Can a Siamese Cat's Fur Change From Dark to Light?

Hear the term "Siamese cat" and you probably think of a bright white cat with darker spots on her face, ears, legs and tail. Although this is the quintessential look of these vocal, blue-eyed oriental kitties, that colorization doesn't always stay pristine as the years go by. Various factors can naturally change your cat's coloring. The change is completely normal and no cause for alarm.

Remember those toys that change color in warm or cool water? Your Siamese's skin is kind of like that. Her hair color is determined by the temperature of her skin. Cold skin grows dark hair, and warm skin grows lighter hair. Her environment can also affect her coloring, so her hair grows in darker in winter and lighter in summer. Compare pictures of her from throughout the year and you might notice a distinct shading difference depending on the season.

The sun has a way of lightening colors over time, and Miss Suki could be a walking reminder of this fact. If your kitty has a patch of sunlight she particularly likes to lounge in day after day after day, she might be sun-bleaching her coat during her sunbaths. You might need to remind her to flip over now and then, or she could end up lighter on one side than the other.

Father Time is an equal-opportunity trickster, and his handiwork can affect your cat as much as you. Aging tends to introduce gray or silver strands as we grow older, and your cat is not immune. Your cat might lighten because she's “going gray” as she matures. However, many Siamese cats tend to darken as they age, because their skin temperature drops.