14 Adorable Tuxedo Cats and Kittens

Genetically, tuxedo cats are considered piebald or bi-colored, which simply means they have irregular patches of coloring. While it's common to see tuxedo cats with black and white markings on their chins, chests, stomachs, and feet, their coloring can vary as much as their patterns.

For example, these kitties, Dexter (left) and Figaro (right), are both tuxedos, despite their major differences in coloring.

The tuxedo pattern is actually extremely common and isn't specific to any one breed of cat. Tuxedo markings can appear on all kinds of kitties, including the Cornish Rex, Persians, Maine Coons, and American shorthairs. 

Despite their dapper, gentlemanly appearance, tuxedo cats can be male or female. Those female tuxedo cats would make Marlene Dietrich, famed tuxedo-donning actress, proud.

Normally, kittens will begin to open their eyes one to two weeks after birth. But tuxedo kittens open their eyes a whopping 24 hours before any other kind of cat.

Tuxedo cats are known for their loving, good nature, as well as their ability to get along with lots of other animals in the house (child, dog or otherwise!). In fact, many people refer to them as "dog-like" because they love to cuddle and stick by their humans' sides.  

Some say that tuxedo cats are up to 200 percent more intelligent than any other kind of cat. Maybe that's why they have such a famed spot in history.

We all know cats were considered sacred in ancient Egyptian culture and often appeared in Egyptian hieroglyphics, pottery, goldsmithing, and tombs. But did you know a whopping 70 percent of the cats depicted in Egyptian royal tombs were tuxedo cats? 

Tuxedo cats were also the favorite feline of some pretty influential historical figures, including William Shakespeare, Sir Isaac Newton, Beethoven, and former United States president Bill Clinton.

Not to mention, a few famous cats in pop culture—Sylvester from Looney Tunes, Mr. Mistoffelees from the Broadway show Cats and the Cat in the Hat of Dr. Seuss fame—were all tuxedos.

Thanks to one tuxedo cat named Sparky, tuxedo cats just might be the richest of all kitty kind. How? In 1998, he was left $6.3 million in inheritance! Just imagine how much catnip that kind of cash could buy. 

In 2012, a tuxedo cat named Tuxedo Stan ran for mayor of Halifax, Canada, representing the Tuxedo Party. His major platforms during the election? As mayor, he wanted to finally solve Halifax's ongoing stray cat problems. He also hosted a city-sponsored spay, neuter and general cat care program to better help Halifax's feline residents.

Because of their coloring and irregular patterns, it's said that tuxedo cats can disappear on the vernal or diurnal equinox. Clearly, the only explanation is that they have magic powers! 

Only one cat has ever climbed all the way to the top of Mount Everest (with the help of his human, of course): A tuxedo cat named Roderick. There are rumors that NASA plans to make a tuxedo cat the first pet on the moon, too! 

Following World War II, a tuxedo cat named Simon was awarded a medal by military officers. Why? He aided in the war effort by protecting soldier's food from pests like mice and insects. We salute you, Simon!