Why Do Cats Shed & What to Do

There’s nothing just like the consolation of a smooth fluffy feline in winter however come summer season, your own home resembles a werewolf’s cave! Typically, this intensive fur loss will not be a trigger for concern as shedding is a pure course of. Cats shed their hair in the identical method that people expertise a certain quantity of every day hair fall. The one distinction is the amount – when you have about 100,000 strands of hair in your head, the typical home cat has a whopping 40 million hairs. It’s vital to know why cats shed so to take steps to take care of the issue. Why Do Cats Shed?The primary goal of a cat’s coat of fur is to guard it from the chilly. Their fur coat is made up of three particular person layers – guard hair, awn hair and down the hair. The guard hair is lengthy and coarse and types the topmost layer of the cat’s fur coat whereas the smooth quick hair types the bottom layer of down hair. Awn hair makes up the center layer as it isn’t as quick as down hair however not so long as guard hair. The topmost layer helps water to run off the fur whereas the bottom layer prevents the chilly from reaching the cat’s pores and skin. For this reason a cat’s fur coat is far thicker in winter than in summer season. Fur additionally offers safety from bodily damage comparable to scratches and bites from different cats. Wild cats shed their coats twice a yr – as soon as in spring to do away with their thick winter coat after which once more within the fall to arrange for the subsequent winter’s heavy coat. Though a cat sheds extra fur in summer season than in winter, the method will not be influenced by temperature however by the provision of sunshine. In winter, when the times are shorter, they keep their fur coat, however when summer season comes round and the times are longer, they shed their coat. The bogus gentle inside your property is a continuing all year long, which may alter your cat’s shedding sample. You usually tend to discover a relentless shedding all year long, no matter adjustments in season. Why Is My Cat Shedding A Lot?Shedding is a pure course of, however when you discover a sudden change within the quantity of fur your cat sheds, it might point out a extra major problem. Sure situations may cause extreme fur loss in cats and require medical consideration. These are three of the most typical causes of extreme shedding in cats: Dietary DeficienciesThere are all kinds of cat meals manufacturers to select from, however you have to decide one which fits your cat’s necessities. There are some things to remember when selecting cat meals comparable to components, model reliability, and AAFCO (Affiliation of American Feed Management Officers) compliance. You probably have not too long ago switched to a less expensive cat meals model, you may discover that your cat is shedding much more. It’s because low-quality cat meals can result in dietary deficiencies, which in flip end in fur loss. Make it possible for your cat’s eating regimen has adequate high-quality protein, vitamin A and vitamin E to advertise a wholesome coat and cut back shedding.StressStress is a standard reason behind feline fur loss. Typically, this speedy shedding is a short lived drawback that’s resolved as soon as the supply of stress is eliminated. A sudden change in your cat’s surroundings can result in stress-related fur loss. This may very well be the introduction of a brand new pet, a change in residence, or one thing so simple as a visit to the vet. Cats are additionally very delicate to sound, so even the sounds of development work in your neighborhood could make him scared and burdened. Cats really feel safer when they’re elevated, so create a cat cave at a top in order that he can climb into it to really feel safe. There are a number of methods to scale back anxiousness in pets, so attempt a number of to determine which of them work on your cat.Allergic reactions and ParasitesStudies present that over 12% of cats undergo from feline atopic dermatitis or allergic dermatitis. The sort of allergic response may be triggered by something from grass and pollen to cigarette smoke, mud mites, and mould spores. In case your cat has allergic dermatitis, his pores and skin shall be itchy, which can trigger him to continually scratch and chew himself. This significantly will increase shedding and leads to patches of pores and skin with little to no fur. Equally, parasites comparable to fleas and ringworm may cause itchiness and end in intensive hair loss. If you happen to discover your cat grooming himself much more than traditional or if he develops bald patches, make a journey to your vet to find out the basis reason behind the issue. For gentle to reasonable instances, utilizing a medicated shampoo regularly will help to deal with allergic reactions and minor parasitic infections.How To Deal with SheddingTo cut back the quantity of cat fur in your own home, you’ll need to restrict the quantity of fur your cat sheds and work out one of the best methods to do away with cat fur.  