Stress And Coat Softness

Lucifigus

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This is a casual question, but I am curious and I thought this might be the place to get some opinions. I picked up a cat from a shelter a few years ago. She was seized from a place with 20 cats, and did not have a good sense of human interaction. I also determined that she had been physically abused somewhat, and she can be a bit skittish. She also has mild Feline Herpes, which is easily controlled with daily medication. The herpes flare ups can be associated with stress, and Lucy stresses easily. The first summer, when all the windows were open, street noise from vehicles could cause her to hide in a closet. My query relates to the connection between stress levels and the softness of the cat's coat.
I notice the coarseness or softness of Lucy's coat can be quite variable. Most often, her coat is silky smooth and soft, but I have often thought that when she is stressed, her coat gets somewhat coarse. In fact there are days when I can notice a switch from coarse to soft in a matter of hours. If I notice her coat feels a little coarse, I pay more attention to her, offer her general support, comfort and cuddles, and I can notice a change (sometimes) in less than a day.
Is this something normal, or at least noticed by anyone else?
 

epona

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Yes, the coat can be affected by stress or illness - in a happy healthy cat the coat is usually held flat against the body, in a stressed or ill cat the coat often appears a little rough or puffed out.
 
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