The cat sheds in the spring what to do. Why does the cat shed a lot

06.09.2019

The hair that makes up the undercoat is not eternal, their life span is limited. And when the hair grows old, it falls out, making room for a new one. This is true not only for cats, but also for all animals with hair, including humans. Situations when hair falls out too much require attention - but such cases are often quite natural.

So the owners of all cats should be ready at least a couple of times a year for general cleaning.

Cats from their wild ancestors inherited a seasonal molt - a change from a winter coat to a summer one and vice versa. This is a completely natural process and it is pointless to try to treat it.

Normally, the change of coat lasts no more than two months and occurs no more than twice a year. Usually molting occurs in spring and autumn.

There is also an age molt: as a rule, at the age of six months, kittens actively shed their baby fur. The baby molt does not depend on the season, but lasts about the same as the seasonal one - from two weeks to a couple of months.

Sometimes a cat sheds heavily after giving birth - this is also quite normal.

Separately, it is worth highlighting apartment molting: even with proper care and perfect health, for some reason, a cat sheds even in winter, or even all year round. If she does not go outside, then she does not feel the change of seasons - and the schedule for changing the coat goes astray. In this case, it is enough to start walking your pet so that she stops shedding.

Do all cats shed?

Many novice cat owners, having learned about the consequences of molting, are interested in: what breed of cats does not shed? And they are told stories about hairless breeds. Lack of fur is a visual sign, in fact even sphinxes have short hair and shed in winter. It's just that such a molt is almost imperceptible - the hairs are small.

Experienced experts can tell you which cats do not shed so intensively. As a rule, these are short-haired cats - they shed twice a year, but not as intensively as long-haired ones. This is due to the size and presence of undercoat - it is he who remains on the furniture during shedding. Some short-haired breeds do not have an undercoat at all (Siamese, Bengal, Mau). There are some long-haired breeds in which the undercoat is weakly expressed - the American Curl, Turkish Angora.

Wrong molt

Serious measures are required when the seasonal molt lasts longer than the due date or even does not stop throughout the year. Many diseases in the early stages are accompanied by constant molting or even alopecia. And if a cat sheds heavily due to a disease, especially an infectious one, then treatment is simply necessary.

Therefore, in case of untimely molting, it is still worth contacting a veterinarian for the purpose of examination.

But more often the cause of untimely molting is less serious: stress, hormonal disorders, improper care, poor nutrition. In this case, you just need to eliminate the cause - and the fallen wool in the house will decrease.

How to help a cat shed?

Some owners go to the other extreme - they believe that the cat can shed itself, without outside help. Maybe, but it's hard for him. The hair falling out causes a mild itch that causes the cat to lick the hairs - as a result of frequent licking, hairballs form in the animal's stomach. This is not fatal, but unpleasant - because of this, the cat loses its appetite for a while, becomes restless. Even if the change of hair occurs within the normal range, hygienic grooming, the use of special pastes to remove hair from the stomach and proper nutrition have not been canceled. Especially daily combing of falling out wool is the prevention of the formation of woolen balls.

In addition, the animal alone will not be able to eliminate the cause of untimely molting.

For apartment cats, it is worth installing air humidifiers: dry air provokes molting in the winter (heating period).

Hormonal molting requires special attention: it usually happens before mating, when the animal smells a partner. The phenomenon itself is not dangerous, but it can serve as a harbinger of quite serious pathologies, since the cause is a pronounced hormonal imbalance. In this case, you should consult a veterinarian.

If the cat is well-groomed and healthy, but still sheds a lot, you need to think about nutrition: something is wrong. You need to add vitamins or make the diet more high-calorie. Perhaps the cat does not digest certain foods well. Usually, hypovitaminosis or excess protein (too much meat in the diet) leads to continuous molting.

If the pet is healthy, then all processes are going on, as it should be for the life of a cat. Molting is a normal part of life for them, and therefore you should not worry about this. But there are also situations when wool falls out in excessively large quantities, and does not stop throughout the year. Then many cat lovers begin to worry about their pets. But, despite this, it is easy to deal with the problem, even if the owner brought the animal for the first time.

