What To Do If Your Cat Is Shedding A Lot
As cat owners, we’re certainly used to coordinating our outfits to hide the cat hair. But have you noticed that it seems like sometimes your cat has hair poofing off every time they move?
Warm weather seems to bring an increase in tumbleweeds of cat hair drifting through the living room. Some days it seems like there is no cat, only hair. Cats are constantly grooming themselves, so why does it seem like sometimes they’re shedding so much they should be bald?
Let’s talk about shedding! We’ll talk about why it happens, how to tell if it’s normal, and how to control it.
Is All This Shedding Normal?
Does it seem like there’s more hair flying around than normal? You aren’t imagining things. Cats do shed more at certain times of the year. Even indoor cats will start shedding more around spring and fall. Cats shed slightly throughout the year to get rid of dead hair. The massive spring shedding is caused by changes in the amount of light, triggering a cat to start losing its winter coat. The fall shed, on the other hand, is in preparation to grow in a new winter coat. Again, changes in light will tell your cat’s body that it’s time for their fall shed.
All cats do not shed equally. Outdoor cats will naturally shed more in the spring and fall and tend to keep their hair in winter to stay warm. Indoor cats shed even in the winter since they live in climate-controlled conditions. In a strange turn of events, you may actually see more shedding from short-haired cats than from long-haired ones. Certain breeds shed minimally or not at all. The Cornish and Devon Rex with their short curly hair and of course, the Sphynx, which is famous for its naked beauty, are non-shedders.
Shedding is natural and healthy for your cat. Frequently, sick cats do not shed at all. Very rarely, excessive shedding may be linked to a health problem like allergies or a thyroid disorder. If your cat’s coat seems dull and dry and their skin seems to be irritated or if the shedding seems to be occurring with other symptoms like weight loss, make sure to consult your vet.
Controlling The Shed
Try as they might, your cat can’t control shedding on their own. In fact, your cat consuming excessive amounts of hair from grooming can lead to you stepping in 3 am hairballs. Hairballs can be more than a gross inconvenience, they can also lead to dangerous blockages. Uncontrolled shedding and a lack of grooming can also lead to painful matts that can damage the skin even in shorthaired cats. This is why grooming and proper coat care is so important.
Regular appointments to be professionally groomed are your best option for keeping your cats shedding to a minimum, especially in the spring and fall. What about in-between visits? Yes, you want to make sure things don’t get too hairy between appointments. This makes things easier for you, your cat, and your cats groomer.
Take matters into your own hands, and establish a routine at home. Regular combing will help minimize the hair on your couch, keep your cat’s coat clean, detangled and shiny, and help prevent your cat from developing hairballs. Regular brushing is also a great way to bond with your cat.
Plan your at-home grooming sessions around your cat’s level of shedding and hair type. Long-haired cats do best with daily brushing to prevent knots and tangles while short-haired cats only require brushing one to two times a week. If it seems like your cat is walking in a snowfall of loose hair, it’s perfectly fine to add more sessions to the schedule.
Recommended Tools
Finding the right tools to help control your cat’s shedding can be overwhelming. There are so many options and some of them look more like gardening tools than grooming equipment. You don’t need a lot of fancy equipment to groom and deshed your cat at home. There are a few products I personally recommend for keeping the shedding to a minimum.
HDP Cat Zoom Groom- This rubber brush gently removes the loose hair in the under layers of your cat’s coat. In addition to controlling shedding, It’s great for short-haired cats.
EquiGroomer Deshedding Brush for Dogs and Cats- This comb looks a little different, but it’s perfect for working the loose hair out. The width makes it good for short-haired cats.
Master Grooming Tools 4.5 Inch Greyhound Pet Grooming Comb, Fine and Coarse- The shorter teeth on this comb make it good for short-haired cats. It’s also great for working on their faces and legs. The design makes it easy to work it all the way down to the underlayers of the coat to remove the dead hair.
Master Grooming Tools Steel Pet Rainbow Greyhound Comb, Fine and Coarse 7.5”- This comb is great for detangling, which makes it perfect for long-haired cats. The long teeth make it easy to get all the way to the skin and remove the undercoat.
7-1/2-Inch Epica #1 Best Professional Pet Nail Clipper- If your cat isn’t used to being combed, you might want to give those claws a trim before you try it. The spring grip on these clippers makes them easy to use and control.
P.S. You may be wondering where the brushes are on this list. When it comes to grooming and controlling shedding, combs are much more effective than brushes.
Shedding is just a part of living with most cats. Nothing you do will completely stop your cat from shedding. But you can minimize it and prevent it from becoming overwhelming. Keep up with regular grooming sessions at home along with professional appointments, and not only will your cat be more comfortable, you can wear black pants again!
Shedding season is in full swing, so call now to make an appointment! If you have questions about any of our services contact us here!