Cats usually shed their hair about 1-2 times a year to get a new coat. This process takes one to two months and the new, more beautiful coat will immediately grow back. That is the case of natural hair loss, even more dangerous is the cat's hair loss due to a disease that greatly affects the owner's life. So how should a cat shed a lot of hair?
Cats lose a lot of hair due to natural shedding
Depending on the breed of cat, there are cat breeds that shed continuously and shed a lot during molting, and there are cat breeds that shed less hair.
Cats molt naturally about twice per year:
– In the spring, cats molt to shed their old heavy coat.
– In the fall, cats change their fur to have a new warm coat for the winter.
In summer and winter, cats do not shed hair.
Cat molting helps:
– Likes when with the change of weather.
– Change the hair to be more beautiful
- Remove dead hair from the body, prevent skin inflammation.
– It is a sign of good health, because sick cats will not shed hair.
Factors that affect the cat's molt
Time your cat is exposed to the sun: The more a cat is exposed to the sun, the more evenly and at the right time she will shed.
Captive conditions: Indoor cats that are not exposed to the sun may shed continuously, but shed less hair than cats that live outdoors.
There are also some cases where cats experience constant shedding, especially when they live in the home under cool air conditioners in summer and artificial heat from heaters in winter. This causes the cat's self-defense system to go into turmoil, causing them to lose hair continuously.
Due to cat breed: Different cat breeds have different shedding times and amounts of shedding. And there are also cats that do not shed hair.
For example, a single-layer short-haired cat like the Siamese cat, the Burmese cat sheds very little, and the curly-haired cat like the Cornish Rex also sheds very little. While the Sphynx cat has no hair to shed.
Short, dense cat breeds such as the American, British Shorthair, or Scottish Fold, shed more hair and are more regular. As for Longhair cat breeds such as American Longhair Maine coon or Persian Cat, Ragdoll are the cat breeds that shed more hair and shed more.
Other causes of cat hair loss that are not due to natural shedding
1. Cats have a hormonal imbalance while breastfeeding
Hormonal imbalance is not only found in humans, but all mammals from pregnancy to childbirth have disorders in the body, specifically, hormone secretion changes that make body functions unstable. . If the cat is nursing, if she loses her hair, the molting process will stop on its own when the cat no longer has to take care of the kittens.
In addition, male cats after being spayed or female cats after neutering may also have a hormonal imbalance leading to hair loss.
2. Cats lose a lot of hair due to the influence of drugs
There are many medications that cause hair loss and hair loss as a side effect, such as the anti-inflammatory and allergy hormone Cortisone. When cats are exposed to high doses of the hormone Cortisone continuously for a long time, they will lose a lot of hair.
3. Cats lose a lot of hair due to hair loss disease
Cats with abnormal or diseased hair loss show hair loss in large patches, small patches leading to the appearance of many bald patches, but also hair loss on the whole body. Signs that your cat is losing hair due to illness:
- Cats itch and scratch constantly.
- Anorexia, poor appetite or skipping meals.
- Weight loss.
- Cats lie in one place more, less running and playing, less active
Diseases that cause cats to lose a lot of hair:
Cats lose hair due to allergies leading to excessive licking
Cats with fleas, ticks, scabies, and lice cause them to itch and irritate and attempt to lick themselves too often to relieve the itching. But because cats lick their fur too much, their tongues can pull out the hair on their own. When the hair is broken, it is plucked out more than the body can replace, leading to the loss of small patches of hair or a fixed area. Or it is also possible that the cat licks a lot of hair due to damage to the skin, the nerve glands in the skin,
In addition, cats also lick their fur a lot when stressed/anxious, feeling overly threatened or physically damaged by fractures, bleeding, ulcers.
Cat hair loss due to fungus
Cats with fungal diseases or bacterial infections such as staph also often lose hair, but only in the affected areas.
Cats lose hair due to illness
Dangerous diseases such as cancer, diabetes, thyroid gland, especially cancer, will cause them to lose almost all of their hair and also cause itching and moist skin, making it difficult for hair to grow back.
How do cats shed a lot of hair?
Brush your cat regularly: During the period when your cat is shedding the most hair, you should brush your cat's coat daily in the morning or at night.
Using fur gloves: Your cat may get nervous and run away when you brush it, so instead of a brush, you can use a grooming glove to make your cat more comfortable and cooperative.
Hair trimming: This is not the best option, but you can also give your cat a haircut as soon as the cat starts shedding.
Bathing the cat: When the cat has hair loss, you should bathe the cat 4 to 6 times a week to keep the house clean.
Get your cat outside more: If conditions permit, let your cat out in the yard to expose them to more sun. This will greatly shorten the molting time.
Food change: When cats are provided with nutritious food: fortified with amino acids, omega 3 and 6, magnesium, zinc, the molting process will be faster. And cats that eat wet food (better hydration) have better coats.
Remove hair from furniture or clothing: In addition to vacuuming with a vacuum cleaner, you can use a cat hair roller to remove hair from furniture or clothes easily.
However, the above methods are only suitable for cats with natural molting or due to hormonal changes, other diseases that need to be treated to resolve.
Why should you not trim a cat's coat while the cat is molting?
Trimming cats to reduce hair loss is not a good option because:
- When trimming a cat's hair, the old coat is not completely cut off, but the hairline, the foot layer, and this coat is hard and sharp, which can cause damage when the cat licks the body.
- Cats are prone to stress when trimming their coat, especially during shedding periods, causing them stress that has no health benefits for the baby.
- Even if the cat's hair is completely cut, the hair will still fall out, and it is too short to easily enter the trachea of people, cats and other pets, causing great health effects.
Here is some information on how to handle when cats shed a lot of hair that we want to share with you. Wish you have healthy and lovely cats. If you need to know more about other ways to take care of cats, please contact http://vanchuyenchomeo.com/ for advice.
English 
Vietnamese