The fur around Louis Catorze’s slowly-regrowing tattoo sleeve has turned a reddish-brown.
The first time I saw it, my heart almost stopped because I thought it was sunburn, and I felt like the worst person in the world for not thinking to protect my poor boy’s bald arm from the sun. (He would have looked ridiculous with bright white ears AND a bright white arm, but I don’t suppose it would have done him any harm. And that wasn’t meant to rhyme.)
However, as you can see from the picture, it’s not even the tattoo sleeve area itself that’s turned brown, but the fur around it. And it’s only this leg. He doesn’t have brown fur anywhere else on his body.
HOW has this happened?
All possible explanations welcome, although nobody has ever really been able to explain the enigma that is Le Roi so I don’t suppose it’s time to start now.
jesuisleroisoleil 
This looks a lot like DV’s undercoat. Maybe the black fur will grow in over top? Or maybe le Roi is half Ginger/ half Panther. That might explain some things…
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Catorze’s undercoat is grey. It’s very strange that this fur would turn brown, isn’t it? Mind you, Catorze is strange.
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My black and white boy Kasoer has an area of Auburn brown fur across the shoulders. Has appeared in the past few months. Sometimes she seems to cause it…
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Who seems to cause it?
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Louis Catorze’s dominant color will come back as the hair grows out. I see the same phenomenon with my two black Persian kitty brothers when they get groomed. Though they grow out black, their undercoat is a soft grey color. In certain light, for that matter, there is a hint of red; in another light, the look greyish.
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It’s taking a VERY long time to grow out, I guess because he’s an old boy? 🤣
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I suspect it’s like watching grass grow or water coming to a boil! LOL!
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In my all black cat, in certain light you could see stripes on the tail but only rarely. Undercoat oddity maybe. Someone once told me that back cats are tabbies with completely black fur. I don’t remember reddish spots but he did get white hairs as he aged. He said it made him look distinguished!
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Yes, Catorze has also been gaining white hairs. They’re the only thing that tell us he’s an old boy rather than a largish kitten!
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Bizzarmy !
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BIZZARMY indeed! What a brilliant word!
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As black cats get older they sometimes get a brownish tinge to their furs.Also, as the fur ages in it may look brownish. It should grow out black. It’s like a black piece of cloth laying out in the sun – it fades to brown. (Though I don’t think his exposure to the sun is what causes it.) It isn’t that unusual in black cats, even one as weird as Catorze.
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So, once again, a Catorzian trait turn out to be … normal? Should I be worried? 🤣
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Fraid so -maybe . The video of him hollering garnered several comments on how loud it was – but to me it sounded about normal – except maybe indicative of some Siamese in his background.
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