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  #1  
Old May 10th, 2007, 04:57 PM
Daxx Daxx is offline
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Cat shedding way too much

It's not my first cat so I am used to normal cat shedding.

My newest cat is a Domestic Shorthair. She basically sheds nonstop no matter what time of year. If I pick her up my shirt is instantly covered in hundreds of hairs. If she rubs against my pants they are covered also.

Somedays I will take her on the porch and comb/pet her to get rid of the hairs. I can be out there for several hours and she will shed hair with every stroke from start to finish. When I first start I will get huge handfull's of hair. It just never stops after hours of combing her she will still be shedding and I just give up.

Luckily she has no bald spots or anything like that to worry about but every piece of clothing I have is covered in her hair.

I have had about 10 cats while growing up and none have even shed a 10th as much as this cat does and when they do shed you normally find clumps or fur around the house not your clothes completely covered.

I was hoping someone might have some suggestions on how I can help manage this to a more appropriate level

Thanks,
David
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  #2  
Old May 10th, 2007, 05:02 PM
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Shamrock Shamrock is offline
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Hi David, and welcome to the forum.

Some cats are just big shedders, but this does sound like really excessive shedding your kitty is having.
Can I ask what you are feeding her? Sometimes a change in diet can really help with this problem.
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Old May 10th, 2007, 06:26 PM
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Dracko Dracko is offline
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Diet can certainly play a part but more often than not its just the cat. Some shed more than others. I had 2 cats that shed all the time. Yet the 2 younger ones I have now shed very, very little. Probably just the luck of the draw whether you get one that sheds a lot.
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Old May 10th, 2007, 06:41 PM
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jiorji jiorji is offline
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hi

my kitties shed a LOT too. I've given up trying to figure out when their shedding season starts and ends
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  #5  
Old May 10th, 2007, 07:20 PM
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Maya Maya is offline
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Have medical causes been ruled out? Recent bloodwork? What is her age? There are quite a few possible causes for excessive shedding. An elimination diet may also be needed if it is a food intolerance. I've noticed that cats on poor quality foods do generally shed more.

Here are some of the possible medical reasons for excessive shedding.

Cushing’s disease
Addison’s disease
Hyperthyroidism
Hypothyroidism

Also some good infromation here:http://cats.lovetoknow.com/Feline_Hair_Loss to help you identify if it is medical or not, bloodwork is the only way to know for sure though.
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Old May 10th, 2007, 09:56 PM
Daxx Daxx is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Maya View Post
Have medical causes been ruled out? Recent bloodwork? What is her age? There are quite a few possible causes for excessive shedding. An elimination diet may also be needed if it is a food intolerance. I've noticed that cats on poor quality foods do generally shed more.

Here are some of the possible medical reasons for excessive shedding.

Cushing’s disease
Addison’s disease
Hyperthyroidism
Hypothyroidism

Also some good infromation here:http://cats.lovetoknow.com/Feline_Hair_Loss to help you identify if it is medical or not, bloodwork is the only way to know for sure though.
No recent bloodwork. She is 2years old. She is currently eating Priority dry food
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  #7  
Old April 15th, 2012, 08:08 PM
garfinas mom garfinas mom is offline
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Question

The excessive cat shedding post is my problem with my cat as well. I call my cat Garfina, the female Garfield. She is very inactive for a 4 year old cat. She basically eats, sleeps, peers out the window and doors. I adopted her a year ago from a shelter as people gave her up due to allergies. I can see why now. Lilly sheds all the time. I have had many cats and none that sheds like this one. She is a very good cat. She doesn't cause problems, very sweet. She purrs a lot when I pet her or when she comes to me for attention. Not a lap cat but likes to sit next to me and sleeps at the foot of bed. She used to play with her toys but now only wants to play with them when I play with her. She may have been taken from her mother or lost her mother too soon as I sense a need for her to feel very secure. Back to the shedding: She doesn't groom herself much at all just her face, paws and privates. Since she has so much fur constantly falling off, I don't blame her for not wanting to lick her belly or back. The few times she has tried she spits the hair out and stops grooming. I brush her at least 2-3 times a week with a de-shed brush. I am amazed as to how fast she grows hair. I have taken her to vet and all is well healthwise, I had a blood panel done to check for thyroid or diabetes and all the blood work is fine. I had her groomed twice in last year since I own her. The grooming baths help little as she grows hair back in at a faster rate. I put an old sheet on my bed to keep the fur off my comforter. In two days it is full of hair, I vacuum it off. I will try the Innova cat food since one post said it really helped other than that I am at a loss what to do.

Last edited by garfinas mom; April 15th, 2012 at 08:13 PM. Reason: misspelling/grammar.
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  #8  
Old April 16th, 2012, 07:22 AM
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sugarcatmom sugarcatmom is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by garfinas mom View Post
I will try the Innova cat food since one post said it really helped other than that I am at a loss what to do.
What does your kitty eat right now (wet/dry/brand/flavour)?
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  #9  
Old April 27th, 2012, 01:32 AM
garfinas mom garfinas mom is offline
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diet

she eats dry food: purina indoor formula, that is what previous owner fed her, she won't touch wet stuff or human food.
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  #10  
Old April 27th, 2012, 07:25 AM
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sugarcatmom sugarcatmom is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by garfinas mom View Post
she eats dry food: purina indoor formula,
I guarantee this is part of the problem. Here are the main ingredients in Purina Indoor kibble:
Corn meal, poultry by-product meal, corn gluten meal, soy flour, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), powdered cellulose, animal liver flavor, soybean hulls, malt extract, .....added color (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 2),
There's no real meat in it, and it's loaded with corn, soy and other fillers. Powdered cellulose (aka sawdust)? Soybean hulls? Really? I just wanna slap these pet food manufacturers upside the head. It would be very much in your kitty's (and your) best interest to switch to a higher quality, meat-based food.

Quote:
Originally Posted by garfinas mom View Post
she won't touch wet stuff or human food.
Many cats get addicted to kibble (manufacturers spray it with all sorts of flavour enhancers - cause otherwise cats wouldn't go near it) and can be tricky to convert, but I promise you that it can be done. With patience, persistence, and the right technique, I honestly believe there is not a cat on this planet that can't eventually be switched to wet food.

Here are some links to help get you started down that road:
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites...et-part-1.aspx
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites...et-part-2.aspx
http://www.catinfo.org/#Transitionin...o_Canned_Food_
http://www.littlebigcat.com/nutrition/switching-foods/

And some general info on why kibble is not an appropriate diet for an obligate carnivore: www.catinfo.org

Good luck!
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  #11  
Old April 27th, 2012, 10:55 AM
Jim Hall Jim Hall is offline
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2 tools to groom a cat with and beleive me it will be a great help

1 a product caller a furminator


and another called pet zoom

btw indoor cats shed all the time
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