Black newborn turns light tabby - is he a sort of smoke?

nickyb

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This is my 10 week old kitten, when i put him on hold he was advertised as "black with a smoky face" but turned a light silver tabby by adoption time (there were progression photos in between, he was not swapped out 😊) I read about fever coats - light turning darker, and smoke - dark growing out with light roots. But I haven't found info about dark turning generally light - did his darker stripes come out first and the light grey come in later? Or is it a sort of smoke? The stripes on his tail are definitely dark to the root, but on his body I can't find dark bands near the root.
 

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Maurey

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Black silver tabby. Tabbies can’t be smoke; the inhibitor gene on a solid cat makes smoke (coloured tips with white roots, body is overall solid looking), and makes silver, like your kitten, on tabbies. Hard to say what pattern at this stage. Seeing how dense his colour was when he was young, classic tabby would be most likely, imo, but the first photo doesn’t reflect that.

Is the first photo him now? Is he still with his mum? Looks a bit younger than 10 weeks there, imo, and kittens should really stay with mum for a full 12 weeks, ideally.
 
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nickyb

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Btw he is (supposedly, no documentation!) Second generation persian/ragdoll mix (ie both parents first generation persian ragdoll mix). He has toe tufts and big ear fluff, has long guard hairs but I'd say he's medium haired and has body shape more like the ragdoll side (long limbs, back legs longer than front).
 

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nickyb

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Black silver tabby. Tabbies can’t be smoke; the inhibitor gene on a solid cat makes smoke (coloured tips with white roots, body is overall solid looking), and makes silver, like your kitten, on tabbies. Hard to say what pattern at this stage. Seeing how dense his colour was when he was young, classic tabby would be most likely, imo, but the first photo doesn’t reflect that.

Is the first photo him now? Is he still with his mum? Looks a bit younger than 10 weeks there, imo, and kittens should really stay with mum for a full 12 weeks, ideally.
Yes 10 weeks now, the baby photos match the timing, sadly not with mum (I agree, was a bit sad the breeder wanted him picked up so early 😕) I think his tabby pattern is mackerel but its a bit hard to tell as his back is a bit fuzzy, so stripes broken up.
 

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Maurey

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Yes, does look mackerel there :) The pattern may become more defined as the coat develops, depending on the adult coat length.
 

cataholic07

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Yes it's normal, all brown/silvers tabbies are like that at birth and then their coat slowly changes. You could tell the colouring by the face, the "breeder" should have known that but sounds like it's a backyard "breeder" with zero knowledge about cats. He would be a longhair, right now he still has kitten fuzz and it will get very short until he's closer than a year old :) Mine really poofed out at 2 years old and have thicker fur during winter months.
 

Meowmee

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This is my 10 week old kitten, when i put him on hold he was advertised as "black with a smoky face" but turned a light silver tabby by adoption time (there were progression photos in between, he was not swapped out 😊) I read about fever coats - light turning darker, and smoke - dark growing out with light roots. But I haven't found info about dark turning generally light - did his darker stripes come out first and the light grey come in later? Or is it a sort of smoke? The stripes on his tail are definitely dark to the root, but on his body I can't find dark bands near the root.
He is beautiful 😻 I was reading an article recently about Persian and maybe other kittens who were born dark tabbies and turned light, apparently that is the norm. I think they were shaded silver tabbies, I have forgotten but I will try to find it and link it here.
 

missymotus

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all brown/silvers tabbies are like that at birth
I’m not sure how many you’ve bred but it’s not the norm for all black silvers (or any colour silver) at all, it very much depends on the pattern.


What colour & pattern were the parents? Hopefully you saw all the breed related health tests for both breeds or you’ll be needing to do them yourself.
shame another byb was chosen to be supported over a rescue or registered breeder.
 
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nickyb

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He is beautiful 😻 I was reading an article recently about Persian and maybe other kittens who were born dark tabbies and turned light, apparently that is the norm. I think they were shaded silver tabbies, I have forgotten but I will try to find it and link it here.
Ooh that would be really interesting!
 
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nickyb

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I’m not sure how many you’ve bred but it’s not the norm for all black silvers (or any colour silver) at all, it very much depends on the pattern.


What colour & pattern were the parents? Hopefully you saw all the breed related health tests for both breeds or you’ll be needing to do them yourself.
shame another byb was chosen to be supported over a rescue or registered breeder.
Yes I was sad to not be able to get a rescue, our other cat was a rescue kitten who grew up to be a big 8kg bearded boy! We'd chosen the smallest baby at the shelter to be a companion for our little 3kg cat (who has since passed away). The size discrepancy was an issue, so we tried for a few months to find another big cat to adopt. Luckily for the poor unhomed pusses there are not so many around any more because people are working from home more and adopting them all! ❤
 
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