Can cats start to get grey hair as they age?

cmshap

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 21, 2019
Messages
1,490
Purraise
3,531
Location
Milwaukee, WI
Just a general question.

My cat Willy is 9, about to turn 10. He is white with spots of red/orange, and I don't know if I'm just seeing things, but the red spots are starting to look a little bit whiter than they used to.

I have tons of pictures of him saved from the last 5+ years, but it's hard for me to tell when I look back at the older photos.
 

TARTARA

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Mar 27, 2023
Messages
81
Purraise
121
Probably not... if so just a little bit... !?
 

iPappy

TCS Member
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jun 1, 2022
Messages
5,051
Purraise
15,786
Just a general question.

My cat Willy is 9, about to turn 10. He is white with spots of red/orange, and I don't know if I'm just seeing things, but the red spots are starting to look a little bit whiter than they used to.

I have tons of pictures of him saved from the last 5+ years, but it's hard for me to tell when I look back at the older photos.
I've noticed all of my black or black and white cats are getting some gray/white hairs speckled through their black fur. They are 11-14 years 🙂
 

maggie101

3 cats
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 20, 2014
Messages
7,883
Purraise
9,880
Location
Houston,TX
Josie, my avatar was 17 yrs old black/white, her color never faded. My sis is 55 yrs old solid dark brown hair. I am 3 yrs younger greybrown hair. So maybe it's not the same for all cats
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

cmshap

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 21, 2019
Messages
1,490
Purraise
3,531
Location
Milwaukee, WI
Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I wish I had decent before/after photos, but it's hard to see the difference in photos from when he was younger. But I feel like he's lost some of his reddishness.

This is a pic from more recently. It's those red spots on his back that look a little lighter and with faint wisps of white, vs. earlier on his life when they were a brighter red color.

20220429_225727.jpg

This is obviously not anything I'm worried about, I was just curious about it.
 

Attachments

betsygee

Just what part of meow don't you understand.
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
Mar 17, 2013
Messages
28,331
Purraise
17,469
Location
Central Coast CA, USA
I've noticed all of my black or black and white cats are getting some gray/white hairs speckled through their black fur. They are 11-14 years 🙂
My tuxedo has started to get a few white hairs on the black part of her coat. She is nine.
Same here. My 13 year old tuxie definitely has more white hairs in his black fur than he used to.
 
Top