Healthy cats should shed several times a year. In the spring, this occurs before hot weather so that the thick coat does not become a burden. The second time they molt occurs in autumn, in order to shed all their hair and grow a new one - warm.

Cats living permanently in an apartment sometimes lose this rhythm. During the heating season, they begin to shed their wool. The air during heating is warm and dry, which adversely affects the coat of the animal. Due to such climate changes, cats often shed it. Wool often sticks to clothes, rugs and sofas. This problem makes it difficult to clean the house.

The reasons

Long hair in the cat family. If by nature a cat's hair is long and thick, then you should not be surprised that the animal loses too much hair. These breeds include Angora, British, Scottish, Persian, Siamese, Maine Coon and others. If a cat lover decides to purchase a long-haired breed, then he should be prepared for frequent and heavy molts.
Improper maintenance and care. Also, the cause of abundant molting can be non-physiological features of the cat family. Frequent hair loss may be due to improper care of the pet's coat. This may be the wrong shampoo for him, too frequent and abundant washing, or not brushing his coat. In addition to the above reasons, which are understandable to everyone and solvable, there are many others. These include diseases and poor living conditions for the animal.
The main reason is an unbalanced pet diet. Due to the use of poor quality canned and dry food by the owners, the cat has a lack of vitamins, macro- and microelements. And with a mono diet, a cat loses hair continuously. Therefore, it is not recommended to feed your pet exclusively with fish and meat food.
Shedding during illness, age and pregnancy (or lactation). In addition to the problems that arise with nutrition, molting also occurs when the gastrointestinal tract or kidneys are disturbed. With allergic reactions, the cat partially loses its hair, and it quickly loses weight. When a cat is pregnant or if it has already dipped, the hormonal background is disturbed. You need to be prepared for tufts of hair coming out even when stroking.
As a cat ages, it doesn't get healthier. She gradually weakens and fades. An elderly cat does not have the strength to care for its hair, to lick it. She lacks trace elements in her body. Therefore, in old animals, abundant molts are often observed.

There are many reasons for hair loss in cats. To help your pet, quickly and correctly find the cause of the problem. The right decision for the owner would be to go to a specialist. A good veterinarian will be able to determine the exact cause, and if it is a disease, they will be able to prescribe the right treatment that will make life easier.

Troubleshooting

The method of treatment will depend primarily on the cause of the molt. Some people select treatment with the help of errors and trials, but this method is not recommended. It is advisable to first find the root of the problem. Some ways to fix the problem will not take much time to eliminate all the causes. And others, on the contrary, will take more effort, and you will need to spend money.

Creation of suitable climatic conditions
If the reason is an unsuitable temperature climate, then the temperature in the house should be brought closer to natural conditions. Suitable temperature: in the summer, the apartment should be warm, and in winter, on the contrary, it should be cold.

To solve the problem with the temperature climate, it is recommended to settle the cat in a loggia or on a balcony - the climate there is more suitable for the natural one. To lure the cat to a new place, it is desirable to move the scratching post, sleeping place and favorite toys to there. The doors to the balcony should be constantly open, do not restrict the movement of the pet around the apartment.

Cat combing
In many cases, regular brushing can help to get rid of shedding. Cats should be taught to such procedures since childhood, but if this has not been done, then when hair falls out, the pet should be combed well. To carry out the procedure, you need to purchase a special comb or slicker. They are sold in many pet stores.

If the cat has long hair, and it constantly rolls into shreds, then another tool will be required to comb it out. For this procedure, it is better to purchase a furminator. It is not sold in all stores, and its price is much more expensive. But it has more advantages, for example, the device allows you to comb out not only the top layer of wool, but also the undercoat, which the comb does not reach. After using such a tool, the pet looks well-groomed and feels much better.

Lack of vitamins and minerals
Often the problem arises from a lack of nutrients. Then you should contact a specialist to prescribe more suitable minerals for the cat. Such products can be in the form of drops, powder or tablets, which should be added to the feed. Vitamins allow you to replenish the entire balance of various trace elements, as a result of which the cat's coat will become better and more beautiful. Basically, veterinarians prescribe drugs such as Radostin, Shestevit, or Farmavit Neo. Thanks to the biotin contained in these medicines, cell regeneration improves, and the coat becomes thicker and shinier.

