Feline Skin and Fur

Feline skin is made up of two layers of tissue: the dermis (inner layer), and the epidermis (outer layer), which is constantly being replaced as it dies and sloughs away into tiny flakes of dandruff (dead skin). There are sweat glands on the skin, but these seem to exist mainly for excreting impurities from the body rather than for controlling body temperature. True sweat glands are to be found in the foot pads.
Sebaceous glands open into the hair follicles and produce a semi liquid, oily substance, called sebum, to coat each new hair as it grows. . Scent glands can be found on the forehead just above the eyes (temporal glands), by the lips (perioral glands) and near the root of the tail.
Hair is derived from the outer layer of skin, and acts as insulatory cover. It is modified in certain areas to provide eyelashes, eyebrows and whiskers. There are three main types of hair.

Down hairs or undercoat hairs are the shortest, thinnest and softest hairs; they lie close to the body and conserve body heat.
Awn hairs form the middle coat and are slightly more bristly, with a swelling towards the tip before it tapers off. They are partly for insulation and partly for protection.
Guard hairs are the thickest, longest and straightest; they form the top coat, which protects the fur below from the elements.
The ratio of down, awn and guard hairs varies greatly between the domestic breeds; in the wildcat, there are approximately 1,000 down hairs to 300 awn hairs and 20 guard hairs. In a fit, healthy animal, the skin is 3liable; in a sick or dehydrated cat, it is ,tiff and unyielding. A sudden change rom the normal pale pink colouring can idicate illness and needs veterinary ivestigation.


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