A little color vocabulary
Color versus pattern
Color refers to the pigment you see, while pattern describes where markings appear. Seal is typically dark brown, blue is a cooler grayish tone, chocolate is lighter brown, and lilac has a paler warm-gray appearance. Coat shade develops as cats grow, so young kittens can look different from their adult selves.
Pointed, mitted and bicolor
A colorpoint cat typically has darker extremities such as the face, ears, legs and tail. Mitted cats have contrasting white on their paws; bicolor Ragdolls often display a distinctive inverted white V on the face. Lynx refers to tabby-like striping that can occur with several colors or patterns.
When photos can mislead
Lighting, filters, age and seasonal coat changes affect apparent color. Ask for several recent photos taken in ordinary daylight. Breed registry standards vary by organization, so confirm which registry a breeder uses rather than treating a single color chart as an official universal rule.
Ask direct questions, verify breeder claims independently, and speak with a qualified veterinarian about any medical questions. This resource is educational and does not endorse any individual breeder.