The coloring and patterning of a domestic cat’s coat may fall into four different classifications.

Tortoiseshell coats are two colors blended in no distinct pattern. They are often patches of red and black or possibly cream and blue.

Torbie coats (short for tortoiseshell tabby) are two colors in a distinct pattern. They are also called patched tabby.

Calico coats are mostly white with two other colors (black, blue, chocolate, lilac, or cinnamon) broken up into distinct patches. The white part of the coat is usually more prominent on the underside of the body, and the colored patches tend to be larger and more distinct than in the tortoiseshell or torbie patterns.

Tricolor coats, as the name implies, have three colors. Calico cats are good examples. Common tricolor combinations include red, black, and white; red, chocolate, and white; cream, blue, and white; and cream, lilac, and white.