How to get a cat to stop shedding

Most cat owners accept that they have to deal with shedding. It’s part of living with a fur-covered animal. There are, however, things that you can do to get your cat’s shedding under control and sometimes even reduce the amount of shedding that they do. To help you do just that, here are eight methods to reduce your cat’s shedding.

The 8 Proven Methods to Reduce Cat Shedding

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Brushing your cat regularly can make a gigantic difference in the amount of cat hair floating around your house. It minimizes hairballs and removes dirt, dead hair, and dander, all of which can contribute to unhealthy skin. In addition, brushing prevents your cat from developing unmanageable matted hair.

Short brushing sessions every day will help decrease shedding. For cats that aren’t fond of brushing sessions, using a shedding glove or massaging brush can help with their anxiety, especially when grooming sensitive areas.

Part of the issue with cat hair and shedding is that cats love to lie on things that we’d prefer not to have covered in hair. Cats seem to have a “sixth sense” that ensures that their favorite nap spot is also your favorite chair or pillow! While you probably can’t convince them not to hang out there, you can cover the spot with something fur-friendly to lay on.  You can try putting catnip or a relaxing spray on an area you would rather the cat rests on.

This strategy doesn’t exactly reduce the amount of shedding that your cat does, but it will minimize the spread of hair around your house. Cat trees are ideal for giving your cat personal space. You can also try putting a washable blanket in their favorite sleeping location.

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Ensuring that your cat is well-hydrated will improve their overall coat quality and health. This sounds easy but it often isn’t. Cats are known for not drinking enough water, so how do you change this? The easiest way is to introduce wet food to your cat’s diet. A cat can get up to half of their recommended daily water intake from a single can of wet food.

Other options include changing the water bowl or where it is located. Make sure your cat feels safe near their bowl, or consider elevating it for easier access. Some cats enjoy drinking fountains or drinking from a glass on your bedside table!

Running a stream of water through hair is a sure-fire way to remove loose strands. If you’re brave enough to try it, it works for your cat too. Cat-friendly shampoos will help nourish dry skin and loosen up dead hair. For most cats, bathing is difficult, so it might be best to reserve this option for twice a year, in the spring and fall, when your cat blows out most of their coat or, have a groomer do it for you.

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Poor diets or diets lacking in essential vitamins and minerals can cause excess shedding because they make your cat’s hair more brittle and more likely to fall out. Adding more omega-3 and -6 fatty acids to their diet is the easiest change to make, as these compounds directly impact the amount of shedding that your cat does. It will take around 6 weeks for you to see the benefit so the supplement or skin support food should be given year round.

It should be no surprise that one of the easiest and most effective ways to stop shedding is to shave off the hair. You can do this yourself or hire a professional groomer to give your cat a good trim.

The most important thing to keep in mind if you decide to shave your cat is to never use clippers without the guard. You aren’t really “shaving” the hair off so much as cutting it short, and taking off the guard puts you at risk of cutting your cat’s skin.

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Regularly cleaning will help keep the cat hair under control. Using a vacuum specially designed for pet hair or other pet hair removal tools can make this task slightly less daunting.

Hopefully, your cat lives a stress-free life, but if there’s been a significant life change recently, like a move or a new family member, stress could be the cause of extra shedding. While you might not be able to change the circumstances, you can reassure your kitty and reduce their stress levels until they adjust.

Final Thoughts

Shedding is part of owning a cat unless you happen to own a hairless breed. While you can’t stop your cat from shedding completely, you can take steps to reduce it. Hydration, a healthy diet, and regular grooming can all reduce the amount of hair left around the house. For the hair that remains, there are several low-stress options to help you clean up the mess.

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Tired of finding cat hair all over your house? Well, while there's not a way to prevent your cat from shedding, consistent grooming and dietary changes can help cut down on the time you spend sweeping up hair.

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Shedding is a normal, natural event in a cat's life—irrespective of hair length—because the feline fur growth cycle allows each hair to grow, rest, die, and then fall out. And yes, there is cat shedding season.

