Cat coat genetics as "transmembrane aminopeptidase Q" ("Taqpep"), which also produces the king cheetah coat variant. Spotted tabbies have their stripes broken up into spots, which may be arranged vertically or horizontally. A 2010 study suggests that spotted is caused by the modification of mackerel stripes, and may cause varying phenotypes such as "broken mackerel" tabbies via multiple loci. The "Ticked" gene, "T / t", produces an "Abyssinian ticked" or non-patterned agouti tabby with the dominant allele, having virtually no stripes or bars. Stripes usually remain to some extent on the face, tail, legs, and sometimes the chest. The dominant ticked tabby allele
Rusty-spotted cat where rodent densities are high. In December 2014 and in April 2015, it was photographed by camera traps in Kalesar National Park, Haryana. In March 2012, a rusty-spotted cat was photographed for the first time in Bardia National Park, and in March 2016 also in Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve, both in Nepal. In Sri Lanka, there are a few records from montane and lowland rainforest. There are two distinct populations, one in the dry zone and the other in the wet zone. Very little is known about ecology and behaviour of rusty-spotted cats in the wild. Captive ones are mostly nocturnal