Mum, dad and I had a dilemma. It was summer. It was hot. We all wanted to go outside. Out the back of the house was a small courtyard, and it would have been hard to find me if I'd slipped through the fence. The front of the house was busy with lots of cars going past. It was a bit dangerous! So mum and dad got me a Trouble and Trix cat harness so I could play outside... and stay safe. They got me used to the harness by practicing inside. They popped the small loop over my head, and then buckled the big loop around my waist, ensuring both buckles were facing up. (A few cat treats helped with this process.) Once I was used to wearing the harness inside, I got to wear it outside. At first the harness made me feel a bit funny and I slunk around on my tummy. But then I got used to it. Soon I didn't even notice I was wearing it. It was a great way to stay safe AND enjoy summer! Scroll down for photos and a video.
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![]() Hi, I’m Bruce the cat! I was found on a footpath when I was one day old. Back then I was as small and grey as a mouse. A few weeks later, when I opened my eyes, they were blue. When I got bigger, I developed dark points on my paws and face. Lots of people thought I was Siamese! But then something strange happened. I got darker… And darker… And darker! My fluffy grey fur turned sleek and black. And then my eyes changed from blue to green. I’m magic! But really, there’s a scientific explanation behind my amazing changing colour. Kittens are born with blue eyes, but most don’t stay that way. At about four weeks old a kitten’s eyes start to change colour, and they don’t settle into their grown-up colour for about three months. (It might be a bit later for me, because I’m a bit of a late developer.) But what about my coat? Why did I change colour from grey to black? This not only had me stumped, but also my mum, my dad and my vet! I still haven’t been able to find any scientific information about this, but thanks to the internet I am pretty sure I had a condition known as ‘fever coat’.
According to the internet, if the mother cat is sick or stressed during pregnancy, her kittens can be born with fever coat. Fever coat makes the fur appear lighter than it should be for the first weeks or months of a kitten's life. In my case, I changed colour when I shed my kitten coat. So there you have it – the answer to the mystery behind my amazing changing colour! If you have any information about fever coat please let me know in the comments. In week 16 I discovered the joys of lawns... and the delights of tissue paper! I'm really enjoying being a seaside cat. In week 15 I moved from one island in New Zealand to another! My big sister Jager came too, so it was a tail of two kitties moving cities. We had to go on the plane! Luckily we had some Feliway to keep us nice and calm. |
AuthorHello, my name's Bruce. Mum found me when I was just one day old. She and my dad are keeping me warm and fed with help from my other new human friends. Archives
September 2020
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