Although the arrival of spring for most is welcomed with longer days and sunny spells, for cat owners, spring marks the official start of cat shedding season. Spring sees the kitties shedding their winter coats in favour of a lighter, spring/summer jacket.
And for cat parents, that means finding those glorious clumps of cat hair in every corner and doubling down on the lint rollers. Shedding is normal for cats at this time of year, but there are some ways you can try to combat it and limit the excess floof around your house.
Seasonal shedding in spring is much more common for cats in the wild, however, our domesticated felines who love the outdoors will also see an increase in coat shedding. It helps their skin to breathe, keeps them cool and reduces itching, so despite being a slight inconvenience for us, shedding is actually important for your favourite housemate and is a natural process – a healthy cat is a shedding cat.
If they don’t shed at all, this could be a sign of an unhealthy coat and potentially linked to a poor diet. Different breeds will also shed different amounts, so do your research! Interestingly, the amount of daylight your cat is exposed to will also determine how much hair they will lose from their coats each year.
Combatting shedding season
The brush will become your best friend, though maybe not your cats. Scheduling in a regular brushing for your pal will mean you can control the excess hair, and get rid of the majority directly at the hairy source. Daily grooming is best, and starting this when they’re still a kitten will help them get used to the sensation and hopefully become more tolerant over time.
If you start brushing and notice your cat is quite knotty or matted, tread carefully and maybe look to cut these out where possible. You can even consult your vets or a groomer if the matting is too much to handle. Matting and knots can make your cats uncomfortable.
Up there with the brush, is the lint roller. We don’t imagine there are many cat owners without one. It is the cat parent’s essential item if you want to ever leave the house fur-free again. We advise stocking up during the springtime so you are well-equipped to combat the excess fur.
Using machine washable bedding will also help combat shedding season, by regularly washing their favourite blanket and keeping furballs to a minimum. Try and remove as much cat hair as possible prewash, to avoid your machine clogging. We recommend a specific pet vacuum for this, and the rest of your house, to give you the best tools to tackle shedding season.
Hopefully, some of these simple fixes will reduce the floof levels flying around the house and help your cat live more comfortably through the spring/summer stretch.
