Do black cats turn brown with age? A black cat’s fur can start to change to a brown, almost reddish color as they get older. However, there are some other factors that can play a hand in changing the color of a cat’s fur.
Sign Of The Times
As cats get older, like us humans their hair can start to lose its color.
More often than not it will be grey and white patches that you will start to notice, most likely on the face or the belly.
However, black cat’s starting to get a brownish patch here and there as they get older is not all that uncommon either.
Laying Out In The Sun
when answering ‘do black cats turn brown with age?’ I think we have to consider that if we humans spend a lot of time in the sun be it on vacation or doing a spot of gardening our hair can get a bit lighter.
Well, the same rings true for our little black cat buddies. Many cats love to lay and soak in the sun.
The color of their fur if they do this can get a bit lighter and take a more brownish tint. This is nothing to be afraid of and more than likely it will return to normal rather quickly.
Not Getting Enough Minerals
Believe it or not, diet can play a factor in your black cat starting to develop patches of brown fur.
There are many different amino acids that cats require and thankfully most of these are in the majority of cat foods.
However, a lack of tyrosine, copper, and zinc can actually result in black cats not getting what they need to make sure their fur is in tip-top condition.
They Can Turn Brown Due To Illness
No one likes to think of their black cat getting sick, but there have been cases that have shown black cats can start to get brown patches due to illness.
It tends to be very specific illnesses that can cause this, usually related to the liver, kidney, or thyroid issue.
If you are worried about this then it is always best to take your black cat the vet just to be on the safe side, especially if they are not acting like they usually do.
Poor Hygiene
While most black cats love to make sure their black coat looks fantastic, some can be, let’s just say a little on the lazy side.
Black cats can go on all kinds of adventures and as a result, they can put their fur through all kinds of yucky and troublesome situations!
So, if your black cat is not cleaning themselves properly, those brown and discolored patches of fur that you see could just be something yucky they have slept on or rubbed up against.
If they are not grooming themselves properly, you will have to do it, this will keep them looking cute and also help them stay healthy.
Do Black Cats Turn Brown with Age? – My Thoughts
I can definitely see how this is possible. Our black cat called Coco arrived at our doorstep as a kitten and he was brown.
He spent a lot of time in the sun and the sun had reduced the pigment in his fur.
As we humans know, with increased age comes a reduction in pigment possibly giving us gray hair.
I have seen images of older-looking black cats and they do appear to have more of a brown appearance, I’m sure this isn’t the case for every cat though.
For more black cat content check out the My Mini Panther Facebook page.
Lee Harris
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