When Does A Long Haired Cat's Fur Quit Developing And Thickening?

[TobiDaDog]

For a long time, Reese's fur was longish, but not thick. It almost seemed like she didn't have a double coat. Now at a year old, her fur has begun to thicken more and more and she is showing an obvious double coat. And it's getting longer too, which surprises me. When does a cat's adult coat stop changing?

 

[lutece]

Cats mature at different rates, but are generally fully mature somewhere between age 2 and age 4-5. At just one year of age, most cats are still in a "teenage" stage of development.

 

[darg]

As lutece mentions, cat's mature differently. My 12 year old is a flame point Himi. He shouldn't have any of the red color except for on his ears, tail feet and a face mask. Up until he was 1 year old, or a little beyond that, he didn't have any red color on his back. It was all white. His tail also gained more of the red color that it had when he was a kitten. He probably didn't have all the color that he has now until he was probably 2 years old and I think he colored more even beyond that. His fur was always pretty thick (it is thicker in the "winter" even though we are in Florida) and that hasn't really changed but it did grow longer as he became an adult.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Here's an example - albeit not a great one - but, it would help give you an idea. These are pics of Gracie (RIP) at about 1-1 1/2 and then again around 5 yo. Mind you, there is a tad bit of extra weight in the last pic slightly distorting the amount of hair, but she was still one hairy kitty!!

 

[TobiDaDog]

Here's an example - albeit not a great one - but, it would help give you an idea. These are pics of Gracie (RIP) at about 1-1 1/2 and then again around 5 yo. Mind you, there is a tad bit of extra weight in the last pic slightly distorting the amount of hair, but she was still one hairy kitty!!

View attachment 286606
View attachment 286607

Holy cow!! Now THAT'S a fur coat!

 

[FeebysOwner]

For sure!!! I had no idea how hairy she really was until I got Feeby (very short haired, and relatively thin). Even with Tawny who was before Gracie, he too had a lot of hair - just not quite like Gracie.

I brushed her daily (thankfully, she loved it) and fed her malt flavored petroleum jelly (she hated Vaseline - unlike Tawny). I don't think she hardly ever threw up a hairball in her 12 years!

That was 20 years ago, and not a lot of other hairball options existed - or at least, I wasn't aware of them.

So, get your baby Reese used to a whole lot of brushing!!! And, find a hairball remedy she likes?!!

 

[TobiDaDog]

For sure!!! I had no idea how hairy she really was until I got Feeby (very short haired, and relatively thin). Even with Tawny who was before Gracie, he too had a lot of hair - just not quite like Gracie.

I brushed her daily (thankfully, she loved it) and fed her malt flavored petroleum jelly (she hated Vaseline - unlike Tawny). I don't think she hardly ever threw up a hairball in her 12 years!

That was 20 years ago, and not a lot of other hairball options existed - or at least, I wasn't aware of them.

So, get your baby Reese used to a whole lot of brushing!!! And, find a hairball remedy she likes?!!

She LOVES to be brushed, thankfully.(And vacuumed with the vacuum hose?!) And I've got her on a weekly dose of Harts hairball paste.

 

[FeebysOwner]

She LOVES to be brushed, thankfully.(And vacuumed with the vacuum hose?!) And I've got her on a weekly dose of Harts hairball paste.

Oh yeah - that is one HAPPY kitty!!!!

 

[darg]

Y'all are lucky. May cat, on a good day, tolerates being brushed and combed. Most days he lays there and starts his whiney growl after a minute or two. He get's it daily, regardless.

 

[GaryT]

My Theodore is coming up on a year old (June 28th). He is still getting his adult coat. I just gave him a bath and he is so good about it. He lays in my lap against me while I blow dry him and comb him out after the bath. The breeder told me bathing helps shed the old coat. He sure was happy after the bath was done! Raced around wanting to play. LOL
He should be absolutely gorgeous this fall when he has his winter coat.

 

[GaryT]

Y'all are lucky. May cat, on a good day, tolerates being brushed and combed. Most days he lays there and starts his whiney growl after a minute or two. He get's it daily, regardless.

I am so spoiled with Theodore. He jumps right into my lap when I sit down in the combing spot. He LOVES to be combed but, he does grab and bite at the comb when I try doing his belly and back legs. I give him a toy to attack and that helps. He really gets kicking with his back feet when I give him the toy. If it were a real mouse he would tear it apart! Better the toy than me!

 

[GaryT]

Theo is not as easy to groom as Oliver was but he is getting better. Oliver would lay in my lap and close his eyes while I combed. It was like a massage to him. I never had bad tangles with him. Marge (the breeder) started combing when he was a baby. I combed him EVERY day (and sometimes twice).

 

[GaryT]

Theodore's coat is thickening.