Do kittens not have an undercoat? Will they grow one as they age?

kpark27

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Hi! I'm a new cat owner. My kitten is a domestic shorthair at about 4 to 5 months old. I worry because I think he is single coated.

He recently seems to have started to shed a little bit. I think he lost most of his newborne kitten fur already; they are rather thick and coarse and lay flat on his back.

As far as I know, most cats except for certain breeds, are double coated.

However, no matter how hard I bury my hands into his fur and look closely I only see one layer of fur, about the same length as his outer fur. And it's winter (at least where I live!).

As of now, I'm quite positive he's single coated like my yorkshire terrier, and I am a bit concerned. He's very well fed btw!

Is this because he's a kitten? Will he grow a double coat as he grows? If so, when?

Please share your experience! Thanks in advance :)
 

Furballsmom

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He's very well fed btw!
I'm so glad to hear this! What does he get?

I can't answer about the coat for certain but I believe it depends, to an extent, on the breed. For example Siamese don't have undercoats.
 

maggie101

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Don't know either but if it makes you feel more at ease, I rescued a short fur domestic cat that was outside for 2 years til I rescued her. I am in Houston but it does get cold. I was swimming in October! She survived thru all the storms. Now she is afraid of the outdoors!
 

Kieka

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Some cats are single coated. While it's known to happen within specific breeds, reality is most cats don't fit in a specific breed and single coat can happen in any cat family without being a specific breed. Doesn't mean anything is wrong with the cat and I personally appreciate the reduced shedding.
 
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