Cat Shedding

It's shedding season. Below are some tools to help you deal with all the fur.

Let’s talk first about cat fur. Did you know a cat's fur has a growth cycle? The cycle is for each hair to grow, rest, die then fall out (sheds). The falling out phase is called shedding and it's a normal part of a cat's life.

For most cats, shedding happens year round. It is influenced by a cat's exposure to sunlight. For indoor cats, their fur is confused by temperature changes. The changes in heat and air conditioning causes constant shedding because the cat's biological system is confused by the temperature fluctuations.

While cats can lick themselves and some of the fur can be found all over your home, they can't possibly remove the excess fur by themselves. They also can't give themselves a bath using professional products and tools and trim their own nails. Scratchers help with the outside of the nail, but do nothing to trim sharp nails.
Cats need our help to remove loose fur. The excess fur and licking causes fur balls and can lead to intestinal blockages. In some cases, excess dead fur forms knotted clumps which lead to mats.

Some short-haired cats have more hair than long-haired cats. So, the more fur a cat has, the more maintenance needed. Here's a great blog about what you can do at home and the tools to help your short haired cat.

Did you know it’s a myth that long-haired cats shed more than their short-haired counterparts. They appear to shed more because their fur is longer. They, too, need help with grooming.

Long-haired cats need to be combed several times a week. This is especially true in areas of the body that tend to mat quickly like armpits, belly, chest, back to base of tail and rear legs.

The best grooming tool for your long haired cat is a metal comb with fine to medium teeth. It will help remove the dead fur and capture all the tangles and mats that are hidden under all that fur. It's also gentle on your cat's delicate skin. A rubber curry brush is also a good tool to remove the dead fur.

Here are links to the rubber curry and the comb.

If you’d rather have a professional groomer deal with all the fur and mess, please click here to fill out this form and we’d be happy to groom your cat.