# Scout the Kitten (Colouring question)



## rubyforbes

This is Scout a 6 week old abandoned kitten I've taken on. He's absolutely gorgeous but painfully shy and skittish at times. He has taken a liking to my Labrador/border Collie who is still terrified of him and not quite sure what to do with the affection (It's actually hilarious to watch ) 

Anyway I was wondering *if his colouring has a name? * it's quite strange and I'm not sure if the photos show it accurately

























He would appear to be black (on the head especially) but then the tip of his body coat is brown then it turns black then at the very base it's grey and the underneath on his belly its grey as well?
Maybe it's just odd colouring and it doesn't have a name ahaha


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## lovetimesfour

I think that is called either shaded or smoked black. Not sure which, but I'm leaning more toward smoke. Congratulations on the rescue. He's precious!


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## Carmel

Smoke would be the correct name if his coloring was all over like that but when it's localized to certain areas it's known as a "fever coat". Fever coat is common in kittens that have been sick. The grayish coloring will go away eventually and you'll be left with a black kitten.


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## doodlebug

Looks like fever coat to me...


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## lovetimesfour

Fever coat? I haven't ever heard that term, how interesting. That has something to do with the temperature of the cat changing the color of the fur as it grows in?

And once the cat (or, kitten, in this case) is in good health, as he sheds the fever coat and the new fur comes in, it will be a normal black color?

PS to the OP, is that a flea collar you have on him? I strongly advise you to take it off, if it is, those flea collars are known to be toxic. When he's a little bigger your vet can give you a kitten dose of Revolution to safely treat him for fleas.


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## rubyforbes

Carmel said:


> Smoke would be the correct name if his coloring was all over like that but when it's localized to certain areas it's known as a "fever coat". Fever coat is common in kittens that have been sick. The grayish coloring will go away eventually and you'll be left with a black kitten.


how interesting I would never have come up with that. It's not something to be concerned about is it?


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## RiddickandAgador

He is absolutely adorable!!


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## Evanescent

That looks like fever coat to me..

The Smoke coloration/undercoat don't grow in until they're a bit older..
Most likely, he's an all black kitten whose coat will improve as his health does.

He's got a gorgeous face, though! 

Also, you should take off the collar..even if it's not a flea collar.
I can't even list how many kittens I've heard of being hung because they were too light for the release..


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## rubyforbes

thanks for the tip, I actually changed the collar two days ago to a safety collar though now I'm thinking that because he's a kitten his weight may not be enough to release it so I'll take it off for now


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## spirite

Oh my goodness, how cute! Are his eyes blue or green? They're gorgeous.


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## rubyforbes

spirite said:


> Oh my goodness, how cute! Are his eyes blue or green? They're gorgeous.


They're hard to describe. Kind of jade green with grey/blue and are much stronger in colour in real life, but yes his eyes were the first thing to grab my attention


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## Nan

What an adorable fuzzy guy!


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