Instructions
Look at the hairs on your kitten's tail tip or stripes, both of the same color, to determine one of its main colors. These hairs will appear mostly solid in color if you look at them closely. The color of these hairs, either black, gray (or blue-gray), orange (also called red) or cream, may vary in shade. Match one of these colors as closely as you can.
Inspect your kittens agouti hairs, also called the "ground color" of your cat. Lighter or different in shade than the color of your kitten's stripes, these hairs cover the majority of your cat. These hairs each contain alternating bands of light and dark color, much like the hair of a rabbit or squirrel. Look at the main color of this hair, which will vary widely from kitten to kitten, to determine your cat's second color.
Take the two colors to determine your cat's main color description. A "brown tabby" has black stripes on a brown or gray ground color. A "blue tabby" has gray stripes on a gray or buff ground color. A "red tabby" has orange stripes on a cream ground color. A "cream tabby" has pale cream stripes on a cream ground color. A "silver tabby" has black stripes on a pale ground color with white roots. Note that the silver tabby category can include a blue silver, red silver, or cream silver, depending on the color of the stripes, if it differs from black.
Note the color pattern of your tabby, along with its color, for a specific description. Mackerel tabbies have thin, parallel stripes that run down its sides. A classic tabby has bold, swirled patterns on its sides. A spotted tabby has spots on its sides. A ticked tabby does not have spots or stripes on its sides, but does have the tabby markings on its face and agouti hairs on its body.
See if your kitten has any patches of white on its coat. If your cat has large patches of white, add "and white" to its color description. For example, if your "red tabby" has large patches of white, you would describe it as a "red tabby and white." Small patches may not require you to list it as part of your cat's colors, such as a small patch on the chest, called a "locket," white on the paws, called "mittens" or small white spots on the stomach, called "buttons."
List tabby kittens with a majority of white on their coat as either "bicolor" (half-white), "harlequin" (mostly white with patches of tabby color) or "van" (white with patches of tabby color on its head and tail). For kittens with patches of both tabby pattern and white, list as a "patched tabby and white."
How to Determine a Tabby Kitten's Colors
Tabby kittens come in a variety of breeds, sizes, shapes and colors, but all of them have a pattern of stripes on their coats. Whether long-haired or short-haired, tabby kittens have pencil-like lines on the face, markings like eyeliner around the eyes and a tabby "M" on the forehead, according to the Cat Fanciers website. You can inspect your kitten's coat to determine its color pattern and main colors, to properly register it with a purebred association or group, or just for your own knowledge.