A genetic mutation has been creating some striking cats with designer coats in a dazzling shade called “salty licorice”: tuxedo cats with fur that is black at the base, and frosted white at the tip. But you most likely haven’t seen a salty licorice cat in person, because these exquisite felines have only been observed in central Finland.
The salty licorice name sounds peculiar to this American; I would have described this coat pattern more as cookies and cream, or salt and pepper. But then, I saw photos of the Finnish treat the cat is named after, and it makes sense. “Salmiakki,” which translates to “salty liquorice,” is black licorice pieces coated with ammonium chloride, a type of salt that gives the licorice its signature pungent taste. The candy seems to produce a love-it-or-hate-it reaction in people.
