I can't understand your post are you saying that your cat Zoey is changing colour after it's a year old? Is she a pointed cat? Meaning she has a dark colored head, tail, and legs and a white/golden coloured body? If she is pointed, then those cats do change as they get older.
ozzykittys little Ozzy has more stripes.. Zoey had a complete white "harness " on her upper back now she has half a "harness and is gaining more stripes..
i was wondering about this also. my 8 yr old (according to the shelter) maine coon/siberian mix is a black and orange tortie. she was mostly black with dilute orange. now her orange fur is turing a brilliant fiery orqange (think lucille ball lol)
i wasnt sure if she was really that old or if it was a breed thing...
Well many months later ... Zoey is still turning more red by the day but the vet said what all on her said she is just slow...
8yrs I would consult a vet
I have never heard of the colour of fur being linked to any sicknesses, that has to be impossible. Like saying a person who's hair is changing colour is sick...
I think that both of you need not worry, courtney ou, the shelter is probably wrong with her age then, or she is changing colour due to old age.
Pointed cats go thru color changes. The "red or cream" colors are slower to develop and will usually get darker or increase (in the case of torties) over time. Another that gets a somewhat color change are the smokes - the kitten coats are more grey at the base and a true smoke cat (black/blue/red) should have a white base as they get older.
I had a tortie rex kitten with only 2 tiny spots of red (only indication of being a tortie). By the time she was full grown, she turned into a very nice tortie with more red thru out her coat.
i figured she wasnt as old as the shelter vet thought. chloe, my other kitty, will be 2 next month and shes still changing colors (shes a maine coon/siberian) i just figured patches was changing colors due to better nutrition. (she weighed just under 4lbs when i got her; she gained 4lbs in 8wks) her age was a guesstimate due to her teeth. patches is kinda cranky in that old lady way tho; we think shes channelling squidward lol