Shedding is a natural process in which cats replace old fur with new. Every breed sheds; there’s no such thing as a cat that doesn’t shed at all. Some breeds shed less because their coat is very short or almost absent, such as the Sphynx, the Elf and the Peterbald.
Every owner should know why and when cats shed, how to care for a shedding cat and keep the house clean, and how to reduce the amount of fur. We cover all of that in this article.
When Do Cats Shed?
Cats that spend time outdoors usually shed most heavily twice a year: in spring and fall. This is how they prepare for changing weather. In nature, coat changes depend on day length. In spring, the days get longer, which signals the cat’s body that it’s time to drop its thick winter undercoat. In fall, the days get shorter, and cats shed their summer coat as they grow a thicker winter one.
Indoor cats may not follow this pattern. They live under artificial lighting and at a steady temperature, so they don’t react as strongly to changes in day length. They may shed at any time, and some shed a little all year round.
How Shedding Works
A cat’s hairs grow in cycles, with a growing phase and a resting phase. At the end of the cycle, old hairs loosen and fall out to make room for new ones. Any loose hairs that aren’t removed by grooming fall out on their own, onto your furniture and clothes.
What Affects Shedding?
A cat’s hair growth cycle is influenced by:
- day length;
- temperature;
- health (stress, illness);
- reproductive status (heat, pregnancy, nursing);
- diet, including whether it provides the nutrients needed for healthy skin and coat;
- genetics and breed;
- grooming habits and coat care;
- hormones.
Types of Shedding
Hair loss can have natural or medical causes:
- Kitten-to-adult coat change. Kittens replace their soft, fluffy kitten coat with their adult coat, usually between about 5 and 12 months of age. Afterward, the coat often feels coarser and sleeker, and the color may change.
- Seasonal shedding. This happens once or twice a year, usually in spring and fall, and helps the cat adjust to the season. In spring, the dense undercoat falls out; in fall, a thicker undercoat grows in. Seasonal shedding can last from a few weeks to a couple of months. Indoor cats may shed regardless of the season.
- Hormonal changes. Pregnancy, nursing, hormonal disorders and old age can all affect the coat and cause more hair loss.
- Allergies. Hair loss can be caused by allergic reactions to flea saliva (the most common), food ingredients, household chemicals, grooming products, medications or dust.
- Diet. An unbalanced diet, including some homemade diets, can lead to a dull coat and hair loss.
- Skin damage. Hair may fall out after burns or chemical injuries.
- Disease. Ringworm (a fungal infection), parasites such as fleas and mites, bacterial infections and internal illnesses can all cause hair loss.
- Stress. Cats often respond to serious stress with extra shedding or overgrooming, which leaves bald patches. This can happen after a move, the arrival of a new pet or a lack of attention. Many cats also shed a lot at the vet!
- Improper care. Bathing too often, using harsh shampoos or the wrong brush can all cause extra shedding.
Important: if your cat’s hair loss isn’t normal seasonal shedding, for example if you see bald patches, red or flaky skin, scabs, or constant scratching or licking, only a vet can find the cause and the right treatment. Take your cat to the vet if shedding seems excessive or goes on for too long.
Signs Your Cat Is Shedding
It’s easy to tell when your cat is shedding. You pet it, and your hand comes away covered in fur. Fur collects on its bed, on furniture and in the corners, and floats around the house. If you’re cleaning more than usual, your cat is shedding.
How Long Does Shedding Last?
Seasonal shedding usually lasts from two weeks to two or three months. If it goes on much longer, think about what might be causing it, and have your cat checked by a vet. Your vet may recommend a change of diet or a supplement, or treat an underlying problem.
Caring for a Shedding Cat
A shedding cat needs extra care. Brush it every day. A professional grooming session or a deshedding tool, such as a FURminator, can speed things up. It’s also important to clean up the fallen fur more thoroughly.
Why Removing Loose Fur Matters
Loose fur that stays in the coat can irritate your cat’s skin, and your cat will swallow it while grooming. This can cause problems:
- Swallowed fur forms hairballs, which can upset the stomach and, rarely, cause a dangerous intestinal blockage.
- Long-haired cats can develop painful mats if loose undercoat isn’t brushed out.
- If someone in the household is allergic to cats, loose fur and dander floating around the house can trigger symptoms.
Tips for Caring for a Shedding Cat
- Get the right grooming tools: combs, brushes or grooming gloves. Which you choose depends on your cat’s coat length. Read more: how to brush a cat.
- If your cat gets hairballs, ask your vet about a hairball remedy, such as a malt-flavored paste (Laxatone, GimCat Malt-Soft) or a hairball-control food or treat.
- Ask your vet whether a skin and coat supplement would help your cat.
Should You Bathe a Shedding Cat?
Most cats don’t need regular baths, but an occasional bath with a cat shampoo during heavy shedding can help loosen and remove dead hair. It can also temporarily reduce allergens: the main cat allergen, a protein called Fel d 1, comes from saliva and skin glands, not the fur itself, and gets spread on the fur when cats groom. Don’t bathe your cat too often, though, as that dries out the skin. Always use a shampoo made for cats, and dry your cat thoroughly.
How to Keep Your Home Clean While Your Cat Is Shedding
When you have a shedding cat, fur will end up everywhere: on carpets, sofas, furniture, floors and clothes. Some owners find this very frustrating. Be patient and follow our tips:
- Brush your cat once or twice a day. You’ll catch the loose hairs before they land on your furniture.
- Vacuum every day, wipe down furniture and damp-mop the floors, so fur doesn’t build up along the walls and in corners. A vacuum with a pet hair attachment and a HEPA filter is a big help.