The cat should be fed a variety of foods. Various soups and cereals should be added to the diet. People who think that cats only like dairy products and fish are wrong. Such food will only harm the health of the pet.
And remember that clean water should be constantly poured into a separate bowl.

Folk methods against molting
Some cat problems can be solved with folk methods. No one can guarantee that hair loss will stop completely, but sometimes it is possible to get rid of the cause.

To replenish biotin in the body of an animal, you should add egg yolk to food. But it is important to watch that protein does not get into the cat's food, as it can interfere with the absorption of the substance.
You can also give your pet fish oil. It contains many vitamins. This method will help restore the cat's immune system, after which the coat will become healthy. It can be purchased at any pet store.

What are the normal times for shedding?

For normal seasonal hair loss, a duration of no more than four weeks is considered. Sometimes such terms are slightly delayed, but they should not exceed one and a half months.

If the cause lies in stress, pregnancy or poor nutrition, then the poor condition of the cat's coat will be much longer. To stop shedding, it is recommended to eliminate all factors that cause the process of hair loss.

If you follow the simple rules of keeping your beloved pet, you can easily get rid of the problem. Regular combing of wool, replenishment of the body with vitamins and rational nutrition will help solve all problems, and the cat will be well-groomed and beautiful.

Video: how to deal with molting in cats?

If a fluffy warm lump lives in the house, the owners do not get bored or lonely.

a photo of yesterday's Myrf's comb ....

At the sight of the games of your beloved cat or a new funny pose that the cat has chosen for a daytime rest (well, is it really convenient to sleep on the edge of the sofa with your head hanging down?!) A smile appears on your face. But it can immediately fade when the eye stops on the upholstery of furniture or on a carpet completely strewn with animal hair.

seasonal molt

Shedding in cats is a completely normal phenomenon, which usually occurs twice a year: in spring and autumn. At this time, the cat completely changes its clothes from winter to summer and vice versa. Moreover, in long-haired breeds, wool falls out in shreds, while in short-haired breeds it simply crumbles evenly. Cats that do not have an undercoat shed the least, but they also need care during this period.

First of all, you will have to go to the pet store for special devices: a long fur coat is combed out with a steel or chrome-plated comb, while the undercoat is removed with a bristle brush. Owners of short-haired breeds will need brush-gloves - they are very convenient to remove dead hairs.

It is also worth buying preparations for the stomach, which will help remove hair from the body of the animal, because it will still get into the digestive tract when the cat decides to clean itself up on its own. In addition, some fatty acids, for example, help the cat cope with seasonal molting faster, so it is advisable to add them to the feed in spring and autumn.

Reinforced molt

In general, the change of coat is easy to survive, given that this process does not occur all that often. Another thing is when it starts unexpectedly, because animals molt for various reasons. If the cat suddenly began to go bald or he developed a rash on the skin that causes discomfort, forcing him to lick himself intensively, an urgent consultation with a veterinarian is necessary. Your pet may have dermatological problems that require treatment.

Increased molting can also be the result of experienced stress. For example, a new family member has appeared in the house, to whom all the attention of the household is paid, and it seems to the unfortunate cat that she has been completely forgotten. Or the beloved owner left for a long time, leaving her in the care of relatives. After all, we just think that animals do not know how to worry. In fact, they all feel subtly and are quite capable of experiencing or even falling into depression. Here, only love and affection will become the most effective cure for longing.

Year-round molting

If the hair loss resembles a protracted seasonal molt, the pet may lack some vitamins or the room is too warm and dry. Experts recommend giving the cat a raw egg once a week and growing special cat grass on the windowsill. In addition, you should carefully consider the choice of food - some of its components can cause allergies.

A cat's love for a radiator and sleeping under a blanket looks funny, but it can also cause hair loss. On a cold winter evening, we love to sit with a cup of hot tea under a soft blanket in front of the fireplace. A bad example is contagious, and our pets also anoint themselves so close to the radiator that they seem to soon begin to smoke. Of course, in such conditions, a chic fur coat is not needed. Perhaps you should ventilate the room more often or take the animal out to the balcony from time to time. Just do not be zealous - some breeds of cats are prone to colds.

