Can Cat / Kitten fur change colour?

[Velvet]

I find this quite interesting, when we got Amber her coat was a dirty dull dusty colour (she had been picked up straying as a kitten and no one ever claimed her) so it was interesting watching her coat develop into what can only be described as (in the right lighting) a Blue tabby with silver highlights

All along Ben was down as Black however this past week the Rescue have commented on the black stripes on his wee body. You could certainly make them out on him when we collected him on Friday but by gosh tonight his base coat is getting lighter with the black stripes showing more

This photo was taken without flash and you can see the tabby marking clearly. The photo with flash you can see an entirely different colour to what he appears to be (unfortunately it didnt come out clearly on photobucket :? )

So folks has anyone ever seen this before. The nearest colour i could see to it on the web was a "Smoke Black" - any ideas/comments?

Without flash

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x459/Timambmin2/19142ffc.jpg

[angieh]

I would think it' unusual Velvet - young kittens can show tabby stripes that seem to disappear as they get older and I presume some kittens' coats will appear to change colour as the condition of the coat improves with good nutrition and may have a different reflective quality as a result.

Ben is a bit of a mystery, because he's older than I would have thought normal for coat colour changes.

I will be interested to hear of others' opinions.

[paulinef2]

When I got Lester at 13 weeks his stripes were quite pronounced, with age they have faded it's strange though isn't it :)

[Velvet]

This is with magnification & flash

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x459/Timambmin2/de01e61d.jpg

[angieh]

Bless his little stripy coat!

[Moli]

Think thats what they call a Ghost Tabby....I had a foster who was the same colour...He is goegeous...

[Velvet]

Think thats what they call a Ghost Tabby....I had a foster who was the same colour...He is goegeous...

Does the coat stay 'tabby' Moli

[angieh]

I found this Velvet:-

"Tabby pattern genes can create "ghost" tabby patterns to appear on solid color and smoke kittens.
These "ghost" tabby patterns usually fade away by adulthood, although sometimes unwanted barring is left behind.
Ghost tabby markings can let you know what tabby pattern your kitten carries."

Source: http://www.kadokits.com/GeneticsTabby.html

[Velvet]

Thanks Angie, will have a read x