common color making up the coat of calico cats, but a calico cat doesn’t need to be mostly white to qualify as a calico-colored cat. They’re commonly 25 percent to 75 percent white with orange and black patches. Calico cats are short- or long-haired domestic cats with a tri-color coat. Like a caliby cat, a calico cat is not a breed but a description of coat color.
![tabby calico cat tabby calico cat](https://www.animalleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/nci0274-marmelade-orange-tabby-male-cat.jpg)
The name is a mix of calico + tabby = caliby.
![tabby calico cat tabby calico cat](http://justfunfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/tabby-cat-2.jpg)
Caliby cats have the coloration of a calico mixed with a tabby-typically areas of orange (red) and brown tabby with white. A caliby cat is the coat coloration of a cat and is not a stand-alone breed.