Home Remedies to Stop Cat Shedding

Shedding hair is normal for both humans and cats. However, excessive cat shedding may be a cause of concern.

Normally, cats shed more in spring or when the weather gets warmer but there are instances that it may be caused by underlying health concerns such as allergies, parasites, and even stress. Aside from the health concerns, it can also be quite annoying to see fur in your pants, shirt, couch and just basically everywhere in the house. Here’s what you can do at home to stop cat shedding.

Diet

Making specific changes in your cat’s diet can make a huge difference. You need to feed your cat a high quality digestible animal protein. It must be an animal protein because cats are obligate carnivores and cannot get their protein and nutrient needs from plant-based protein sources. One possible change to consider is feeding less kibble and instead giving a quality canned food. Kibble, even many of the ‘higher quality’ ones, are primarily carbohydrates and (for more reasons than just shedding) should be avoided.

Keep Cat Well Hydrated

A person who is dehydrated will most likely have dry skin and the same goes with cats. When cats are not hydrated enough, their skin dries up making their hair follicles weak and not strong enough to hold their fur hence the excessive shedding. Make sure to keep your cat adequately hydrated by making fresh water accessible and readily available to them. High quality canned cat food is also a good source of additional fluids. Canned cat food is 80% moisture as compared to 5% moisture in kibble.

Use a Good Quality Shedding Tool

A normal hair life cycle for cats is around 3 to 5 months. Their hair grows for 60 to 90 days and starts to fall off after it reaches a certain point when it’s not anymore viable and healthy (around 40 to 60 days).  To decrease the amount of hair that falls off is to get yourself a good quality brush. Brushing your cat once a day, regularly would go such a long way in decreasing cat shedding and the amount of hair scattered around your house.

Essential Fatty Acids

Increasing essential fatty acids (i.e. Omega 3 Fatty Acids) in your cat’s diet will ensure a healthier skin and coat and ultimately decrease the amount of shedding. A fairly high dose of fish, krill or flax oil, about 500mg to 1000mg a day, will provide noticeable results.

Avena Sativa Mist Spray

For cats with drier hair coats, a moisturizer spray will greatly help manage the skin and shedding. An example of a moisturizer spray is Avena Sativa Mist Spray, and this can be added to your cat’s grooming routine. It is made of colloidal oat extracts that have anti-inflammatory properties which moisturize and calm dry skin & coat. It’s safe for cats and cats suffering from some type of skin allergies, and they could greatly benefit from it.

Cat Wipes

Ideally, bathing your cat will help loosen dry hair, but for many cats that is not a realistic option. An alternative to bathing may be using ‘cat wipes’. There are many commercial brands of cat wipes readily available. You can also easily make your own cat wipe at home with a cup of water, 2 drops of peppermint essential oil and some aloe vera gel supplement for extra hydration. Just mix in a jar, then dampen a cloth with the mixture. This homemade cat wipe is not just economical but environmentally friendly too.