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Always dressed for a party, tuxedo cats have THREE opportunities each year to celebrate themselves: National Tuxedo Cat Day, Tuxie Appreciation Day and Tuxedo Cat Appreciation Day! 

When are the Tuxedo Cat holidays?

Thanks to fans of felines, January 29 has been deemed Tuxedo Cat Appreciation Day, September 9 is Tuxie Appreciation Day and November 29 is known as National Tuxedo Cat Day! 

Fun Facts about Tuxedo Cats

To mark the occasions, we’ve found a few fun tidbits about these “formally attired” felines:   

Although these posh purring machines are undoubtedly in a class by themselves, the tuxedo cat is not actually a breed.  The name tuxedo derives from their markings, and several breeds can be considered tuxedo cats. 

Did you know that in the United Kingdom a tuxedo cat is commonly referred to as a Jellicle cat?  This is an homage to author T.S. Eliot’s kitty characters in Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. 

Tuxedo cats fall within a wide range of bicolor (or piebald) cat coat patterns, including:

• Cap-and-Saddle —  As the name suggests, cats with this coloring are white, sporting a color cap on the head as well as along the back. 
• Cow —  Much like a black and white bovine, the cow cat has large black spots of fur on a white coat.
• Harlequin (or Magpie) —  A coat that consists mainly of white fur, with spots of color sprinkled in.
• Locket —  Primarily black, this pattern (which is also referred to as “button”) also contains a small amount of white fur on either the chest or stomach. 
• Mask-and-Mantle —  Similar to the tuxedo, this pattern is composed primarily of black fur, with the exception of a white belly.
• Tuxedo — The elegant patterns consists mainly of black fur, with white on the cat’s paws, chin, chest and stomach.
• Van —  This pattern is easily distinguished from the other varieties, as the cat’s white coat is accented with black markings only on the head and tail.

Famous Tuxedo Cats

Felicette—  A five-foot bronze depiction of the intrepid tuxedo cat who became the first feline in space can be seen at the International Space University in France.

Henri—  Thanks to help from The Thieving Filmmaker (aka Will Braden,) the melancholy musings of this faux French feline philosopher (who had been adopted as a kitten from the Seattle animal shelter)  raised people’s spirits and raised tens of thousands of dollars for cats in need.   

Humphrey— Named after a character from the political Britcoms Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister, Humphrey served as Chief Mouser to The Cabinet Office at 10 Downing Street during the days of Margaret Thatcher, John Majors, and, for a short time, Tony Blair.

Simon—  Although this tiny tuxedo cat’s life was not long, the memory of his courage lives on.  A  stray who became mascot/mouse catcher aboard the British frigate HMS Amethyst, Simon was severely injured during the Yangtze Incident.  Determined to continue his mission to rid the ship of rodents upon his recovery, Simon’s tenacity helped to rally the spirits of crew members.  The courageous kitty’s actions were rewarded with a Blue Cross medal, an Amethyst campaign medal, and the most prestigious of animal honors, the Dickin Medal.  

Socks—  A former stray who came to stay at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue during the Clinton Presidency, Socks was named after a beloved kitty character created by children’s author Beverly Cleary.  The tuxedo cat’s bond with books continued when First Lady Hilary Clinton complied missives from children to the First Feline and First Fido  for the book Dear Socks, Dear Buddy: Kids’Letters To The First Pets.

Sybil—  From late 2007 to early 2009 this tuxie held the title of Chief Mouser to The Cabinet Office at Number 10 Downing Street.  Like her predecessor Humphrey, Sybil’s name was also a nod to a beloved character from a Britcom, in this case Sybil Fawlty from Fawlty Towers.

Wilberforce—  A piebald who worked as Chief Mouser to The Cabinet Office under Prime Ministers Edward Heath, Harold Wilson, Jim Callaghan and Margaret Thatcher, the adoptee from the Hounslow branch of the RSPCA was named in honor of the British politician and abolitionist William Wilberforce, this charismatic kitty was dubbed “the best mouser in Britain.”  Along with the ability to catch rodents, he also captured the hearts of many fans, including “The Iron Lady” herself, Prime Minister Thatcher, who purchased a tin of sardines for the cat during a trip to Moscow, and even had the feline’s portrait painted.

Famous Fictional Tuxedo Cats

Domino—  Teenage adventurer Anne Boonchuy’s cat in the Disney Channel series Amphibia.

Felix—  An animated star of the silent film era, Felix (the creation of animators Otto Messmer and Pat Sullivan) made his big screen debut back in 1919.

Figaro — Geppetto’s feline friend in Pinocchio bears a name that has become synonymous with “barber” thanks to the comedic opera The Marriage of Figaro.

Julius—  A feline star of Disney’s first animated series (Alice Comedies) back in 1922.  

Lucifer—  Did you know that this fiendish feline from the animated Disney classic Cinderella was inspired by a real cat?  The muse for the kitty character was named Feetsie, and was the cat companion of a Disney animator who was working on the film.

Miss Kitty Fantastico — Fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer might remember Willow and Tara’s tiny tuxedo cat.

Mittens—  This tiny, streetwise tuxie helped a dog find his human, and found her own forever family in the process in the 2008 Disney flick Bolt.

Mr. Mistoffelees—  A tuxedo cat immortalized both in T. S. Elliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS.

Sebastian—  A tuxedo cat seen in the short-lived early 70s Saturday morning cartoon series Josie and The Pussycats.

Sylvester—  Sufferin’ succotash! This famous Looney Tunes tuxie has been one of the world’s favorite “puddy tats” since the early 1940s.

Tom—  This gray tuxedo cat from the Tom & Jerry cartoons has made little ones laugh since 1940.  (Although tuxedo cats are black and white, many consider gray and white cats with similar markings to be tuxedo cats.) 

Adopting a Tuxedo Cat

If you are pondering the prospect of welcoming a tuxedo or piebald cat into your heart and home, visit an animal shelter or rescue group in your area!

For help in your search, look online at:

More Cat Holiday You Might Like

Don’t miss our calendar of cat holidays throughout the year including:

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