A few words about sphinxes and rex

Looking at the shreds of wool on the carpet, some regret that they did not purchase at one time or, because these breeds practically do not shed. But in vain. For the skin of "undressed" cats, no less care is required than for long-haired ones. It's just that the owner's efforts will be directed in a different direction. Therefore, when choosing a future pet, it is better to listen to your heart, it will tell you which baby to bring into the house.

Cats with a beautiful, smooth, iridescent coat are the real pride of the owners. But when cat fluff fills the entire apartment, there is little pleasant here. Why do cats shed and is it normal? The answer to this question should be known to everyone who keeps pets or is just planning to have a pet.

Shedding cats - a norm or a pathology?

The cat's coat consists of two layers - a short, downy undercoat and longer elastic hairs that we see on the outside.

Seasonal molting is a completely normal, necessary natural process. Firstly, each hair has a certain life span and disappears after its expiration. A new one grows in its place. Secondly, cats change their coat twice a year due to climate change.

In the spring, the cat sheds its hair to get rid of the inner fluff. In the summer it is not necessary, because it is already very warm outside.
In autumn, the old coat, dried up over the summer, is also replaced by a new, more fluffy, healthy one to provide the animal with warmth and protection.

Thus, seasonal shedding of wool is the norm. It usually lasts no more than 1 month, sometimes a little longer. In the process of seasonal molting, the cat does not remain bald on the body.
If the pet began to shed suddenly and profusely, most likely there is some kind of problem behind this.

Reasons why cats shed

There can be many factors why a “wool friend” sheds his fur coat all year round. Let's consider the most likely.

1. Baby molt

If a very young cat began to shed heavily and suddenly, it means that the time has come for her to shed her baby coat. At the age of 6-7 months, the animal gets rid of soft fur. It is replaced by a tougher, elastic, shiny coat, the color becomes more saturated.

The whole process of age molting can take 3-4 months. Wool stops climbing on its own and in such cases nothing needs to be done. You'll have to be patient and wait.

2. Pregnancy, childbirth

This factor only applies to cats. Many women know that after pregnancy, hair begins to climb a lot. The same thing happens in animals - they begin to molt. During the period of bearing kittens and after their birth, hormonal changes take place in the body of the cat-mother, which is reflected in the coat.

Sometimes a cat sheds constantly if she gives birth two or more times a year. Usually those who keep a nursery in the house face a problem.

3. Wrong diet

An unbalanced, unhealthy diet is a common reason why cats fall out of hair. Food from the family table is completely unsuitable for cats. Pets who live in apartments and do not go outside and do need special nutrition. Today, there are many good foods designed specifically for domestic four-legged friends, taking into account the needs of their body. There are also feeds specifically for wool, containing an increased rate of vitamins. Very often, the problem of pathological molting lies precisely in the lack of vital substances. A proper diet will have a positive effect on the general condition of the animal.

4. Stress

If a cat's hair falls out in tufts, think about whether your pet lives in stress. After all, these creatures, like people, can experience fear, pain, joy, anxiety. Your cat may shed if: you often hit and scold her; there are children in the house who constantly squeeze her; the apartment is being renovated; another animal or a newborn child appeared in the house. Of course, there are more reasons for stress, these are just the most likely ones.

5. Domestic Cat Syndrome

Cats living on the street feel the change of seasons well. But home "fluffies" who do not leave the walls of the apartment lose their connection with nature. They are constantly warm, and their body mistakenly perceives such an atmosphere for the summer. And since summer is around, it means that thick wool is not needed. Therefore, if the cat sheds heavily all the time and for no apparent reason, it may be that he needs to be in the fresh air more often.

6. Diseases

Hair loss can occur due to a disease. Some diseases are almost asymptomatic and the owner may not notice the problem for a long time.

Diseases that cause cats to shed:

Gastritis, dysbacteriosis, stomach ulcer.
Fungal infections.
Viral infections.
Allergic reactions.

What to do

To understand why the cat began to shed and this process dragged on, it is necessary with the help of a veterinarian. Self-medication can be harmful. Perhaps the cat will get enough vitamins, or maybe the whole thing is too dry and warm air in the apartment - there are many options. It is necessary to undergo an examination at a veterinary clinic, and, based on the tests, receive appointments and recommendations from a specialist.

