One of my friends visited me a few days ago. He was very affectionate with Muezza as he is also a cat parent. After getting some treats from him, Muezza started playing on his lap. This is when he told me that Muezza’s coat isn’t as soft as his cat’s.
And he wondered why my cat is soft like a bunny. After seeing the picture of his cat, I told him that some cat breeds have softer coats than others. Ragamuffin cats have rabbit-like fur that is very soft and thick. Besides genetics, softness depends on grooming and nutrition.
Want to know more? Let me tell you why cats have soft coats and what affects their softness. Stay tuned!
My Cat Is Soft Like a Bunny: What Are the Reasons?
Cat fur is naturally soft. But sometimes, it seems to be softer than usual. The following reasons can impact the softness of your cat’s fur.
● Breed Type and Genetics
Not all cat breeds have similar soft fur. This is because the softness of the fur depends on the thickness of the coat. Some breeds originated in cold climates, so they have a thick undercoat protecting them from cold environments.
Ragdoll and Ragamuffin cats are the perfect example of this. They have very fluffy coats that make them feel almost like bunnies. If you have a cat of these breeds, or your cat carries genes from these breeds, it can have plush fur.
● Thickness of Coats
Cats typically have two coats. The bottom layer is known as the undercoat. This layer is thick and fluffy and helps cats in thermoregulation. Cats keep themselves warm in winter with the help of this undercoat.
The layer on top of the undercoat is known as the topcoat. This layer has longer and coarser hair that keeps water away and protects cats from UV rays. Now, if your cat has a thicker undercoat, it will feel soft.
In winter, their undercoats grow more and become the thickest. So, the cat will become softer and fluffier at that time. But as the summer comes, their undercoat will be thinner to adjust to the outdoor temperature. Thus, their fur will become coarser.
● Proper Nutrition
Diet has a great impact on a cat’s fur. When cats eat a healthy and balanced diet, their fur becomes smoother and shinier. As a result, the fur will feel very soft, almost like rabbits. Especially, omega-3 fatty acids, linoleic acid, and zinc improve the gloss of their coat.
But if the cat suffers from malnutrition, the coat will become coarse and brittle.
A noticeable amount of fur will fall off the coat due to improper diet. So, if your cat is soft like a bunny, it is a good sign that the cat is well-nourished.
● Regular Grooming
The coats of your cats become dirty very quickly. A good thing about cats is they can groom themselves. You might have noticed your cat licking the fur. This is their way of removing dirt and debris from the coat. Besides, they try to remove the oil from the coat and detangle their fur.
But if your cat is too lazy to groom itself, like Muezza, you need to follow a strict grooming routine. With regular grooming, their coat keeps from tangling. The dirt and debris will also be removed. So, your cat’s coat will look shiny and feel very soft.
Why Is My Cat Extra Fluffy?
Regardless of how much someone cares for their cats, your cat may be fluffier than theirs. Besides the reasons I mentioned above, there can be some underlying causes.
- An important factor here is the quality of food and water your cats consume. As a pet, your cat is probably getting high-quality food and clean water. These will reflect in the coat quality, so your cat will be extra fluffy.
- But if someone lives in a remote area where high-quality food and clean water are scarce, their cats might not have such a fluffy coat. Even if the cat breeds are the same, the coat quality will differ due to this reason.
Why Is Cat Fur Softer Than Dog Fur?
As both cats and dogs belong to the class Mammalia, they have fur to regulate body temperature. But the type of their fur is completely different.
- First of all, cats usually have awn hair between the topcoat and the undercoat. This makes their fur much softer.
- But awn hair is absent in dogs. They just have an undercoat and a topcoat. You may notice short undercoats in many dog breeds.
- And some breeds don’t even have an undercoat. This is why dog fur feels much coarser than cat fur. See the statistical comparison of dog and cat guard hairs.
Do Cats’ Fur Get Softer When They’re Happy?
Your cat’s fur can look different in various situations.
For example, when cats are healthy and happy, they will generally have a softer coat. This is because they are eating and grooming properly.
But if the cat is sad or anxious, it will keep from its regular feeding and grooming behavior. Sometimes, they can over-groom out of anxiety. All these will impact the fur quality, so the fur will look dull and feel coarser.
FAQs
Check answers to some commonly asked questions about cats with soft fur.
Q: What breed of cat looks like a bunny?
A: Japanese Bobtail cats are similar to bunnies because they are actually hybrids of cats and rabbits. Their ears and tails look like a bunny.
Q: Which cat has the softest fur?
A: The Birman cat breed has the softest fur of all cats. They are similar to ragdolls but have a much fluffier topcoat.
Q: Is my cat unhealthy if it doesn’t have soft fur?
A: No matter how healthy cats are, all cats won’t have the same soft fur. So, even if your cat’s fur isn’t as soft as others, it doesn’t mean the cat is unhealthy. But if its fur isn’t in the best condition possible, that can be a symptom of an unhealthy cat.
Final Thoughts
Feeling that velvety smoothness on your cat’s fur is a soothing experience. I am so sure about it because I feel the same every time I rub Muezza’s back. But I have seen cats that have softer fur and their parents are proud to say, my cat is soft like a bunny.
If you are heartbroken to hear it, don’t be so. It happens because a cat’s fur can be different depending on its breed and genetics. Their diet, grooming routine, mood, season, etc., can also impact the look and feel of the fur. And if you already have a cat with plush fur, enjoy the blessing.
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