Why don't cats go grey?

Kazz · 06-01-2007, 05:35 PM

Okay looking at my Cleo, Dawn's Jessie and others can someone tell me why cats don't go grey.....or do they and I am not looking at the grey cats?

Fran · 06-01-2007, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kazz

Okay looking at my Cleo, Dawn's Jessie and others can someone tell me why cats don't go grey.....or do they and I am not looking at the grey cats?

With dogs they either inherit the gene for greying or they don't. Perhaps it's the same with cats? although, like you say I am struggling to remember if I have ever seen any cats that have gone grey in old age

Maybe cats don't have the greying gene at all??

Elaine · 06-01-2007, 07:39 PM

Winston was always grey LOL, but in his older years he did develope a few white hairs round his mush, just one or two and I dont supose any one else noticed them.

Kazz · 06-01-2007, 07:40 PM

Now I'd have thought that if any cat was going to go grey it would be one over 20 regardless of colour.......but not seen one yet? isn't it an interesting thought, wonder if its because they live a stress freee life.

Kazz · 06-01-2007, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elaine

Winston was always grey LOL, but in his older years he did develope a few white hairs round his mush, just one or two and I dont supose any one else noticed them.

Thats interesting Elaine, I wonder if my two have them and because they are mostly white around their faces I haven't noticed them????

Fran · 06-01-2007, 07:47 PM

Well as you know Lucky was eighteen years old and totally black. She didn't have any white hairs at all but her coat did go a 'rusty' colour as she got older

Elaine · 06-01-2007, 08:12 PM

Winstons coat also became more of a brown/grey in the last few years of his life but I dont know if that was more down to his illness or his age, maybe the few white hairs were to do with his illness too rather than his age.

smudgley · 06-01-2007, 08:32 PM

What an excellent question Kazz. No idea what the answer is, but it's very true.
My dog is only 6 & very grey around her muzzle.

Never seen a grey cat though.

edit to add ~ I've seen a grey cat! I've got one, what I mean is a cat that has turned grey with age.

dandysmom · 06-01-2007, 09:06 PM

This is something that I've noticed also, and have often wondered: have seen many dogs that grey as they age, but never a cat! And I've had some aged cats: 17, 19 1/2 and 20..with nary a grey hair at all. I know in people greying is caused by the gradual loss of melatonin which gives color to the hair: maybe cats don't lose it ( if they even have it which I don't know) ! Maybe a project for someone to delve into the cat genetics pages and find out,,,??

dandysmom · 07-01-2007, 04:26 AM

Whoops! Said melatonin in my post, what I meant was melanin !! Sorry!

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