When bringing a kitten into the house, few people think about what problems can arise during the period of molting wool. This process is especially typical for cats with fluffy hair, regardless of its length. If your cat sheds heavily, what to do in such a situation, you will learn in our article! The advice of experienced professionals will help solve this problem!

Reasons for shedding

The natural process of hair loss in cats is more common in the autumn and spring season, however, some breeds suffer from shedding all year round. Before finding a solution to this problem, it is necessary to find out why the cat sheds so much.

So, the main causes of hair loss in cats:

stressful situations;
change in the usual diet;
development of diseases;
a domestic cat sheds heavily in the cold season due to continuously operating heating devices that dry out oxygen in the room;
improper hair care;
hormonal molting;
the age of the animal;
seasonal molting is the most common cause that does not cause concern.

Shedding can be purely physiological in nature, which is important for kittens over 6 months old. It is during this period that the natural replacement of soft fur with a tougher and heavier coat, characteristic of adult representatives of the genus, occurs.

Be sure to find out the cause of the shedding, since this factor largely determines how to deal with abundant hair loss!

How to reduce the shedding process

Having established the reason why the cat sheds, experienced experts will tell you what to do in such a situation!

stressful situations

Cats are by nature very impressionable and sensitive animals. If frequent conflicts occur in the house or for the purpose of education, the owner uses aggressive methods towards her, the fluffy representative may begin the process of active hair loss, which is associated with the transferred stress.

Such a condition in a pet can be observed due to moving to another house, after parting with one of the family members, due to severe fright, etc.

What to do if the cat sheds due to stress:

establish friendly contact with the animal;
give the cat more time, showing your love and care;
create favorable conditions for her living in the house and be sure to exclude any factors that can re-stress the animal.

As soon as the cat calms down, profuse hair loss will stop.

Changing your usual diet

A sudden change in the cat's diet negatively affects the digestive tract, which can also provoke a molt of wool. Incorrectly selected food or the introduction of new products into the diet that are not recommended by veterinarians can also provoke allergic reactions.

If you notice severe hair loss after changing your usual diet, return the old menu. Many people believe that these animals, like people, need a varied diet, so they often feed their pets with unacceptable foods, which is absolutely unacceptable!

It is not without reason that specialists have developed a separate menu for cats, adding only useful and necessary components to the list of acceptable products. You should not experiment and feed your fluffy pet with food from your table. This can provoke various diseases and abundant molting of wool.

Development of diseases

If the hair falls out due to a developed disease, it is necessary to make every effort to recover it as soon as possible and only an experienced veterinarian can help in this matter!

Under what pathologies is hair loss observed in animals:

hormonal disorders in the body;
problems with the work of the gastrointestinal tract;
diseases of the nervous system.

As a rule, molting cats during illness is often accompanied by additional symptoms. With pathological hair loss, reddening of the skin and the appearance of characteristic bald patches on the body of the animal are also noted.

Temperature change and air overheating

With a sharp change in the usual temperature regime, a natural reaction of the cat's body occurs, which is manifested by hair loss. Similar signs are seen during the heating season, which is associated with drying out of the air.

What can the owner of the animal do:

maintain optimal air temperature in the house, avoiding sudden changes;
humidify the air in the room using special devices.

Wrong hair care

Sometimes intense hair loss occurs due to improperly selected bathing products for a cat. When choosing a shampoo, pay attention to the composition and recommendations of the manufacturer. If molting is noted after bathing, do not reuse the selected product, select a different composition for washing the cat.

Proper care of the animal's coat also includes regular combing with a special brush and furminator, which allows you to quickly get rid of loose fluff and tangled tangles.

Properly selected cosmetics for animal hair will reduce the amount of hair falling out and restore the integument faster after molting.

Hormonal molt

Abundant hair loss is observed in non-sterilized cats and non-neutered cats, whose owners fundamentally do not allow mating with other animals in order to avoid problems with offspring.

It is unacceptable to do this, because with prolonged abstinence, a cardinal hormonal failure occurs in the animal's body, which is fraught not only with hair loss, up to the appearance of abundant bald patches, but also with other dangerous consequences regarding the health of the pet.

