Why Is My Cat Shedding Everywhere?
The truth about cat shedding is that this is a normal and natural process. Cats shed all the time to rid themselves of dead fur and this is simply part of their evolutionary design. While certain breeds are prone to shed more than others, all cats shed. Yes, even breeds like the Balinese that are considered to be “hypoallergenic”.
Cats in the wild tend to shed heavily twice yearly (typically over a period of 6 - 8 weeks), though indoor kitties shed steadily all year round due to artificial lights possibly confusing their circadian rhythm. If your little one appears to be shedding excessively, this could simply be him ‘changing into a new suit’.
Note: Nonetheless, we recommend a prompt visit to the veterinarian should you notice obvious bald patches or a sudden thinning coat on your cat.
Potential Causes For Shedding
- Seasonal shedding
- Fleas, ticks or other parasitic infestation
- Poor nutrition
- Allergies
- Skin condition
Debunking Myths About Shedding
Hypoallergenic cats do not shed. Nope, there’s really no such thing as a non-shedding cat. Some shed more, some shed less - but they all shed. However, if your cat really doesn’t seem to be shedding, this could be a sign of poor diet or underlying medical issues. Felines with strong immune system are known to ‘let go’ of their old fur from time to time.
Too much salty food is causing my cat to shed heavily. A cat’s diet may influence the condition of their skin and lustrousness of their coat, but salt is not the cause of heavy shedding. Nonetheless, a high sodium diet should be avoided as it can wrack serious havoc on their bodies.
Stress is responsible for my cat shedding. Cats tend to over-groom themselves (a condition known as “psychogenic alopecia”) when they feel stressed or anxious, and could be losing hair from these obsessive lick-fests. This is rather different from ‘shedding’.
Note: A cat that preens himself often could be hacking up regular hairballs. These develop as a result of your cat’s healthy and fastidious grooming routine and are perfectly normal. Most of the time, your cat will throw up the hairball to get rid of it - though senior cats may require hairball gel to aid this throwing up process. Cats that are prone to shedding or groom themselves compulsively are more likely to have hairballs (because they tend to swallow a lot of fur).
How Do I Minimise Shedding?
While it’s impossible to prevent your cat from shedding (since it’s called ‘being a cat’), this can be managed through regular grooming. In fact, brushing your cat regularly is one of the easiest ways to take care of excess hair at the source before it starts appearing everywhere around your home.
If your cat has long hair or tends to shed heavily, you may want to consider more frequent brushings. Spend five to ten minutes a day brushing your cat, and this can drastically reduce the likelihood of fur-matting and hairballs while helping to strengthen the bond between you and your little one. ;D
P.S If you’re looking for effective ways to rid your sofas and carpets of loose cat fur, check out this dual-surface pet fur remover that cleans in a breeze!