Listed here are a number of methods to unravel your fur drawback:Use An Anti-Flea Therapy As soon as A MonthThe bites from fleas, ticks, and lice are very itchy, and your cat might even develop a rash across the website of the chew. The vigorous and repeated scratching won’t solely enhance the quantity of fur your cat sheds however can even harm the pores and skin and result in bacterial infections. Use a topical therapy comparable to Ceva Catego for Cats as soon as a month to do away with current parasites in addition to forestall future infestations. This therapy is especially efficient because it kills grownup fleas and ticks in addition to the eggs and larvae.Bathe Your Cat Each Four-6 weeksPet house owners are sometimes uncertain about how typically to wash their cats or in the event that they even want to wash them in any respect. The frequency of bathing will rely largely on the breed – long-haired cats profit from a bathe each Four weeks whereas short-haired cats will want a shower each 6 weeks or so. In case your cat has a pores and skin situation and is shedding greater than traditional, you should use an antiseptic lathering answer comparable to Douxo Chlorhexidine PS to scale back fur loss. The components on this shampoo will assist to scale back bacterial and fungal infections in addition to cut back itching and irritation.Groom your cat each dayDon’t view grooming your cat as a tiresome every day chore that you simply rush by means of every morning as it will make it a hectic expertise on your cat. As an alternative, put aside a bit of time while you get again from work to groom your cat in order that this can be a leisurely exercise that each of you get pleasure from. Sit again in a cushty chair and place an previous satin pillowcase in your lap beneath your cat. Use a comb to do away with tangles after which a grooming glove to do away with all of the unfastened fur. Satin has a shiny floor so you possibly can merely wipe the fur off the pillowcase as soon as you might be finished.Brush Your Cat As soon as a WeekBrush your cat with a high-quality brush with lengthy tooth at the least as soon as every week. In contrast to the common combs and grooming gloves that you simply use every day, a long-tooth brush will slide by means of the higher layers of fur and into your cat’s undercoat to take away unfastened fur earlier than it will get onto your furnishings. Cats have delicate pores and skin, so just be sure you use light strokes whereas brushing your cat.Use a Diffuser to Scale back Feline StressStress may cause cats to over-groom themselves, which can end in extreme shedding. A feline diffuser is an easy approach to preserve your cat calm and cut back stress-induced shedding. Excessive-quality diffusers comparable to Feliway Basic include cat pheromones that assist cats to regulate to sudden adjustments of their surroundings. If you happen to’ve moved to a brand new house or when you’ve got renovation work occurring at dwelling, you should use this diffuser to assist your cat keep stress-free. A diffuser will even assist to scale back different stress-related points comparable to urinating outdoors the litter field and urine spraying.Use a Pet Hair Remover RegularlyPet hair removers are a fast and straightforward approach to take away fur out of your furnishings and garments. As an alternative of a lint curler that requires refills, you possibly can go for a reusable brush with a self-cleaning base. It will assist to scale back the quantity of cat fur in your house. In case your cat goes by means of a pure shedding stage, vacuum your house every day and deal with his bedding.Use a Handbook Trimmer As an alternative of an ElectricLong-haired cat breeds typically face issues in summer season. In case your vet recommends that you simply trim your cat’s fur, use a guide trimmer as an alternative of an electrical one. Cats get scared by the sound of the electrical razor, which can enhance their stress ranges and trigger extreme shedding. A guide trimmer with lengthy tooth will assist you to effortlessly trim your cat’s fur in a stress-free method.Shedding is a pure course of, however when you discover a sudden enhance in fur loss, it’s best to make an appointment together with your vet. That is vital as a result of fungi and micro organism can unfold from pets to their house owners. Micro organism such because the E.coli micro organism can unfold from cats to their house owners leading to meals poisoning, urinary tract infections, and even pneumonia. Authors Bio: Anita Fernandes has been writing extensively on well being and wellness for over a decade. She has experience in vitamin, health, public well being, and weight reduction and has contributed content material to a wide range of main digital well being publishers. Anita has a novel perspective on wholesome residing and way of life, as she has battled and overcome power again pains. She shares her experiences in an effort to assist others overcome the bodily and psychological well being issues that may typically appear insurmountable.