Why is Chester's fur like this?

Vjanc090

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Hello! This is Chester, my long haired boy! He is 9 months old, and has grown some pretty gorgeous fur! He has all of these random spikey hairs, and I'm wondering if his coat is supposed to grow that long, or if they are just random. Thank guys!

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Musiaka

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Could be thyroid issues, especially if he also loses weight or has a low appetite. Thyroid issues might cause dull and patchy fur
 

Mr. Meow

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Honestly, I don't believe there is an issue with it at all. Some cats have fur like that. Also, cats can "lift" their fur to help manage body temperature.
I noticed it looks like his fur is up while he's laying in the sun or under a bright light. It's possible that he's trying to get more light (ie heat) to his skin.
 
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Vjanc090

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I agree! :agree: Sometimes my cat's fur looks like that as well. Depending where you live if the air is dry during the winter months you may need to use a humidifier. BTW, Chester is an extremely handsome boy.:gingercat2:
Thank you <3 hes the sweetest!
 
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Vjanc090

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What a beautiful cat! Could the spikey hairs be caused by static electricity?
I don't think so, he always is a little floofy!
 
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Vjanc090

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Honestly, I don't believe there is an issue with it at all. Some cats have fur like that. Also, cats can "lift" their fur to help manage body temperature.
I noticed it looks like his fur is up while he's laying in the sun or under a bright light. It's possible that he's trying to get more light (ie heat) to his skin.
Awesome! Thank you!
 

fionasmom

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OMG he is the most amazing little orange boy! I have had longer haired cats whose hair did the same thing and it was indicative of nothing wrong.
 

Furballsmom

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WOW, Hello Handsome!
I agree, I think he's just fine, however of course it never hurts to keep up with wellness checks :)

Are you still feeding him as much canned food along with a little kibble that he wants? I think he's going to be a cat that physically takes longer to mature and he'll benefit from lots of good food (along with lots of activity) 😍
 
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Vjanc090

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I agree! :agree: Sometimes my cat's fur looks like that as well. Depending where you live if the air is dry during the winter months you may need to use a humidifier. BTW, Chester is an extremely handsome boy.:gingercat2:
Thank you :D
 
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Vjanc090

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WOW, Hello Handsome!
I agree, I think he's just fine, however of course it never hurts to keep up with wellness checks :)

Are you still feeding him as much canned food along with a little kibble that he wants? I think he's going to be a cat that physically takes longer to mature and he'll benefit from lots of good food (along with lots of activity) 😍
Yes! We do canned food and little kibbles!
 

AmandaRox

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What a gorgeous boy! My short/medium haired tabby is also 9 months, and her undercoat has come in for the winter, so her spots and stripes are more fluffy than sleek. I'm guessing he's just filling out in that way so Id maybe wait until after he sheds this spring to have a good reference point.
 

VanCatMa

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Hello! This is Chester, my long haired boy! He is 9 months old, and has grown some pretty gorgeous fur! He has all of these random spikey hairs, and I'm wondering if his coat is supposed to grow that long, or if they are just random. Thank guys!

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Chester is beautiful! Congratulations to you on your new fur-ever friend! I remember when my Willow was 10 months old, she was very curious, very playful, and very interested in the world around her. (In many ways, she still is!). At that age, she still had her kitten fur!

In Willow's adult years, she had an issue with hair clumping on her lower back area, and on her hind quarters. Her hair clumping only occured when I purchased clumping cat litter. I normally buy non-clumping cat litter, but on a few occasions, when the store was out of non-clumping formula, I had to buy clumping litter.

After utilizing the clumping cat litter in her box, days later, I started to observe clumpy areas of fur, visible on her body (like in Chester's third picture). At first I could not figure out what it was. Willow grooms herself within normalcy, she is brushed three times a week, she is not over-brushed, her skin and her fur are both in very healthy condition.

I then resumed with her non-clumping litter. After a few weeks of the non-clumping litter, the fur clumps were no longer visible: not on her lower back, not on her hindquarters, and not anywhere else on her body; they have not returned since.
 

Caspers Human

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Those hairs are called "guard hair" and it's perfectly normal.

Cats have three types of hair on their bodies. They have four if you count the vibrissae on their face. (Whiskers.)

Cats have one type of hair called "down hair" which lies closest to the body and acts as insulation to keep in heat.

The second type of hair is called "awn hair" which is the middle, most visible layer of fur.
Awn hair serves as a second layer of insulation and it helps to protect the down hair and keep it clean.

Finally, there is "guard hair" which is the longest and coarsest layer.
Guard hair serves to protect the layers below and to shed dirt and water.

The three different layers grow in and shed at different times.
A cat that lives in a colder climate will likely grow more down hair and a thicker layer of awn hair than a cat that lives indoors.
Also, the down hair will shed in the spring as the temperature gets warmer and it will grow back in the fall, as the temperature falls.

The thickness and density of a cat's awn hair and guard hair layers will also change as the seasons change.

First of all, since it's winter in the northern hemisphere, you will likely see changes in your cat's coat as the weather changes.

Second, your cat isn't quite a year old yet. He's still got a little bit more growing to do. As he matures, you will likely see changes in his coat like this.

Also, don't forget... Different cats grow differently and so does their fur. Not every cat's fur grows the same way.

I think Chester is a fine looking cat and his fur looks perfectly normal to me. :)

Link to Wikipedia:

The modern mammalian fur arrangement is known to have occurred as far back as docodonts, haramiyidans and eutriconodonts, with specimens of Castorocauda, Megaconus and Spinolestes preserving compound follicles with both guard hair and underfur.

Fur may consist of three layers, each with a different type of hair.

Down hair
Down hair (also known as underfur, undercoat or ground hair) is the bottom—or inner—layer, composed of wavy or curly hairs with no straight portions or sharp points. Down hairs, which are also flat, tend to be the shortest and most numerous in the coat. Thermoregulation is the principal function of the down hair, which insulates a layer of dry air next to the skin.

Awn hair
The awn hair can be thought of as a hybrid, bridging the gap between the distinctly different characteristics of down and guard hairs. Awn hairs begin their growth much like guard hairs, but less than half way to their full length, awn hairs start to grow thin and wavy like down hair. The proximal part of the awn hair assists in thermoregulation (like the down hair), whereas the distal part can shed water (like the guard hair). The awn hair's thin basal portion does not allow the amount of piloerection that the stiffer guard hairs are capable of. Mammals with well developed down and guard hairs also usually have large numbers of awn hairs, which may even sometimes be the bulk of the visible coat.

Guard hair
Guard hair is the top—or outer—layer of the coat. Guard hairs are longer, generally coarser, and have nearly straight shafts that protrude through the layer of softer down hair. The distal end of the guard hair is the visible layer of most mammal coats. This layer has the most marked pigmentation and gloss, manifesting as coat markings that are adapted for camouflage or display. Guard hair repels water and blocks sunlight, protecting the undercoat and skin in wet or aquatic habitats, and from the sun's ultraviolet radiation. Guard hairs can also reduce the severity of cuts or scratches to the skin. Many mammals, such as the domestic dog and cat, have a pilomotor reflex that raises their guard hairs as part of a threat display when agitated.
 

BellaGooch

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My short haired boy has fur like that sometimes. I don’t think I’ve ever really thought about it. 🤔
 
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