10
Loading video...
By Alyce Collins
Senior Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
A cat owner was left speechless when she saw her feline's new appearance after a day of sunbathing, and social media users are obsessed with her new highlights.
Rescue cat Sophie, 7, cannot resist a day of lounging in the sun whenever she gets the chance. She will gladly spend all day sunbathing, only returning inside when the sun has finally set.
Her owner, Noorhan Griffiths, 26, tells Newsweek that Sophie is "a real sun-chaser," and finding a sunspot to lay down in has become her forte. So, when Griffiths saw that her black rescue cat was sunbathing outside all day, she didn't think twice about it.
Read More on Pets
But what did give her pause for thought was when Sophie came back inside, looking a completely different color.
"I was honestly shocked when I saw her," Griffiths, from Wales, U.K, said. "I didn't even know cats could get a sort of suntan. She had clearly been soaking up the sun, and she even smelled like she'd been basking outside for hours. It was so funny and a little surreal."
...
Rather than having an entirely black coat, most of the fur on Sophie's body had gone a much lighter shade of brown as a result.
While Sophie's summer tan was certainly extreme in this instance, it's not the first time Griffiths has noticed her fur change color. In fact, she explained that it "always lightens in color during the sunny months" because of how much Sophie likes to bask in the sun.
"As soon as the colder months begin and she spends more time indoors, her fur naturally goes back to its darker tone. It's almost like she has a summer and winter coat, even in color," Griffiths continued.
There's no doubt that it's a surprising change whenever it occurs, but it's not uncommon in black cats. Dr. Liza Cahn, veterinarian at Embrace Pet Insurance, explained to Newsweek that it's a condition called photobleaching, and it occurs when UV rays break down the eumelanin, which is the pigment responsible for causing black fur.
Cahn said: "The color change is cosmetic and temporary, however, sun exposure in cats can lead to other issues, such as sunburn and the development of skin cancer. This is especially true for light-colored cats or those with thin fur, and is common on areas of the body, including the bridge of the nose, ear tips, eyelids, lips, abdomen, armpits, groin, and inner thighs."
Griffiths couldn't resist sharing a video on TikTok (@lifewithsophieandme) showing her cat's "new season, new look." In just a matter of days, the video has gone viral with over 383,500 views and more than 62,500 likes at the time of writing.
The online reaction is beyond anything that Griffiths anticipated, and she's delighted that her rescue cat has become such an internet sensation.
"People were genuinely surprised because most didn't know that cats could change color in the sun like that. The comments were overwhelmingly positive and full of funny and sweet reactions," Griffiths said.
"She has such a big personality, and she's independent but affectionate. She absolutely adores sunbathing, lounging around our garden, and patrolling the boundary like it's her kingdom. But her weakness is cheese treats. That's our secret weapon to get her inside when she doesn't want to come back in."
With over 670 comments on the viral TikTok post so far, many people lauded Sophie's new summer aesthetic.
One comment reads: "God forbid a girl wants highlights for the summer."
Another TikTok user wrote: "She's keeping her face out of the sun to avoid UV damage. A sensible feline."
While another person joked: "Orange is the new black."
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? We want to see the best ones! Send them in to life@newsweek.com and they could appear on our site.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines