Thursday, March 28, 2024

Do Cats Have Hair or Fur? Learn More about Your Little Friend

Cats are among the most popular and most common animals. You can see them walking around in the streets, in people’s arms, and even starring in movies or TV shows. Many cats are very famous and have hundreds of thousands of followers on social media websites. Yet still, most people don’t know the answer to the question, do cats have hair or fur?

Whether you own a beautiful cat, are considering buying, or are just curious about the animal, it doesn’t matter. The answer to the question is actually straightforward, which is that cats have both. If you are a little confused at this point, then don’t worry, you can read the details below.

But also remember, there are certain breeds of cats that have no hair at all. Sure they still have whiskers, but that is all. Also, you can learn more about the types of fur, among other things, below.

Hair vs Fur

It doesn’t matter if you look at humans, whales, dogs, cats, or monkeys, among others, because every mammal has hair. But of course, the hair has a different appearance, purpose, and feel in each individual species.

If you really think about it, fur is basically very thick hair covering a mammal’s body. Since people don’t have that much hair, it’s not called fur. But you see, many cats have very thick and soft fur. Some cat breeds have less fur, and few are entirely hairless.

You can think of cat hair as one single strand. While cat fur is used to describe the entire body of hair. When you are grooming your kitty, you would say you’re combing its hair or brushing its fur.

There is another term that breeders love to use, which is coat. People just get even more confused with the word coat, but it’s just a term used to describe the appearance of a cat’s fur.

That’s why you can use hair, fur, or coat when describing the fuzzy stuff on your cat. All of the terms are generally correct, and you can use whichever one you like the most.

Types of Cat Fur Texture

A little while ago, you probably didn’t know about the difference between fur, coat, and hair, and now you are looking into the different types. It can be surprising to learn there is more than one.

Guard Hair

Guard hair is the top layer of a cat’s coat, and also the longest. They are generally coarser than the undercoat that helps to insulate a cat’s body. This hair also determines the primary color of the cat. Guard hair also helps the water run off the cat’s body.

Down Hair

The down hair is the laying underlying the guard hair. It is generally much softer and shorter than the outer layer. This hair is thick and plush, especially in the breeds of cats that are used to living in cold climates.

Awn Hair

The awn hair is in the middle, between the guard and the undercoat. The awn brings the entire coat together and makes it one instead of three separate layers. The awn hairs are shorter than the guard, but they are longer than the undercoat.

These are the hair that contains much of the color and the pattern of a cat’s coat. They also protect the undercoat.

Whiskers

The whiskers are much different from the fur, but they are also hair. These are long and thick hairs that generally extend from the sides of the cheeks, and they go above the eyes. These hairs are susceptible and play a significant role in a cat’s ability to find their way around the darkness. These even help cats identify scents, and they can tell you a lot about a cat’s body language. How Do You Tell If Your Cat Has An Undercoat?

The undercoat is another very confusing term that you may have heard or seen.

You see, most cats have a double coat. While the outer layer (guard) is more prolonged and coarser, the inner layer (undercoat) is very soft. This layer provides warmth to a cat.

The undercoat is like clumps that tangle with the guard’s hair, forming a dense coat. All these tangles are close to the skin, and they tug at the undercoat when a cat moves. They are tough to cut, which is because removing them can harm the cat’s skin.

If your cat has a double coat, then it has an undercoat as well.

Why Do Some Cats Have Soft Fur?

Cats usually have very soft fur, and that is because they are consistently grooming themselves. Every cat has tiny bristles on their tongue that make it very rough, like sandpaper, allowing it to act like a brush.

That’s why cats use their tongue to groom their fur and remove dirt, debris, or loose hair. Not only that, but a cat’s tongue can also be handy to spread the skin’s oils and give it a softer fur.

However, obese and older cats are generally not able to groom themselves very well. That is why you will have to help them groom.

Final Verdict

Cats are magnificent animals, and they come in different types of breeds. But do cats have hair or fur? They have both. You see, cat hair is described as an individual strand, and the fur is the collection of hair. While some cats may have a lot of it, others might have absolutely no hair at all.

There is also another term used to describe cat fur, which is the coat. It generally stands for the appearance of a cat’s fur.

There are typically three types of coats that you need to know about. The guard is the upper layer, it is the longest and responsible for the color of the fur. The awn is the middle layer, which holds all three of the coats together and forms the pattern of the coat. The undercoat is the innermost layer, which is the softest and provides warmth to a cat.

Serina Russow
Serina Russowhttp://smartcatlovers.org
Hey there, I'm Serina, your friendly feline fanatic! As the proud founder of "Smart cat lovers," I'm on a mission to share my passion for all things cat-related. With years of experience in cat behavior and health, I'm here to provide expert advice on nurturing happy, healthy kitties. When I'm not tapping away on my keyboard, you'll find me curled up with my four adorable furballs: Whiskers, Luna, Billy, and Charlie.

Similar Articles

Comments

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Most Popular