Cat color
Brown
A general brown. In horses a colour of its own (seal brown): near-black with lighter brown on the muzzle, around the eyes, on the flanks and inside the legs. In eggs the usual mid-brown shell.
126 Cat breeds list Brown. It is in a club standard for 123 breeds.
Breeds whose standards accept Brown
| Breed | TICA | CFA | FIFE | GCCF | ACFA | WCF | LOOF | CCA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abyssinian | Standard (“ruddy”) | Standard (“Ruddy”) | Standard (“Ruddy”) | Standard (“Usual”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| AbyssinianPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| American Bobtail | Standard | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| American BobtailNose | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| American BobtailPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| American Curl | Standard | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | Standard (“black tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| American CurlNose | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| American CurlPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| American Shorthair | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| American ShorthairPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| American Wirehair | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| American WirehairPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Aphrodite Giant | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Aphrodite GiantPaw pads | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“dark brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Arabian Mau | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Brown”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Asian cat | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Asian catNose | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Asian catPaw pads | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Brown / dark brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Asian Semi-longhair | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Asian Semi-longhairNose | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Asian Semi-longhairPaw pads | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Brown / dark brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Australian MistPaw pads | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Bengal | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | Standard (“Brown (Black) Tabby”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“Brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| BengalEyes | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| BengalPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“Dark brown with rosy undertones”) | Standard (“dark brown with rosy undertone / sable brown”) | Standard (“brown with rosy undertones”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| BombayPaw pads | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“dark brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| British Longhair | Standard | No ruling | Standard (“black tabby”) | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| British LonghairPaw pads | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“dark brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| British Shorthair | Standard | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | Standard (“black tabby”) | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | No ruling | Standard | No ruling | No ruling |
| British ShorthairNose | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| British ShorthairPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| BurmeseNose | No ruling | Standard (“Brown / Light warm brown”) | Standard (“rich brown”) | Standard (“rich brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| BurmesePaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“Brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Burmilla | Standard | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| BurmillaNose | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| BurmillaPaw pads | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Brown / dark brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Chausie | Standard (“Brown Ticked Tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Brown ticked tabby”) | No ruling |
| Cornish Rex | Standard | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | Standard (“black tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Cornish RexNose | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Cornish RexPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Cymric | Standard | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| CymricPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Devon Rex | Standard | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | Standard (“black tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Devon RexNose | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Devon RexPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Donskoy | Standard | No ruling | Standard (“black tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| DonskoySkin and scales | No ruling | No ruling | Standard | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Egyptian Mau | Standard (“Bronze”) | Standard (“Bronze”) | Standard (“Bronze”) | Standard (“Bronze”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Egyptian MauPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“dark brown”) | Standard (“dark brown”) | Standard (“dark brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| European Shorthair | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“black tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Exotic Shorthair | Standard | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | Standard (“black tabby”) | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Exotic ShorthairNose | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Exotic ShorthairPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“dark brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Foldex | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard |
| FoldexNose | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Brown with pinkish tinge”) |
| FoldexPaw pads | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Brown with pinkish tinge”) |
| German Rex | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“black tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Havana BrownNose | No ruling | Standard (“brown with a rosy flush”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Highlander | Standard | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Japanese Bobtail | Standard | Standard (“Brown Tabby/Patterned”) | Standard (“black tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Kanaani | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“seal”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Khao ManeeEyes | No ruling | Standard (“shades of brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“shades of brown”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Kurilian Bobtail | Standard | No ruling | Standard (“black tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| LaPerm | No ruling | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | Standard (“black tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| LaPermNose | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| LaPermPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Lykoi | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“black tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Maine Coon | Standard | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | Standard (“black tabby”) | Standard (“Brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Maine CoonNose | No ruling | Standard (“black or brown desirable”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Maine CoonPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Manx | No ruling | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| ManxPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Norwegian Forest Cat | Standard | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | Standard (“black tabby”) | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Norwegian Forest CatNose | No ruling | Standard (“dark brown/charcoal-black”) | No ruling | Standard (“Dark to light brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Norwegian Forest CatPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“black or brown desirable”) | No ruling | Standard (“solid brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Ocicat | Standard | Standard (“Tawny”) | Standard (“Black”) | Standard (“Tawny”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| OcicatPaw pads | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“dark brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Oriental Bicolor | No ruling | Standard (“Ebony Tabby”) | Standard (“black tabby”) | Standard | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Oriental BicolorNose | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Oriental BicolorPaw pads | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Oriental Longhair | No ruling | Standard (“Ebony Tabby”) | Standard (“black tabby”) | Standard (“Brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Oriental LonghairNose | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Brown or pinkish brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Oriental LonghairPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“Brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Oriental Shorthair | No ruling | Standard (“Ebony Tabby”) | Standard (“black tabby”) | Standard (“Brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Oriental ShorthairNose | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Brown or pinkish brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Oriental ShorthairPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“Solid brown or solid pinkish brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Persian (modern) | No ruling | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | Standard (“black tabby”) | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Persian (modern)Nose | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Persian (modern)Paw pads | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“dark brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Persian (traditional)Paw pads | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“dark brown”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Peterbald | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“black tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| PeterbaldSkin and scales | No ruling | No ruling | Standard | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Pixie-bob | Standard (“Brown Spotted Tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Brown Spotted Tabby”) | No ruling | Standard (“Brown spotted tabby”) | Standard (“Brown Spotted Tabby”) |
| Pixie-bobEyes | Standard (“Brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Pixie-bobPaw pads | Standard (“dark brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“dark brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“brun-noir”) | Standard (“dark brown”) |
| Ragamuffin ( Liebling) | No ruling | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Russian White, Russian Black, Russian TabbyNose | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“brun foncé”) | No ruling |
| Russian White, Russian Black, Russian TabbyPaw pads | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“dark brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“brun foncé”) | No ruling |
| Savannah | Standard (“Brown (Black) Spotted Tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Scottish Fold | No ruling | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Scottish FoldNose | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Scottish FoldPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Selkirk Rex | No ruling | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | Standard (“black tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Selkirk RexNose | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Selkirk RexPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Serengeti | Standard (“Brown spotted tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Siberian ( Siberian Forest, Neva Masquerade [colorpoint variety]) | Standard | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | Standard (“black tabby”) | Standard (“Brown Tabbies”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Siberian ( Siberian Forest, Neva Masquerade [colorpoint variety])Nose | No ruling | Standard (“black or brown desirable”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Siberian ( Siberian Forest, Neva Masquerade [colorpoint variety])Paw pads | No ruling | Standard (“black or brown desirable”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| SingapuraPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“rosy brown”) | Standard (“rosy brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Sokoke | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“black tabby”) | Standard (“Sokoke”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| SokokePaw pads | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“dark brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Somali | Standard (“ruddy”) | Standard (“Ruddy”) | Standard (“Ruddy”) | Standard (“Usual”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| SomaliPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“black or dark brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| SphynxSkin and scales | No ruling | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | Standard | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| SphynxNose | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| SphynxPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| TonkineseNose | No ruling | Standard (“dark brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| TonkinesePaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“medium to dark brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Toyger | Standard (“Brown Mackerel Tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“noir”) | No ruling |
| Turkish Angora | No ruling | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | Standard (“black tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Turkish AngoraPaw pads | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Turkish Van | Standard | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | Standard (“black tabby”) | Standard (“Brown Tabby”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
Breeds where Brown is disqualified or not accepted
Color changes
How Brown can appear or change over an animal's life.
Brownchanges toCopal
Coat · With age · from 0 to 52 weeks
Blackchanges toBrown
Coat · With body condition · can change back
Blackchanges toBrown
Coat · In the sun · can change back
Blackchanges toBrown
Coat · Progressive