Have you ever felt that your cat is changing the color of its fur? You might feel shocked. However, there are some reasons behind the changing of the fur color.
Cats have their fur color as their identity. When the color of their fur starts to change, it might create a shock or surprise to its owner. Black cats, for example, experience fading process of the fur to shades of red and brown. If you want your cat to have pretty and shiny fur, you can follow these following tips to make your cats fur shiny, soft and smooth.
Sun’s bleaching effect is one of the reasons why your cat’s color changes. This commonly happens if your cat is exposed to sunlight as it stays outdoor.
Besides sun’s bleaching effect, fur color changing may also indicate that your cat is sick. Some imbalance in its hormones and certain diseases might lead the fur to change shade.
If your cat doesn’t show any symptoms of sickness, then fur color change is not something you need to worry about. But, as a cat owner, you need to be knowledgeable about these 5 things you need to know about fur color change in cats.
- Any color of fur turning gray
Just like older human, older cats also experience fur color change to gray. This color change usually starts around the muzzle area, but it might spread to other parts.
Gray hair on a cat that has dark-colored fur will be easier to be noticed. In contrast, it will be hard to notice this sign of aging on a cat that has white fur.
It will be a different case for a young cat or kitten turns its fur color to gray. This color changing may show sign of stress. Your cat might lose pigmentation in its fur once it feels stressed. If you see your cat feels stressed, then you can do fun games to play with your beloved cats.
It will feel happy! Besides, poor nutrients might be another reason of its premature fur color change. Make sure you provide your cat with food that has the best nutrition facts that should be contained in cat food.
- Black fur changes to brown
The change of fur color to brown is similar to the change to gray, it is because of sun’s bleaching effect. During the height of summer, it is possible for the deepest black coat to fade. If your cat spends most of its time outside, then the change of the fur color to brown will be faster.
Then, won’t indoor cat be affected to this color change? The answer is it will, because your cat might also be exposed to the soaking rays of the sun. But, the change won’t be as much as the cat which stays outdoors.
Surprisingly, this fur color change is not permanent. Outdoor temperature is one of the factors affecting how the cats shed and grow their fur. When the summer season ends and turns into fall, your cat fur should start darkening again.
However, if your cat’s fur remains brown during winter or cold season, then there might be another issue. It might be because of organ failure. Older cats are likely to experience liver, kidneys failure so the luster of their fur will be lost.
If you see any of the following symptoms, such as excessive urination, vomiting and diarrhea, sudden weight loss, temperament changes and ulcers around the mouth, then you need to be aware of them.
Color changing of the fur can be the first reason, and if you find another symptom, you should bring your cat to the vet to be checked. Beware of the these common diseases of cat and the treatment. Be a responsible owner by carefully paying attention to your lovely cat!
- Black turning to red
If the black fur turns into red, then there are two possibilities: sun exposure or diet problem. Without proper and sufficient nutrition your cat gets from the food, it won’t be able to maintain the black coat well.
One example is the deficiency in tyrosine, an amino acid that your cat really needs to function properly, one of which is pigmentation of its fur. Consumption of tyrosine will enable the melanin production that will maintain the black coat.
If your cat lacks in protein, then it will possibly fade its coat from black to red. Make sure your cat feeds on food that is rich in protein. See the list of recipe of yummy homemade cat food that is delicious and healthy.
- Brown turning to black
Lack of tyrosine turns your cat’s fur from black to red, while excessive amount of tyrosine will turn brown fur into black. If you notice that your cat experiences darkening fur, then your cat might consume too much protein.
You need to reduce the protein intake of your cat. Make sure it is not too much and not too little. Before feeding your cat with some vegetables, read whether cat can be feeding by vegan diet.
- Light color to brown
If you have a light-colored cat then its fur turns into brown, it might be normal. Staining can be the reason, as your cat’s tongue is full of bacteria and it might lead to staining while it does self- grooming. It is also considered normal for a light-colored cat to darken its fur.
However, if your cat keeps grooming itself without any pause, then there must be underlying reasons behind it. It can be due to stress or injury or illness.