Black Cat Changing Tabby

BigPoppa

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hi everyone!

I rescued my cat off the side in the road in December when he was still just a lil blue eyed kitten. At the time he was all black with a grey undercoat. When he lost his blue eyes his coat also lost the grey undercoat and he turned completely black. Now, he is 4/5 months old and his coat is turning brown and he has visible tabby markings! I don't care what breed he is, since he was left in a box with urine scald on the side of the road, im assuming he's not from two pure bred cats. I've just never seen a cat turn colors like this! My cat before him was all black and was black until the day he died at age 13. I've posted pictures so you can change the in his coat.
 
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BigPoppa

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*i hit post instead of hitting add attachment. Here are the pics of him*
First picture is in the car immediately after I found him. Last picture is today.
 

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abyeb

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Hi there! You have a beautiful kitten! So, I’m thinking that the grey in his fur when you found him is what we call a fever coat, meaning that his mother had an infection while pregnant. Fever coats grow out in a little bit of time, leaving the cat with their natural fur color.
 
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BigPoppa

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Oh interesting! That would make sense because my vet said based on the state he was in it seemed as if he never received any colostrum.
So, based on that, do you think he will grow out of the black coat and be a tabby?
 

abyeb

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No, I don’t think he will grow out of the black. That looks like his perminant coloration to me. The only coloration that a cat will really grow out of is a fever coat. Sometimes, black cats have tabby markings, that are just hidden under the dark color. Those markings can become visible if a cat spends time in the sun. Has your kitten been lounging in sunny patches by the window?
 

FlawlessImperfection

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He didn’t appear true black as a kitten, but that’s coming from someone who went to a school for diamond grading and sees colors no one else does. All I know is that is one stunning creature!! I hope he is just a super cool dark tabby, like black panthers still have their spots you can see in certain light? I think that’s an amazing kitty, you are awesome for helping him too.❤
 
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BigPoppa

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No, I don’t think he will grow out of the black. That looks like his perminant coloration to me. The only coloration that a cat will really grow out of is a fever coat. Sometimes, black cats have tabby markings, that are just hidden under the dark color. Those markings can become visible if a cat spends time in the sun. Has your kitten been lounging in sunny patches by the window?
It's been warm the past few days so he's been hanging out on the screened in pourch!
 
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BigPoppa

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He didn’t appear true black as a kitten, but that’s coming from someone who went to a school for diamond grading and sees colors no one else does. All I know is that is one stunning creature!! I hope he is just a super cool dark tabby, like black panthers still have their spots you can see in certain light? I think that’s an amazing kitty, you are awesome for helping him too.❤
Oh thank you!! I love him so much. I think he's so handsome but I'm a bit biased. His face has almost like a Siamese shape to it. There were 4 other siblings in the box too, and they were all seal point. Everyone at the barn I board my horse at took them home, but he was in the worst shape and I knew he would have no luck getting adopted as a black kitten and that since I'm a vet assistant I get a discount I figured I should just take him. Good thing I did, even with my 25% discount he was so emaciated and ill it was over $500 in December alone. But now it's lookin like he is going to be a big strong cat!!
 
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BigPoppa

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He is pretty. Reminds me Nightfury. Nightfury did have some ghost stripes as a kitten that have now vanished. But that first photo looks like a fever coat to me too.

This is Nightfury...
I love his collar!!!
 

FlawlessImperfection

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Oh thank you!! I love him so much. I think he's so handsome but I'm a bit biased. His face has almost like a Siamese shape to it. There were 4 other siblings in the box too, and they were all seal point. Everyone at the barn I board my horse at took them home, but he was in the worst shape and I knew he would have no luck getting adopted as a black kitten and that since I'm a vet assistant I get a discount I figured I should just take him. Good thing I did, even with my 25% discount he was so emaciated and ill it was over $500 in December alone. But now it's lookin like he is going to be a big strong cat!!
He’s very lucky to have been chosen by you! I have a huge soft spot for black cats, and you’re right they do get looked over- but I cannot understand why? I guess it’s old superstition. But he is just so unique and gorgeous, I really mean it! I’m looking forward to seeing pictures of him grow, with your love and care he will be big and strong without a doubt! Keep us updated!
 

FlawlessImperfection

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Hi there! You have a beautiful kitten! So, I’m thinking that the grey in his fur when you found him is what we call a fever coat, meaning that his mother had an infection while pregnant. Fever coats grow out in a little bit of time, leaving the cat with their natural fur color.
I have never heard of that? So interesting! Is it an unusual occurrence?
 

Norachan

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My black cat, Jiro, has very faint tabby markings too. They're more visible in the summer, when he gets a "tan" and the stripes on his legs are clearer. If I take a picture of him in black and white the M between his eyes can be seen, but I don't notice it when I take a colour picture of him.

He's going to be 5 soon, but he still looks as black as ever. I think a lot of cats have tabby stripes if you look for them closely.
 
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BigPoppa

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So today he was neutered. When we were shaving his leg to place a catheter all the fur under his top coat was gray!!! I was so surprised!
 

Summercats

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BigPoppa BigPoppa
Sometimes as said, black cats get a bit brown in the sun or if they are not getting enough taurine in their diet from meat.
Gorgeous kitten!
 
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