Four tips to reduce cat shedding

Cats are among the most preferred pets, despite not being man’s best friend. They are part of our families, and we love them and care for them like our babies, our beautiful furry babies. Therefore, it is no wonder that we would be concerned when their appearance is not appealing, who wouldn’t want their baby to look good? As a cat owner, I bet it is frustrating when you can’t tell what is going on with your cat when you have to pick up chunks of fur when vacuuming, large enough to knit a blanket or a sweater.

Fur has a lot of importance that cannot be ignored; if that were the case, we would prefer to shave our cats bald and not get worked up every time the vacuum cleaner gets stuck due to the enormous fur balls spread all over the house.

Fur acts as a coat for cats; it protects their skin from damaging sun rays and windy conditions. It helps in thermoregulation, maintaining a constant body temperature for the cat. The fur is also used for sensory purposes. Therefore, it is way too important to be ignored when shedding. However, shedding should not always be a source of worry; it is healthy for them to shed fur, just as snakes shed their skins.

Why do cats shed the hair?

There are various reasons why cats shed fur, some are our doings, and others are beyond our control.

Cat breads that shed more fur

It is first essential to understand that the frequency of shedding fur is dependent on the breed. There are cat breeds that shed fur more than others. Siberian cats, Ragamuffins, Nebelung cats, Cymric, Russian Blue cats, Chartreux, Ragdolls and American curl cats are among the breeds that shed the most. While Bombay, Bengal, Siamese, Sphynx and Cornish Rex are among those that shed the least. Knowing the breed you have might help you understand why they shed a lot or less fur than others.

Low food quality

Other reasons include low food quality. A cat is a living thing just like a human being, and for it to maintain good health, it needs a balanced diet. There are many diseases attributed to poor nutrition, and in a cat, alopecia is one of them.

Health issues

Health issues like allergies and parasites like ringworms and fleas, stress, yes, animals too undergo stress. The seasons also contribute to cat shedding, age and hormonal changes during pregnancy.

So how do you reduce cat shedding?

First, grooming helps a lot, especially when the cause of shedding is something uncontrollable like age.

1. Grooming

Taking time regularly to brush the fur would help distribute the natural oils that promote fair skin and fur.

2- Look out for allergies and parasites

It would help if you also looked out for allergies and parasites, washing the cat regularly to get rid of fleas and providing medication to do away with internal parasites like ringworms and control allergies. In the case of medicinal side effects that also lead to hair loss, consultation with the veterinary doctor would give some insight on what to do.

3. Provide a stress free environment for your cat

You can also try to provide a stress-free environment for your cat by providing places they can run around without feeling necessarily trapped.

4- Provide good nutrition

Good nutrition is an effective solution to cat shedding. There are minerals and fatty acids that are necessary to ensure healthy hair growth in cats.

Omega-3 and 6 are essential in hair growth.

Hemp oil contains these vitamins in the correct ratios and minerals, amino acids and fatty acids which will help reduce allergies. Hemp oil can beadded to food like the Crocx nutritional supplement that is entirely natural, provides the required minerals and fatty acids, and ensures healthy fur growth. Crocx hemp oil keeps joints healthy, provides vital antioxidants and provides the essential vitamins.