7 Natural Ways to Reduce Cat Shedding
Spring is the season of rebirth. When watching the baby lambs bumble around the fields and the bright daffodils begin to bloom, we are reminded that life is gift. However, for poor cat owners, this time of year isn’t joyful. Quite the opposite; Spring marks the beginning of a relentless, unyielding battle between an owner and their cat’s coat that sheds at a horrifying rate.
Fed up of swimming through a sea of cat hair just so you can plonk down on the sofa? We’ve done our research and amassed seven natural ways to minimize your cat’s shedding, detailed below.
- Purchase high-quality food that contains naturally occurring Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids have become buzzwords in the pet food industry. But, unlike other marketing lingo designed to sell products, fatty acids are essential towards maintaining a healthy immune system – and our cat’s, too. Both DHA (docahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) are commonly found in marine food sources. The stupendous anti-inflammatory properties that occur by ingesting DHA and EPA aren’t their only perk – they’ll brighten up your cat’s coat and improve the overall health of their hair follicles. And healthier hair follicles equal less shedding!
However, don’t consider this advice as a green light to feed your cat all types of marine food. Cats are prone to suffering from mercury poisoning. As mercury enters the air from power plant emissions, it eventually turns to rain and falls into the sea. Once in these large bodies of water, this mercury is converted into methylmercury; a bioaccumulative environmental toxicant that small marine creatures absorb. The food chain is then to blame as larger fish snap up many smaller marine creatures, leading to these fish – tuna included – containing high levels of mercury.
- The FURminator is your friend
We’re sure you’ll have heard of the popular FURminator for dogs by now – the incredible de-shedding tool created by Angie and David Porter to grab and remove loose undercoat hair. But have you heard of the equally irresistible FURminator created for cats? The de-shedding brush’s stainless-steel jaws efficiently captures a large chunk of cat hair that would have otherwise fallen on your carpet. And to release, the cleverly named “FURejector” button expels the accumulated hair with one simple push. To check out the latest price, we urge you to head towards our article that discusses the best brushes for cats in 2020, in which the FURminator emerges as our top pick.
Related Post: Cat Grooming Gloves
- Invest in a cat water fountain
Now, this is an odd one. How on earth does a cat water fountain of all tools help with shedding? Interestingly enough, there is a direct correlation between the amount of water your cat drinks and the volume of fur they shed. As water balances a cat’s electrolytes (minerals) in their body, their fur will become stronger and shed less.
But why invest in a water fountain? We urge you to stop and think for a moment: have you ever actually seen your feline voluntarily drink from their water bowl? The fact of the matter is that for most cats, drinking water is unpleasant due to their sensitivity towards its taste and presentation. Thankfully, cats are instinctually drawn towards moving water; which is exactly why cat water fountains are beneficial to have in any cat household.
- Slather olive oil all over your cat’s kibble
Within recent years, humans have become aware of the exceptional antioxidating properties belonging to olive oil. This liquid fat possesses an abundance of omega fatty acids which, as detailed above, are extremely beneficial to felines. In fact, a whopping 73% of extra virgin olive oil’s total oil content is the monounsaturated fat oleic acid. This omega-9 fatty acid will bolster your cat’s skin health, thereby decreasing the amount of hair they shed around your home.
- Bathe your cat – although you may come to regret it!
When advising all cat owners out there to bathe your felines, we apologize in advance. Most likely, this will not be a pleasant task! However, it’s a necessary evil that works effectively. Bathing your cat removes dead hair and stimulates the skin, thereby removing excess oil and dander. You’ll be both delighted and upset as you begin to notice the comparatively low amount of hair lying around your floor after bathing your cat. Delighted as the bath has worked, of course; and upset as you’ll have to partake in this arduous process regularly to hamper incessant shedding.
You’ll be glad to know that there are several ways to make bathing easier that we’ve detailed below:
- Never wash your cat’s face (they despise this).
- Your cat’s bath should be lukewarm and only come up to their body.
- Treats for your cat should be out in full force!
- Towel dry your cat rather than use a hair dryer. The noise an average hair dryer emits tends to spook them.
- Localize your cat’s shedding spots
Simply put, your feline should be trained to occupy only a small segment of your home as they shed. By positioning their water bowl, food bowl, litter tray, and bed within close proximity to each other, you’ll find that your cat won’t move around as much of your home, making it so much easier to hoover up excessive shedding. Find out more about water bowls for cats and food bowls for cats here.
Anxious cats will also benefit from this change in living space too, as experts confirm their anxiety can be quelled if they know they won’t have to traverse an entire home in order to obtain their next meal. It’s a win-win situation for cats and owners alike!
- Brush your kitten’s fur
We thought we’d end our article by relaying advice that’s both achievable and comforting – brush your cat’s hair! Although it may seem like brushing your kitten’s fur during grooming season isn’t achieving anything, this task actually stimulates their blood circulation, therefore improving both their skin and hair. By following this piece of advice and the six others elaborated upon above, your fur-covered carpet will be fur-free on no time.
Source:
- Can I Shave My Cat To Stop Shedding? – AnimalPath.org