The right solution to the problem: find a suitable mating mate for the animal or have it sterilized at a veterinary clinic, which will avoid excessive hair loss in the future.

Animal age

Abundant molting is relevant for small kittens at 6-7 months of age and old cats, which is associated with age-related changes in the body and the inability to provide high-quality hair care without the help of the owner.

seasonal molt

The seasonal molt lasts 2-4 weeks. As a rule, the change of wool occurs in the autumn season, from September to November, and in the spring, from March to April. It is impossible to exclude such a process, but it is quite possible to contribute to the speedy growth of new wool!

Proper care with the use of special tools will reduce the amount of falling hair and help accelerate this unpleasant process.

What to do if the cat sheds heavily for a long time? If seasonal molting lasts more than a month, attention should be paid to the health of the pet. It is likely that the reason for such a long hair loss may be certain problems with the digestive organs and other important parts of the body.

Relieve suffering

In order for the process of hair loss to go faster and not provoke the appearance of unaesthetic bald patches on the skin of a pet, experts advise owners to follow these recommendations:

Exclude the cause of molting (if it is not related to seasonality, age and other physiological factors).
We create the most comfortable conditions for the cat. We maintain the optimum temperature in the room. We do not allow drafts, overheating and drying of oxygen in the room.
We develop the right diet based on healthy products and fortified industrial feed.
Vitamin therapy (as prescribed by a doctor).
We carry out proper and regular care of her coat. The use of special shampoos, conditioners and high-quality brushes for neat combing out of falling fluff and tangles.

Combing the coat during the molting period must be done every day.

Pathological condition

If the animal’s hair falls out due to illness, it is necessary to provide optimal assistance to the pet, based on the following rules:

Be sure to visit the veterinarian and undergo a diagnostic examination, according to the results of which the doctor will be able to determine the cause of the disease and select the optimal treatment regimen to exclude a pathological symptom.
Compliance with all doctor's recommendations.
We review the cat's diet and make adjustments, removing harmful foods from the menu, replacing them with nutritious meals with a balanced composition of components.
Vitamin complexes will help eliminate pathological molting and improve the overall health of the cat.
We provide daily proper care for the hair of your beloved pet.

Shedding in kittens

The first molt in small representatives of the feline genus is observed closer to 6 months of life, priority in autumn or spring. The responsibility of the owner includes:

proper care of the kitten's coat;
daily combing of fluff;
feeding with healthy products or special food.

After molting, the kitten's coat color changes slightly, it becomes denser and stiffer, which is quite normal and does not cause concern.

Shedding in adult cats

In adult cats, the change of coat occurs twice a year:

in spring, from February to April;
autumn, from September to November.

The duration of molting is individual and depends on the age and breed of the cat. On average, this process takes no more than a month. If the hair continues to fall out, we look for the true cause of molting and eliminate it using the above recommendations from experienced experts.

Nutrition in the fight against molting

As we have already said, hair loss can be observed with improper nutrition of the animal. To eliminate such unpleasant consequences of a poor-quality diet, we select meals for every day, consisting of healthy products with a balanced composition of vitamins and microelements.

Do not feed your pet from your table, as well as foods that are on the prohibited list! Follow the recipe for cooking dishes for cats. If there is no time to prepare food, transfer the cat to artificial nutrition.

The stores offer a large selection of dry and wet food for kittens and adult cats. Choose quality formulations from trusted manufacturers, created from natural ingredients.

If your cat eats exclusively healthy dishes or high-quality food, you will definitely have to avoid serious problems with hair loss!

Cat breeds that don't shed

If you want to get a cat that does not have a particular predisposition to heavy molting, pay attention to the pets of the following breeds:

sphinxes - have too short, almost invisible hair;
peterbald - a new breed that arose as a result of crossing a sphinx with an ordinary shorthair cat;
devon rex - have a thin suede coat that is not subject to abundant loss;
cornish rex - non-shedding cat with wavy fur;
Russian blue - has a little shedding plush coat with a beautiful shiny sheen.

A domestic cat, like a small child, requires constant attention and proper care.

Good care of the animal's coat will eliminate its strong loss and speed up the process of seasonal molting. We hope now you know exactly what to do so that the cat does not shed!