Kittens coat change

Question
I am fostering a litter for our local humane society, and I have a conundrum. One of the kittens, a male(based on physical characteristics we think he may have some Persian in him), was a very long haired black and white (thick coat)- but once he turned around 12 weeks old, he started loosing his long hairs... now he still has a few long black hairs, but his coat now looks like it's just the gray undercoat.  It may have started around 5 weeks (I thought he was barbering)under his tail and down his back legs,and now it's progressed all over his body, creeping up his head. All the time that I've had him he has been a happy, healthy normal acting kitten (the most emotionally well adjusted of the litter). No fleas, no itching, nothing. I've been trying to do my research (I work for at a vet's office and none of our doctors have seen anything like it)I know he's nowhere near a pure bred, but do you have any insight on what may be happening? So far my theories are a fever coat (without a fever?) or a smoke coat(?) Have you ever heard of a long haired kitten growing into a short haired adult? Just curious. Thank you for your time.

Answer
Amanda,

Given the weather, it is shedding season and your kitten has grown what the Persian breeders call kitten coat.  After a change of coat, as the weather cools (the days get shorter), the coat should come in longer. The true, black color should be in by the time the kitten is 8-10 months of age. This is normal for Persian coated kittens and nothing to worry about.  At this time, I would not expect it to be either fever coat nor smoke coat.  The smoke coat really does not come in until he kitten would be much older and would appear on the head first (behind the ears) and then on the front legs.

I would wait until the kitten is much older before trying to draw any conclusions about what kind of coat it will end up with.

Best regards... Norm.