by Samantha Walters
Help! My cat's fur is changing colors
It can be a troubling to see your family pet undergo a physical change, especially if you are not sure of the reason. It is not uncommon to see a cat with dark or black fur slowly start to go gray. Usually this is a gradual change and it may only affect certain parts of the animal's coat. In most cases, this is a normal condition and not cause for alarm.
Aging Cats
The most likely cause of a black cat's fur turning gray is old age. Just like with people, a cat's fur can slowly start to turn to gray as the cat grows older. Often this graying occurs on the cat's face. It may be accompanied by a changing of the texture of the fur or a thinning of the fur. Usually this change is gradual and is not cause for alarm. However, if the change has occurred suddenly or the cat is still young, you should consult your veterinarian to make sure that it is not the sign of a more serious health problem or the result of a dietary deficiency.
Why Hair and Fur Turns Gray
The reason an older cat's fur turns gray is the same that human hair turns gray with age. Hair and fur color comes from the pigment melanin. Melanocytes are the cells which make up melanin and color fur and hair. As we age melanocyte activity slows down or stops, resulting in less pigment coloring the new furn and hair being grown. When this occurs for different animals is controlled by our genes, which is why some people go gray sooner than others. Melanocyte activity at each follicle is controlled separately, so that fur and hair turn gray gradually as melanocyte activity slows, then stops at different follicles.
Vitiligo
Feline vitiligo is a rare condition that can strike cats. This causes white or gray fur to appear in a cobweb or snowflake pattern that is described as showing up as a white lace pattern. Though any colored cat may develop this condition, it is most easy to see in black cats. It will grow more pronounced as the cat ages, until the fur has turned almost completely gray. Vitiligo can occur in other animals including large cats in the wild, dogs, horses and people.
Periocular Leukotrichia
Cats with dark color points, particularly Siamese cats, can develop a condition called periocular leukotrichia, which causes a lightening of the hair around the eyes. This is described as giving the cat's face a goggle-like appearance. The condition is not permanent. Dark hair usually regrows in two hair cycles. It is observed almost exclusively in female cats and usually relates to a bigger health problem such as a dietary deficiency or pregnancy. There are no reported cases of it occurring in an all black cat.
Sources and further information:
Physical Changes in Your Cat
Everyday Mysteries: Gray Hair
Animals Can Also Develop Vitiligo Too
Periocular Leukotrichia
