A tabby cat, or simply tabby, is any domestic cat with a coat pattern distinguished by an M-shaped marking on its forehead, stripes by its eyes, cheeks, along its back, and around its legs and tail. Tabby cats display characteristic striped, dotted, lined, flecked, banded, or swirled patterns on the body: the neck, shoulders, sides, flanks, or chest. The four known distinct tabby patterns are mackerel, classic, ticked, and spotted. Each is linked to specific genetics.