Do cats fade with age?

I had two elderly black cats, one who lived into her early twenties and neither of them faded.

What I had noticed when they were much younger and outdoor strays, that they had a slight reddish brown undertone when in the sun.

If your cat is changing color it must be that he is producing less melanin. Not sure what would cause this unless as you note, he may have a nutritional deficiency. I don't think it is age-related because your cat is only middle-aged now.

You don't mention what he eats so it is not possible to suggest improvements, if any are needed.

Generally, the best and most healthful diet for a cat is the one that most approximates a cat's natural diet - meat, bones, organs. You could simulate this diet with a homemade (research required first) or commercial raw diet. Or you could choose premium canned foods which contain no grains.

Good quality commercial foods are hard to find in some countries so a homemade raw diet might be the easiest solution......if this loss of color is in fact nutrition-related.

My older cats didn't so much fade, as much as they got grey hair. This is a legit question, because years back, I thought my cat was sick or looked pale. After running fingers through her hair, I realized she's almost 10 years old. This was grey hair. I think the fading I saw was the graying blending in with the other colors.

My Siamese's hair on his chest area turned different lighter shades of brown, but, no grey.

Black cats can fade but usually its just with the sun, the way a human's hair can bleach in the summer. It's not usually an age thing,and they will be back to their proper black with the next coat change - until that fades too . I did once have a grey cat who did the same one year, but turned the most awful mustard colour!

Is it an indoor or outdoor cat? Because outdoor cats can have their hair colored by the outside enviorment :/ But really they shouldnt change color if they started out purly black. Is the fur slightly gone on his belly or is it just turning white? Because if its slightly gone and has a gray/white color that means your cat licked the fur off....and may be stressed out. :/ If anything gets worse or his mode drastically changes i would try the vet. But what you're describing right now just sound like cat genetics in the works....you never know what color you're cat will truly turn out to be.

Hope this helps :)

Nothing happened to my cat, lived to be 11 and no fading or anything

Hello, most cats that changes color is the race of "Siamese".

I do not know what is the breed of your cat.

But let's cut to the chase.

The coat of cats:

Long hair or short, with varied colors and textures, the hair of animals is a major factor that differentiates the various breeds of cats. The hairs have an important role in the lives of animals. In addition to protecting the skin, help regulate body temperature. That's why when the animal tosamos radically, he can spend a few days hiding under the couch.

For some owners, the cat is hiding because he is "ashamed" of the new look, but actually he's feeling the difference in temperature that caused the loss of hair on his body. Find places sheltered and warm is the way it is to compensate for "cold" which is now feeling. Yes, animals can also feel cold. The hair helps stand the invermo, but temperatures below 13oC are already experienced by dogs and cats may begin to shiver, a mechanism that many species use to produce heat, just like us.

Most animals have fur and undercoat, that is, a layer of long hair and the other shorter, silky in texture.

Time to change

The fur of animals "recycles" periodically. It is what we call "hair changes" that usually occurs twice a year. This exchange is closely related to solar exposure. Longer days stimulate the loss of hair and fur is less dense. This is the change that occurs in the summer. Shorter days encourage the fall of the hair and replace these with a thicker coat (winter changes). There are dogs, however, that the coat exchange during the year, without this being considered an abnormal state.

Brush the fur of animals is a daily practice that helps not only during the stages of change, but contributes greatly to the growth of new hair. The wire is passed through two distinct phases: growth and rest. When you brush the coat, the hair at rest ("dead") are easily plucked from the follicle and that stimulate the growth of new hair.

Protection and shine

The skin of dogs and cats do not have sweat glands (sweat). These glands are present only in the cushions ("cushions") of the legs. That's why the animals can leave wet footprints on the floor. The fur of animals, therefore, never represent "sweat," simply because dogs and cats do not sweat. The skin of these animals a secret "fat" that spreads in the coat and is responsible for protection against bacteria and other microorganisms, and gives the hair shine and hydration. Sick animals have little activity of the sebaceous glands, which results in dry and dull hair.

Remove the "fat" natural skin of the animal means to remove an important barrier of protection. This is the reason why we should not give frequent baths in animals. Many dogs and cats baths become susceptible to skin problems.

That does not mean you have to let the animal dirty and smelly. A weekly bath is tolerable in a healthy dog. More than that, only in cases of skin treatments with special shampoos. Cats require far fewer baths than dogs, because they lick daily, removing dead hair and dirt. The problem is the cat that swallowed large amounts of hair, which you can cause vomiting or intestinal obstruction.

Exaggerating the baths to keep the animal's coat is pretty wrong. The coat seems to be more beautiful, but the skin is left unprotected. Getting a skin problem (scabies, ringworm, etc..), The hairs fall and there goes the beautiful coat is clean of your buddy. Thus, less bathing and brushing results in more beautiful and shiny coat. In cats, it also prevents hair balls in the stomach and intestimais obstructions.

Color and temperature

The color of the hair is determined by genetics, whose rule is: dark colors are always dominant over light colors. Dark coat reflects more light, so dogs and cats always have the black coat brighter. Many animals have two the same color hair, what is called agouti, light base and dark tip, or otherwise.

The temperature can also influence the color of hair. High temperatures generate more clear coat and vice versa. Siamese cats are an interesting example: Puppies are born white because they were subjected to high temperature inside the womb. Will darken over time and can change the color of the coat according to the season: in summer light or dark in winter.

Older cats or who may have suffered shearing the hair darkened, as the skin temperature decreases under these conditions.

Hugs and Merry Christmas!

Probably related to the genetics of his coloration. Siamese cat fur color changes as they age, so he may have a bit of Siamese in his background that is affecting his coat color.

None of the cats I am familiar with, and I have had geriatric cats, have shown any color change with their fur. But their face will show their age.

some cats could, guess it depends on how healthy they are...they dont really fade, but get gray or white hairs like humans

Sometimes but not as much as a dog will "grey" out. But the reddish color is not fading - its from the cat being outside in direct sun and the sun is "bleaching" out the black color.

Yes