Tom Cat, from the famous Tom and Jerry cartoon series, is a determined feline that’s always on the hunt for Jerry Mouse. His appearance and personality change slightly depending on the artist, but he’s often believed to be inspired by a Russian Blue or a Domestic Shorthair.
Let’s take a look at Tom’s appearance and temperament and see how they compare to the Russian Blue and Domestic Shorthair.
Tom Cat’s Appearance
Tom is a gray tuxedo cat with short hair. He usually has a dark gray overcoat and a light gray underside and paws. However, there are also some drawings of him with a white underside and paws. Tom also has a long, skinny tail with a tuft of white or light gray at the tip. He’s also often drawn with eyes containing yellow scleras with black irises or yellow scleras with green irises.
Tom Cat’s Personality and Temperament
Tom is often portrayed as a mouser assigned to hunt Jerry Mouse. He must use his brains to try and outwit Jerry. Their chases are quite intricate, and Tom must be very quick and agile to keep up with the mouse.
Although Tom is often not successful with chasing Jerry, there are some episodes where he does catch him. So, overall, he’s an athletic, intelligent, and determined cat with a strong prey drive.
While both Tom and Jerry can appear to be enemies, there are a few moments where they listen to their good conscience and help each other out. It’s safe to say that Tom does have a soft and kind side to his personality.

Russian Blue Appearance and Temperament
Tom’s coat color closely resembles the blue-gray and slate-colored coat of Russian Blues, especially when he’s drawn without the white accented features. Some drawings of Tom show him having green eyes, which is another physical trait that Russian Blues share.
Russian Blues are also athletic and intelligent. They tend to be very playful even when they reach an older age. They’re known to be extremely social as well, so they do best in homes where they aren’t left on their own for many hours.
Domestic Shorthair

Tom can also be a Domestic Shorthair, especially if he’s drawn with his gray and white tuxedo marking. Domestic Shorthairs are mixed-breed cats and are able to have bi-color coats.
Since they’re mixed breeds, Domestic Shorthairs can have varying appearances. However, most Domestic Shorthairs have rounded heads and medium-length tails. They can also have yellow or green eyes, which is a feature that Tom Cat also often has.
Domestic Shorthairs can also have varying personalities, depending on their genetics. So, they can easily be tough and independent and have a strong prey drive, like Tom Cat. They can also be quite agile and athletic. Most Domestic Shorthairs aren’t known to be aggressive, but some can be depending on their ancestry and lineage.
Conclusion
Tom Cat isn’t explicitly stated to be a Russian Blue or Domestic Shorthair, but his appearance and personality are good indicators that he’s either of these cat breeds or a mix of them.
All of these cats have provided plenty of fun and entertainment for people with their curiosity and goofy antics. So, whether it is through funny animations or in real life, you can always expect to see more fun adventures when you have any of these cats around.
See Also:
- 100+ Cartoon Inspired Cat Names: Ideas for Comical & Nostalgic Cat Names
- Russian White Cat Breed Info: Pictures, Temperament & Traits
Featured Image Credit: Characters by Hanna-Barbera, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.