Do black cats turn white? Yes, while age is probably the most common reason. There are actually more than a few different reasons as to why a black cat’s fur can start to get patches of white in it.
Most Cats Will Turn White
One rather interesting fact about black cats turning white is that this is not just exclusive to black cats.
Other colored cats can start to get white patches of fur on them too, but it does not stand out as much as it does on a black cat.
Losing Color As They Age
When it comes to a black cat turning white, the majority of the time the main reason for this is that they are getting older.
Black cat’s fur loses pigment as they age, which is the same thing that happens to us humans and as a result, they can start to get white patches of fur.
On a black cat, this is often most noticeable on their face, but their stomach, paws, and other areas can also start to get white patches as they get a bit older.
Improper Grooming
Most cats love to keep themselves clean, but some can be a tad on the lazy side and this along with a human who is slacking on the grooming can cause white patches.
The thing here is that if the white patches are down to poor grooming. It may not be the actual fur turning white, it may just be this whitish looking film that can build up.
A nice good clean can often get rid of this. As is the case with anything you are not sure of, taking your black cat to the vet if you are worried about it should be considered.
The Stresses Of Life
Just like us humans, black cats can have a lot of stress in their life and this can cause them to develop white patches of fur.
A lack of pigment can occur if a cat has been through something that has caused them a lot of stress. This can show itself in a patch of white fur.
Of course, what a black cat finds stressful will differ from cat to cat, but things like them being sick, being forced to move home or something like that can cause stress.
The good thing is, this may not be a permanent thing and it is possible that they can get the color back when they are back to feeling like themselves.
A New Patch Of Fur
In sticking with the “stress” angle. If your black cat has had surgery or maybe they have had an accident and lost a bit of fur
It may be the case that when the fur grows back you will notice that it is far lighter than the fur that was there before.
Some people are of the opinion that eventually the fur will go the same color as it used to be, but this is most certainly on a cat by cat basis.
My Thoughts
Our black cat called Coco was born with white flecks of fur in his coat.
They look so cute and most of his white hairs are on his chest in between his front legs.
Coco is still relatively young so I don’t think we’ll notice the white hairs in his coat increasing any time soon.
The individual white hairs do seem to appear and disappear which is interesting and I’ll definitely keep an eye on this as Coco comes of age.
Do Black Cats Turn White? – Summary
Do black cats turn white? Yes, they can and age is probably the most contributing factor.
Most cats will lose pigment in their fur as they age giving them white flecks or patches in their coat.
A lack of grooming can cause a white film to build up on a cat’s coat but this usually isn’t permanent.
Stress may cause a cat’s fur to lose pigment very much like us humans.
For more black cat content check out the My Mini Panther Facebook page.
Lee Harris
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