Feathered fur

[Karenhb]

Hi everyone!new here so my apologies if I am repeating a question. My champagne ginger is about 9 years old now and his fur is suddenly changing. There is no other way to describe it than each shaft of hair is getting stripes in it. It is only on his back and it makes his fur have a feather like look. Attached is the kind of thing I mean, it is very distinctive but I cannot find it. I would take a picture of his fur but he is currently no where to be seen and I am very worried he is sick. Thank you for your help

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[Mollycat]

Looks normal to me. All ginger cats are tabby but not all tabbies are ginger. Tabbies have the agouti gene which means the hairs are banded. I have a blue mackerel agouti - a fancy name for a grey cat with very faint stripes. Same thing, banded hairs.

If your cat's fur has become a little bit fluffy or downy on his back, and maybe he has a little bit of dandruff as well? that can be a sign of some health conditions and mentioning coat condition on a routine visit to the vet might be sensible, but unlikely to be anything to panic about if that's his only symptom. At 9 years old he is entering his senior years - not elderly, just senior - and a full blood panel would be a worthwhile exercise as it can show up very early old age related conditions that might prompt a shift in diet or a little extra care. For example a slight loss of kidney function at that age would be very common and very easy to manage without medication or worry, but a million and one other things can cause a bit of coat change, most of them pretty harmless, just worth checking.

[Karenhb]

Thanks Mollycat. Other than the bands his coat is gorgeous and no dandruff. When he goes for his jabs I will ask them for the blood panel, thanks for your help