There’s nothing just like the consolation of a mushy fluffy feline in winter however come summer time, your own home resembles a werewolf’s cave! Generally, this intensive fur loss is just not a trigger for concern as shedding is a pure course of. Cats shed their hair in the identical approach that people expertise a specific amount of day by day hair fall. The one distinction is the amount – whilst you have about 100,000 strands of hair in your head, the typical home cat has a whopping 40 million hairs. It’s necessary to grasp why cats shed in an effort to take steps to cope with the issue. 
Why Do Cats Shed?
The primary objective 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 kinds the topmost layer of the cat’s fur coat whereas the mushy brief hair kinds the bottom layer of down hair. Awn hair makes up the center layer as it’s not as brief 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. That is why a cat’s fur coat is way thicker in winter than in summer time. Fur additionally offers safety from bodily harm equivalent to scratches and bites from different cats.
Wild cats shed their coats twice a 12 months – as soon as in spring to eliminate their thick winter coat after which once more within the fall to arrange for the following winter’s heavy coat. Though a cat sheds extra fur in summer time than in winter, the method is just not influenced by temperature however by the provision of sunshine. In winter, when the times are shorter, they preserve their fur coat, however when summer time comes round and the times are longer, they shed their coat. The synthetic gentle inside your private home is a continuing all year long, which might alter your cat’s shedding sample. You usually tend to discover a continuing shedding all year long, regardless of modifications in season.
Why Is My Cat Shedding A Lot?
Shedding is a pure course of, however in the event you discover a sudden change within the quantity of fur your cat sheds, it might point out a extra major problem. Sure circumstances could cause extreme fur loss in cats and require medical consideration. These are three of the most typical causes of extreme shedding in cats:
Dietary Deficiencies
There are all kinds of cat meals manufacturers to select from, however you could choose one which fits your cat’s necessities. There are some things to remember when selecting cat meals equivalent to substances, model reliability, and AAFCO (Affiliation of American Feed Management Officers) compliance. If in case you have lately switched to a less expensive cat meals model, you may discover that your cat is shedding much more. It is because low-quality cat meals can result in dietary deficiencies, which in flip lead to fur loss. Ensure that your cat’s weight-reduction plan has ample high-quality protein, vitamin A and vitamin E to advertise a wholesome coat and cut back shedding.
Stress
Stress is a standard explanation for feline fur loss. Generally, this speedy shedding is a brief drawback that’s resolved as soon as the supply of stress is eliminated. A sudden change in your cat’s setting can result in stress-related fur loss. This could possibly 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 careworn. 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 cut back anxiousness in pets, so attempt a couple of to determine which of them work to your cat.
Allergy symptoms and Parasites
Research present that over 12% of cats endure from feline atopic dermatitis or allergic dermatitis. Any such allergic response could be triggered by something from grass and pollen to cigarette smoke, mud mites, and mildew spores. In case your cat has allergic dermatitis, his pores and skin can be itchy, which can trigger him to always scratch and chunk himself. This tremendously will increase shedding and leads to patches of pores and skin with little to no fur. Equally, parasites equivalent to fleas and ringworm could cause itchiness and lead to intensive hair loss. Should you discover your cat grooming himself much more than typical or if he develops bald patches, make a journey to your vet to find out the basis explanation for the issue. For gentle to average circumstances, utilizing a medicated shampoo regularly will help to deal with allergic reactions and minor parasitic infections.
How To Deal with Shedding
To scale back the quantity of cat fur in your own home, you will have to restrict the quantity of fur your cat sheds and work out the most effective methods to eliminate cat fur. Listed here are a couple of methods to resolve your fur drawback:
Use An Anti-Flea Remedy As soon as A Month
The bites from fleas, ticks, and lice are very itchy, and your cat might even develop a rash across the website of the chunk. The vigorous and repeated scratching is not going to solely enhance the quantity of fur your cat sheds however may harm the pores and skin and result in bacterial infections. Use a topical remedy equivalent to Ceva Catego for Cats as soon as a month to eliminate present parasites in addition to stop future infestations. This remedy is especially efficient because it kills grownup fleas and ticks in addition to the eggs and larvae.
Bathe Your Cat Each Four-6 weeks
Pet house owners are sometimes not sure about how usually 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 typical, you should utilize an antiseptic lathering resolution equivalent to Douxo Chlorhexidine PS to cut back fur loss. The substances on this shampoo will assist to cut back bacterial and fungal infections in addition to cut back itching and irritation.
Groom your cat every single day
Don’t view grooming your cat as a tiresome day by day chore that you just rush by every morning as this can make it a irritating expertise to your cat. As a substitute, put aside somewhat time once 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 outdated satin pillowcase in your lap beneath your cat. Use a comb to eliminate tangles after which a grooming glove to eliminate 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 Week
Brush your cat with a high-quality brush with lengthy tooth a minimum of as soon as per week. In contrast to the common combs and grooming gloves that you just use every day, a long-tooth brush will slide by 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 remember to use mild strokes whereas brushing your cat.
Use a Diffuser to Cut back Feline Stress
Stress could cause cats to over-groom themselves, which can lead to extreme shedding. A feline diffuser is a straightforward option to maintain your cat calm and cut back stress-induced shedding. Excessive-quality diffusers equivalent to Feliway Basic comprise cat pheromones that assist cats to regulate to sudden modifications of their setting. Should you’ve moved to a brand new condominium or if in case you have renovation work occurring at dwelling, you should utilize this diffuser to assist your cat keep stress-free. A diffuser can even assist to cut back different stress-related points equivalent to urinating exterior the litter field and urine spraying.
Use a Pet Hair Remover Usually
Pet hair removers are a fast and straightforward option to take away fur out of your furnishings and garments. As a substitute of a lint curler that requires refills, you possibly can go for a reusable brush with a self-cleaning base. This can assist to cut back the quantity of cat fur in your house. In case your cat goes by a pure shedding stage, vacuum your home day by day and give attention to his bedding.
Use a Guide Trimmer As a substitute of an Electrical
Lengthy-haired cat breeds usually face issues in summer time. In case your vet recommends that you just trim your cat’s fur, use a guide trimmer as a substitute 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 in the event you discover a sudden enhance in fur loss, it is best to make an appointment along with your vet. That is necessary 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 diet, 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 life-style, as she has battled and overcome continual again pains. She shares her experiences in an effort to assist others overcome the bodily and psychological well being issues that may generally appear insurmountable.
