Battling the Fur Balls: 3 Tips to Help with Your Cat’s Shedding

As a cat owner, there’s nothing better than curling up on the couch with your furry feline friend after a long day. What isn’t always fun is the pile of fur left on your clothes, blankets, cushions – it can get everywhere!

While you’ll never be able to stop your cat from shedding hair fully, there are a few things you can do to help both them and you coexist with the cat shed.

---

Give a hand with grooming

Cats shed as their hair grows, dies, and falls out. It’s a natural process, and although it can occur more pronounced during different seasons, it will happen all the time. Felines also spend 15 to 50% of their time grooming themselves, so cleanliness is important. While petting your cat regularly can help remove some, if not most, of the hair, if it’s not enough then it’s time to give them a hand with grooming. Combing or brushing your cat will help control the shed and leave fewer hairs floating around. Regular brushing can also help minimize hairballs and strengthen your bond with them.

Does your cat dislike being combed or brushed out? Start with short grooming sessions and incorporate treats. By gradually introducing them and rewarding their patience, you and your feline companion will have a much better experience.

Feed with quality food

Just as a healthy, balanced diet is beneficial for humans, so too is it for cats. Healthy cats who eat high-quality food will have softer, shinier fur. If they’re not getting the nutrients they need, their coat starts to reflect that. Dry and flaky skin, dull coat, and excessive shedding are all signs that it’s time to revisit their food.

If you’re not sure what food to feed your friend, bring your cat and their bag of food in to see us. Rather than spend the time and money buying bag after bag of different food to try, we can recommend the best diets to meet their needs and help your cat’s coat shine again.

Invest in better cleaning tools

Even with grooming and high-quality food, shedding is still going to happen. By investing in equipment like good vacuum cleaners, heavy-duty lint rollers, quality dry mops, and other items can greatly reduce the amount of furballs and floating hairs in your home.

Visit the vet

If your cat is shedding too much, it’s time to visit the vet. There could be underlying causes to their shedding, including stress, parasites, allergies, or diseases that need to be addressed. Cats are experts at hiding their illnesses and pain, but they can’t hide their coat.

If you’re concerned about your cat’s shedding, please give us a call at 763-559-8787 to speak with Dr. Shea and her team today.

---