My black cat's fur is turning reddish-brown. How can I fix this?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. This could potentially be just a color change in the hair coat due to the change in season like you said yourself (winter coat). Some animals do develop color changes as they age as well. As long as she is acting normally and there are no changes to the skin, this is likely a normal change. If you are concerned at all, I would recommend having a veterinarian take a look at her so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely just a normal coloration change and nothing to worry about. There can be changes in the coat coloration throughout their lifetime. I do not think there is something you need to do at this time. Best of luck!

Various types of skin infections will cause a change in color of the skin. These include bacterial and fungal skin infections. I'd recommend having your cats seen by a veterinarian for a proper diagnosis.

Injury/insult to follicles, sun exposure and inappropriate nutrition can all result in pigment changes to the fur. I recommend to have Coulson examined by his veterinarian to look for injury/insult and to discuss his diet to make sure it is balanced and complete. Best of luck.

A common cause of light colored hair turning orange or rust colored is from saliva staining. This can occur when a cat or dog is licking excessively. In cats, this can be cause by a range of medical things, including fleas, mites, ringworm, and allergies. It can also be a stress response. I would recommend that you have Zelda checked out by a vet to make sure that her skin is healthy - sometimes we will see something that you may not have realized was abnormal. If they do not find a medical cause, they can discuss Zelda's home environment and help you identify things that you could change to help with feline stress. Here is an article that discusses overgrooming in cats: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2565 Here is a product that can help stressed out kitties if other causes of itching have been ruled out by a vet: http://pet-supplies.drsfostersmith.com/search?view=grid&cartcount=0&wishcount=0&division=dogs&w=feliway&x=0&y=0

Hello, and thank you for your question. Zuko is such a handsome kitty! Occasionally focal areas of skin can get darker after it has healed after a period of inflammation. This can cause a concurrent change in the hair colour. In this location under the neck, a common cause of inflammation is chin acne, for example. If the fur and skin is otherwise looking healthy in this area, I would recommend to monitor it. If there is any concurrent scaling, redness, or itchiness, I would take Zuko to the vet within the next few days to rule out ongoing infection, or allergies, etc. I hope this helps!

The most likely cause for water to turn red brown when rinsing off an animal is due to the presence of fleas. Flea poop, also known as flea dirt, turns red brown when it gets wet. Some cats may have an allergic reaction to flea bites causing severe scabbing or crusting of their skin and thinning hair. Given the severity of what you're describing, I would recommend that you have Lucky seen by your veterinarian. Left untreated, flea infestations can cause severe anemia. Your veterinarian may recommend checking Lucky's red blood cell level for anemia. They can also recommend flea treatments for Lucky and for your home to help solve the problem. Please keep in mind that many over-the-counter flea treatments are not safe for cats. Please make sure to read all packaging carefully.