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Name: Tiffany M.
Status: student
Age: 20s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 2000-2001
Question:
How do you tell the difference between hair and fur?

Replies:
They are essentally the same thing! They have the same chemical composition, but fish scales, reptile scales and bird feathers have the same composition too. It is in the context or reference that makes them different. Hair or fur comes in difference textures, but that is about it. Humans, for example, have three types of hair, but this hair could be addressed as fur, but is not common to hear it.

Animals that have short fine hair that thickly covers their body are more often referenced as having "fur". The word "fur" is also used with any animal pelt that becomes a coat. Of course, the fine hair-like coverings of a peach is called "fur" too!

So, basically, hair is a characteristic of all mammals. Fur is a reference to the hair of some animals, and not the peach!

Steve Sample

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