Tabby cat red cats and the patches of red on tortoiseshell cats will show tabby striping. The primary tabby pattern gene, "Mc/mc or Mc/Mc", sets the basic pattern of stripes that underlies the coat. "Mc" is the wild-type tabby gene and produces what is called a Mackerel Striped tabby. Classic tabbies are cats who also possess "mc/mc", a recessive mutant gene that produces the blotched pattern. The spotted gene is directly connected to the Mc gene; it 'breaks' the lines of a Mackerel tabby, turning it into spots. The spotted gene is dominant as well, which means a Spotted will be Sp/sp
Rusty-spotted cat of cultivation are serious problems for wildlife in both India and Sri Lanka. Although there are several records of rusty-spotted cats from cultivated and settled areas, it is not known to what degree cat populations are able to persist in such areas. There have been occasional reports of rusty-spotted cat skins in trade. In some areas, they are hunted for food or as livestock pests. The Indian population is listed on CITES Appendix I. The Sri Lankan population is included on CITES Appendix II. The species is fully protected over most of its range, with hunting and trade banned in