How to Decrease Your Cat's Shedding
Cats make great companions. Unfortunately, their coats shed from time to time naturally. Animals shed to rid their coats of old hair, damaged fur or extra fur not needed in warm weather. Shedding could be related to the changes of seasons or an unusually stressful life. There are a few breeds of cat that don't shed. However, if you are reading this article, chances are your little sweetie is not one of those breeds.
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Things You'll Need
- Pet grooming brush (such as a slicker brush)
- Recommended: De-shedding tool (such as the Furminator)
- Damp rag or washcloth
- Omega fatty acid nutritional supplement
- High quality cat food
Instructions
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Cats with long hair need extra grooming and brushing. Brush your cat every day if you have a long-haired cat. This is important for a number of reasons. Brushing your long-haired cat means less fur for your cat to swallow when he grooms himself; less hairballs as a result of that grooming. Use a brush that is specifically made for long-haired breeds.
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Cats are very clean animals. Their tongues have spikes that collect fur when they bathe themselves. Purchase a de-shedding tool such as the Furminator. These tools are specifically designed to remove the undercoat. You will be surprised at how much fur can be removed with a session with one of these tools. The Furminator is the brand name for the first such de-shedding tool, but there are others sold under different names.
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Wipe your kitty down with a warm, damp washcloth. The damp washcloth will collect any loose hairs and give your kitty a nice, warm sensation.
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Give your cat an omega fatty acids supplement. These essential oils improve the health and appearance of your cat's coat and may aid in decreasing the amount of shedding.
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Provide your cat with a high-quality, brand name cat food. These foods are especially designed to dispense all the nutrients your cat needs to keep her body and coat healthy. A healthy coat sheds less.
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Take your cat to the vet if she suddenly begins shedding and this is unusual for her. There are diseases that manifest themselves in alopecia, or balding, resulting from excess shedding. Have your veterinarian rule out these diseases.
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Tips & Warnings
Regular vacuuming is essential to keeping your house fur free. There are specially made small, portable vacuums designed to remove pet hair. Rubbing clean furniture with dryer sheets helps prevent hair from sticking to them. For easy removal of hair from rugs, dampen the rug by spraying with water then remove the hair by wiping it down with a rubber sponge.
Cats belong indoors. Outdoor cats are constantly stressed out by weather extremes, cruelty, hazards from other animals and toxic insects and reptiles and other such dangers. Stress causes extreme shedding.
References
Resources
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