"Cats who have access to the outdoors typically shed twice a year: in spring to lose the heavy winter undercoat and in fall to prepare for the 'grow-in' of the next winter's undercoat," says Lynn Paolillo, certified feline master groomer and certifier with the National Cat Groomers Institute.

Cat shedding is largely influenced by the number of hours a cat is exposed to sunlight in a day, also known as a photo period. Felines who live indoors, especially when they're in homes with both heat and air-conditioning, can be in a constant state of shedding because their biological system becomes confused by temperature controls.

Cats are efficient self-groomers, but they need human help removing loose fur—the more the better. When cats groom themselves, they ingest loose hairs, which causes hairballs. These, in turn, can lead to a dangerous intestinal blockage. In addition, excess dead hair forms knotted clumps and huge mats.

"The rule is that the more hair a cat has, the more often maintenance is required," Paolillo says. In addition to length, more hair also refers to density and "fluffiness," she says. "Even short-hair cats can develop hard mats that ultimately require being shaved."

Paolillo suggests several brushing sessions a week for long-hair cats and weekly grooming for short-hair cats. "For long-hair cats, maintenance is particularly important in areas that tend to mat faster, such as armpits, chest, belly, rear legs, tail, and the base of the tail leading up the back."

Choosing the Right Grooming Tools

When it comes to de-shedding tools for cats, the National Cat Groomers Institute recommends a 6- to 8-inch-long metal comb with fine to medium teeth. This comb will remove the dead coat and catch all the tangles and mats that lie hidden underneath without irritating your cat's delicate skin. A rubber curry cat shedding brush is also great for lifting loose hair. And, like dogs, most felines enjoy the massage the brush offers.

"We don't recommend using a metal de-shedding tool or rake," Paolillo says. "They can damage hair, which makes mats form faster. They can also damage delicate skin."

Marty Becker, DVM, recommends using a grooming glove for shorthaired cats. The grooming will attract "a large amount" of hair that would otherwise be shed, he writes.

It's a myth that longhaired cats shed more than their shorthaired relatives, Becker says. You just see more of their hair on your floor and furniture. You'll see less of it, however, if you brush or comb your cat, no matter its hair length, daily, he says.

When Shedding Isn't Normal

If your cat suddenly begins shedding a lot, it could be an indication of a health problem and necessitate a trip to the vet, the American Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) says.

The ASPCA says a variety of factors can cause cat's hair loss, including allergies, ringworm, fleas, a poor diet, stress, pregnancy, or sunburn. If your cat is shedding fur in clumps or scratches or bites it skin, you definitely need to go see the vet.

If the vet decides there's no underlying cause to your cat's frequent shedding, there are still some things you can do. Feed her a healthy diet and keep a close eye on on her skin and coat while grooming, the ASPCA writes. That way you can spot any irritation or fleas, ticks, or other parasites.

Be sure to keep up with the regular grooming, too. That will prevent your cat's hair from matting, which can hurt and cause skin problems.

Dietary Ways to Reduce Cat Shedding

Writing on PetMD, Jennifer Coates, DVM, says cat owners can engineer a diet that could reduce shedding that's not caused by some other underlying health problem. The two main components: protein and fat.

Because cats are carnivores and need more protein that lots of other animals, parents should find a food containing at least 45 percent protein "on a dry matter basis," she says. It should be animal-based protein, too. Without the protein, a cat's hair, which is made of a protein, and coat can suffer.

The write combination of fatty acids can help foster a healthy coat, too, Coates writes. Look for cat food labels that list omega-3 and omega-6 acids or cold water fish oils. The total fat content should fall between 25–35 percent, again on a dry matter basis. Coates recommends staying on the low end of that range if weight gain is a concern.

Lauren Brickman, another veterinarian, writes that you can add a fatty acid supplement to your cat's food, but "unfortunately there is no real magic to control shedding."