- Use a damp rubber glove or a slightly damp cloth to collect fur from upholstery and carpets.
- Keep a lint roller with sticky sheets handy for clothes, chairs and armchairs.
- Wash your cat’s bedding and throws weekly, and cover your cat’s favorite spots on the sofa with a washable blanket.
Of course, you can’t stop shedding completely, because it’s a natural process. But you can reduce the amount of fur and keep your home cleaner. Read more: how to get rid of cat hair in your home.
Heavy Shedding: What to Do
If your cat is shedding very heavily or for a long time, you need to find out why, ideally with your vet’s help.
Causes of Heavy Shedding
- Health problems. Shedding and coat condition are good indicators of your cat’s health. Heavy shedding can be caused by allergies, fleas, mites, ringworm, hormonal disorders such as hyperthyroidism, kidney disease and other illnesses. Only a vet can make the diagnosis. Never self-treat.
- Diet. Hair loss can be a sign that your cat’s diet lacks certain nutrients, or that your cat is reacting to a particular ingredient. Feed a complete and balanced cat food. If you feed a homemade diet, ask a veterinary nutritionist to formulate it.
- Stress. This is another common cause of heavy shedding. Find and remove the source of stress; your vet can recommend calming products if needed. Read more: how to calm a stressed cat.
- Unsuitable grooming products. If other causes have been ruled out, check your cat’s grooming tools and products. A harsh brush, a shampoo, other grooming products or flea treatments can all cause hair loss.
- Dry air. Some indoor cats shed more during the heating season, when the air indoors is very dry. A humidifier can help.
How to Reduce Shedding
- Watch your cat’s diet. Its food should provide everything needed for a healthy coat. Feed a complete, good-quality commercial food, or a homemade diet formulated by a veterinary nutritionist.
- Bathe occasionally. If your vet says it’s OK, bathe your cat with a gentle cat shampoo to remove dead hair.
- Brush every day during shedding season, and choose the right tools for your cat’s coat.
- Try a professional deshedding treatment. Many groomers offer a deshedding bath: the groomer applies a special conditioner to the clean coat, rinses it off, then brushes out the loose undercoat while drying the cat.
- Let your cat enjoy natural light, for example at a sunny window, in a secure catio or on a harness walk.
- Improve the indoor climate. Use a humidifier, air out the room regularly and keep the temperature comfortable, ideally around 70–75°F (21–24°C).
- Use year-round flea prevention, and deworm your cat as your vet recommends.
- Keep your cat away from potential irritants: household cleaning products, detergents, toxic plants and so on.
- Use skin and coat supplements only as your vet advises.
Supplements to Reduce Shedding
To improve the coat and reduce heavy or prolonged shedding, your vet may recommend a skin and coat supplement. Common options include:
- Omega-3 fatty acid supplements (fish oil), such as Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Pet or Grizzly Salmon Oil. Omega-3s support healthy skin and can reduce inflammation. Ask your vet for the right dose for your cat’s weight, because too much fish oil can cause diarrhea and other problems.
- Combined skin and coat supplements containing omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, biotin and zinc, such as YuMOVE Skin & Coat Plus (UK) or Nutramax Welactin.
- Spot-on skin care products, such as Dermoscent Essential 6, which are applied to the skin once a week.
Never give your cat supplements made for people or dogs, and avoid brewer’s yeast products that contain garlic, which is toxic to cats.
Food for Shedding Cats
Diet plays a big role in shedding. An unbalanced diet that lacks key nutrients for skin and coat health is one of the causes of heavy, prolonged shedding.
Nutrients for a Healthy Coat
For your cat’s coat to look beautiful and healthy, its diet should provide:
- High-quality animal protein. Fur is made almost entirely of protein (keratin), and cats need plenty of protein from meat and fish.
- Biotin (vitamin B7), which is important for healthy skin and hair. A deficiency is rare in cats fed a complete diet.
- Taurine. Cats must get taurine from their food. A lack of it causes serious health problems, including heart and eye disease, which also affect the coat.
- B vitamins, including B2 (riboflavin), B5 (pantothenic acid) and B6. A lack of them can make the coat brittle and cause dermatitis.
- Zinc and other minerals, which are needed for healthy skin and fur.
- Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. A lack of them leads to a dull, dry coat and flaky skin.
Homemade Diets
If you feed your cat homemade food, it must be carefully balanced, ideally with the help of a board-certified veterinary nutritionist. Cooked meat, poultry, fish and cooked egg provide protein and B vitamins, but meat alone doesn’t provide everything a cat needs. Liver should be given only in small amounts, because too much vitamin A is toxic to cats. Avoid raw pork, raw fish and raw eggs, which can carry parasites and harmful bacteria.
Commercial Cat Food
For a healthy, glossy coat, feed your cat a complete and balanced commercial food from a reputable brand. There are two types of food vets may recommend for shedding:
- Skin and coat formulas.
- Hairball control formulas.
Both can help with problems related to shedding. Popular options include:
- Royal Canin Hair & Skin Care;
- Hill’s Science Diet Hairball Control;
- Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach;
- Iams ProActive Health Hairball Care;
- Blue Buffalo Indoor Hairball Control.
What Owners Say
Owners of indoor cats often notice that their cats shed much more once the heating comes on in winter, and many find that a humidifier or air purifier makes a noticeable difference. Others report that a kitten’s first coat change can seem endless, lasting a couple of months, and that a vet check and a coat supplement helped. Owners of long-haired cats often say a deshedding tool removes far more loose undercoat than an ordinary brush and reduces hairballs.
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