At OneHOWTO we want to help you take care of your feline and, for this reason, below we reveal the complete answer to your question about “Why does my cat change its hair color?”
Contents
Causes Of Hair Color Change In Cats
The cat hair color change It is something more frequent than we can imagine and the possible reasons are varied. So it is necessary that, before a physical change like this, we take the animal to the vet to make sure it is fine or to find the problem and the best treatment. These are the main Reasons why your cat’s hair color changes:
- Genetics
- Aging
- Stress
- For the Sun
- Hair problems that affect its growth cycle and weaken it
- Vitiligo and alopecia areata
- lack of tyrosine
Below, we discuss in depth each possible cause of the hair discoloration in cats.

Genetics
The most frequent reason for this color change in felines is the genetic each. There are breeds that when they are small have a different color than when they are adults, so if your cat is one of these breeds or has a mixture, it may begin to change when they are about half a year old.
In fact, all kittens have different hair than adults, since it is softer, provides more warmth and can be of a different color, for example being black when small and becoming gray when older or vice versa. But, At what age do cats change their hair color? Specifically, this kitten hair lasts up to 5 months approximately and the moult to the hair of an adult cat can last up to one year of age.
Therefore, taking into account that cats change Colour growing up If its genetics is marked like this and it is usually about half a year old, think about whether your furry fits this cause and, if it does not show symptoms of other things or other changes, you should not worry.

Aging
The change in the color of the coat is not only made from children to adults, but, like people and other animals, when getting old they also change the color, because gray hair appears. This is one of the first symptoms of old age in cats. You may see that areas with more white or grayish hairs appear on your furry, look closely at the face and chest, two areas in which more gray hair tends to appear.
For example, it is common for a black cat changes color, becoming more grayish and even with whiter areas. In addition, longer and whiter hairs may appear, apart from the ones you already had.
Stress in cats
anxiety and stress are factors that alter the entire organism, both in cats and in any other living being. It is common that under stress hair falls out much more and that there are hormonal changes that produce changes in the tone of the coat, always becoming a lighter hair. In addition, if the stress is very strong, white areas of hair may appear, which are gray.
If you suspect that your cat is stressed, try to detect the reason and change it as soon as possible, if not go to the vet to diagnose it and give you the best treatment. Some reasons for strong stress in cats are moving, the arrival of more animals or people at home and loud and constant noises.

For the Sun
Yes your cat spends a lot of time in the sun, your hair will lighten, surely in some areas more than in others. For example, black cats typically change to a more reddish or brownish hue.
If we think about it carefully, it is something that also happens to us people. This happens because the sun affects the structure of the hair being able to make it not only change its tone, but also dry it and make it weak, as long as it is an excess of sunlight.
Problem in the hair growth cycle
The cat may have a problem that stops the correct growth of its fur. The hair cycle suppression can cause a change in its color. In this case, the animal does not expel the hair well when the cycle ends and it remains old, weak and dull colorbeing able to be something clearer than always,
It is necessary that if you see that your cat does not shed its fur well and it becomes old and dull, you take it to the vet. This will have to perform tests, such as a trichogram to check the condition of the hair and detect the problem and give you the best treatment. Some of the causes to be treated may be malnutrition, a lack of a vitamin, mineral or protein, or a systemic disease that affects the entire body.

Vitiligo and alopecia
Another possibility of this change in your feline’s coat is vitiligo. It’s about a change in skin and hair pigmentation that, in principle, does not have to suppose a health problem. However, in cats it has been linked to lupus and uveitis, a serious inflammation of the eye. Therefore, especially if it has been a sudden change, it is recommended to go to the veterinarian both for the diagnosis of vitiligo and for the treatment of possible symptoms if it were linked to these other diseases.
On the other hand, another hair problem is alpecia areata or localized alopecia in a part of the body. This is mainly detected by isolated areas in which there is less or no fur, but another sign is the change in color of the surrounding or generalized hair, although this last sign is less frequent.
Lack of tyrosine
Tyrosine is an amino acid that is involved in the creation of melanin, which gives color to skin and fur. For this, one lack of tyrosine can cause a change of color in the hair of cats. The most frequent are the cases in which it goes from black to brown or reddish.
Although this problem is more common in dogs than in cats, it is necessary that a veterinary specialist check the health of your cat, since if it is this problem, it can lead to something more serious than a simple change in the tone of the coat.
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