# Color changing kitten



## Poofys Mama (Sep 8, 2009)

KitKat is about 8-9 wks old now...when we first got her she was black with a little bit of white under her neck...now shes dark brownish black with dark tabby stripes...very interesting coloring lol...will take a pic of her in the morning in good lighting to show yall...I wonder what her end coloring will be :lol: Anyone else have a kitten that changed a bit during her/him growing up?


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

I think what is happening is her kitten fur is beginning to dry and prepare to fall out and that is why you are seeing the changing colors and her faint tabby pattern.

All cats are Tabby cats, expressing and/or carrying the genes for one or more tabby patterns: Classic (blotched), Abyssinian (ticked with no/few stripes) and Mackerel (stripes, broken stripes or spotted). Agouti is the gene cats must carry (AA or Aa) in order for their tabby markings to show up. Cats who do not have agouti (aa) are solid colors, like black or dilute gray.
*Agouti only affects black-based cats, not red. All red cats will show their tabby pattern, but they will exhibit no ticked banding on their hairshafts like the black-based tabbies.

Some solid (non-agouti) kittens/cats will show 'ghost stripes' which show their tabby pattern, but do not have the ticked hairs between their tabby stripes. Sometimes, when a cat is getting ready to shed, the hairs dry out and can fade, showing the faint tabby pattern the kitty carries. Also, sometimes the tabby pattern can be visible when the cat is in certain sunlight conditions.


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## lisab3410 (Oct 2, 2009)

Wow that is really interesting!

I used to have a black cat, but when we got him he was a very light grey with dark grey ears and boots and tip of his tail.

In the end he was a very big black cat, with a few strands of grey (very few), looked as though he was going grey with old age.

Not sure how long the change took, probably a year if I remember correctly.

Poor Tipsy ended up with diabetes and then it was cancer that finally got him. Still miss my Tipsy cat.


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## Poofys Mama (Sep 8, 2009)

Heidi n Q said:


> I think what is happening is her kitten fur is beginning to dry and prepare to fall out and that is why you are seeing the changing colors and her faint tabby pattern.
> 
> All cats are Tabby cats, expressing and/or carrying the genes for one or more tabby patterns: Classic (blotched), Abyssinian (ticked with no/few stripes) and Mackerel (stripes, broken stripes or spotted). Agouti is the gene cats must carry (AA or Aa) in order for their tabby markings to show up. Cats who do not have agouti (aa) are solid colors, like black or dilute gray.
> *Agouti only affects black-based cats, not red. All red cats will show their tabby pattern, but they will exhibit no ticked banding on their hairshafts like the black-based tabbies.
> ...



Very interesting....never knew any of that lol...


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## Sarah-Lou (Sep 22, 2009)

When I first got Nala she was definitely tabby colouring, browns and blacks....and now just 6 weeks later, she is getting more ginger and blonde than ever!! I keep wondering what she will look like as an adult cat now.


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## Ritter (Oct 6, 2009)

My kitten was grey when I got her on 8 weeks and within 6 months she changed to brown!
still beautiful either way


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