Change in cats tail color??

Question
Hello.  We have a 3 year old sealpoint Himalayan tomcat named Marco, parentage, etc. unknown.  When we brought him home in August he had a beautiful bushy dark brown tail.  Now it's January and the beautiful dark tail has faded to a beautiful light gray!  Can a cat's tail change color? Will it ever turn dark again?  Thank you.

Answer
Well, let's think about this. The gene that produces the pointed coloration (pigment on the legs, tail and head) is temperature sensitive. That is why you see the darker color on these COOLER parts of the cat's body.

Siamese breeders keep their houses very warm so as to preserve the contrast between the light bodies and darker point color on their cats. Those who don't do this soon see their cats shading up and losing contrast.

So, it's January. Where do you live? How warm is it? Does your cat go outside?
Is he exposed to unusually warm temperatures? Does he, perhaps, sleep next to a radiator and keep his tail close to it? I have heard of Siamese going darker when they are in cooler temperatures but I must admit I have never heard of the opposite happening, i.e. points/head/tail getting lighter. However, if you think about the way the gene works, I suppose it might be possible.

Another explanation might be a "fever coat."  Has your cat been ill? Sometimes a fever can cause changes in the coat pigment. Usually, however, this will be all over the cat and not just on the tail.

I don't know, though. . . the radiator theory is sounding more and more possible to me. Perhaps the tail has gotten so warm that the pointed gene is not functioning properly and the color is inhibited.

In any case, yes, cats' tails, coats, and paws can change color. Whether the original color will return is hard to predict without knowing precisely what the cause is. I am assuming that the skin under the grey tail is normal and healthy and shows no sign of irritation -- if this is incorrect, you should take him to a vet for more detailed investigation. Otherwise, I think all you can do is be patient and wait for the seasons to change. . . perhaps the tail will do so as well.

Sorry I can't be more informative. Please let me know if this gives you any ideas or if you learn more from a vet.

iris