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I've noticed something strange with my cat.

When he is happy (generally when he is purring) his fur feels very soft and silky.

However when he was scared or unhappy (when there are fireworks or he's had a catfight) his fur is dry and almost stiff.

Do cats change their fur softness depending on emotion, and if so why?

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  • You've probably seen cats' tails fluff out. I know mine always did when I took them to my mother's place in the country and they looked around. They were alert at first (it was probably a way to seem bigger to predators) until they realized they had nothing to worry about.
    – aschultz
    Commented Jan 9, 2020 at 22:59

2 Answers 2

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Cats, like most (all?) mammals, have the ability to raise their fur, and do so when cold (to trap more heat) or when scared or angry (our best guess is that this is done to make them look bigger).

People do this too; you may have heard mention of getting goose pimples when cold or having your hair stand on end when scared. It just isn't as obvious on us.

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  • Yes, cats will "raise their hackles" and hunch up when they're threatened or scared in order to look larger to a potential threat.
    – user8045
    Commented Nov 7, 2016 at 8:04
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Yes, cats can have varied fur textures according to their mood, this is a sign of distress. It is up to us to evaluate and understand the situation and remedy- good job for noticing! Your cat will appreciate your observations as well.

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    this is wrong,lets compare it with the hair of my ex wife it did not change texture when she was mad compared to when she was happy :) Commented Nov 9, 2018 at 13:50

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