Rusty black cats

[Hopelass]

I love how my black cat goes "rusty" in the sun! Anyone else have a rusty cat?

[Hopelass]

Second pic is just to show she is normally black!

[Diamogs]

Gorgeous puss

[LineyReborn]

Oh yes! Mine does, too.

She has a permanent little rusty chin these days. She's 12.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

If she is over 8 years old I would suggest a check up with vet as can indicate thyroid or kidney problems in older cats.
Is she eating a good quality car food, if not can be amino acid deficiency.
If all of these are okay it can be exposure to the sun, but everything should check out.

[gamerchick]

It is a deficiency I've read but apparently a raw diet gives them everything they need. If you can be bothered with the faff.

[Hopelass]

She'll be five this year and has her yearly MOT along with her jabs. She eats a veterinary recommended diet think similar to science plan (I can't remember the name) because she tends towards the porky side but is very healthy otherwise.

[Hopelass]

I honestly thought it was just a black cat thing. Had no idea it was a deficiency maybe have to look at her diet again. She is pure black in normal light though........

[Hopelass]

Having had a quick google it seems the deficiency is in cats who look rusty in normal lighting conditions. Poppy definitely is pure black in anything but direct sunlight so I'm not panicking yet.

[Hopelass]

Yes she was 4 months old when we got her from the rescue centre where she was born (pregnant mum abandoned) we even know her exact birthday!

[lljkk]

neah, I'm not going for the amino acid deficiency theory. At least not when it's a seasonal thing associated with only one of my black cats (the one who has long hair that takes ages to grow back... so takes ages to grow in).

Simple bleaching of the black fur, I say. I like it, too.

[viviennewestood]

My black and white kittens have a rustic look to them but I assumed it was just part of their colouring Should I be worried?

[Hopelass]

I too thought it was similar to my brunette hair looking auburn in the sun - just a colouring thing. She's healthy anyway according to the vet so I'm not worried.

[SoupDragon]

I used to have two black cats and in the sun you could see full tabby stripes on them in rust! In ordinary light they were pure black.

[Hopelass]

Ooh lovely soup rusty stripes!

[Fluffycloudland77]

The breeder of my childhood cats kept the black ones out of the sun completely in the summer.

She showed them and didn't want a brown tinge.

Lone is a vet though and her advice ought to be noted for future use.

[OTheHugeManatee]

Our black cat doesn't go rusty in the sunshine but if you look carefully in the right light you can see he's black with black stripes

Not relevant, I just had to share as I think it's cute.

[Hopelass]

I'm not dismissing Lone's advice. I will ask when we are next at the vet.

[Hopelass]

Wow Manatee that is cool!

[lljkk]

Signs of Tyrosine deficiency seem to be widespread & obviously wrong, not merely rusty fur.

[OTheHugeManatee]

His sister is grey with grey stripes

[Hopelass]

Thanks lljkk
That sounds gorgeous manatee, I love stripey cats but all mine over the years have been black and white or pure black. I also love gingers. Basically, I love all cats. Full. Stop.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I just meant it's worth noting.

[DigestiveBiscuit]

Our black kitten is in parts black smoke - the fur is white with black tips. We can also see faint tabby stripes in the black. There are other variations of fur, which is part white and black.

[Pipbin]

My baby does this in the winter rather than the sun.
I put it down to her having a rather thick coat and she gets a white undercoat in the winter.