When do cats shed their hair? There are certain times of the year, as explained below, when you may notice that there is a lot more cat hair ‘floating’ around the house.
Cats usually shed their hair twice a year. It is signaled by the seasonal availability of light, not the temperature as we might expect.
In spring, the longer light filled days, signal a circadian rhythm for cats to shed hair, in preparation for the summer season ahead.
Conversely, darker, less light-filled days as winter approaches mean shedding occurs to accommodate a new, thicker winter coat.
Cat shedding in these circumstances, as a reaction to light, refers to those cats that spend a lot of time outdoors or cats in the wild.
These days however, many cats have a total indoor lifestyle so the cat is exposed to mostly artificial light.
This means that your cat sheds some fur almost all year round and that is quite okay.
Either way, the cat shedding hair, is something you need to accept if you live with a cat.
It is common for me to come home and find that kitty has taken up residence on a garment belonging to me, which is now covered in cat hair.
The cat hair has to be removed before I can wear the garment again.
Dealing With Cat Hair
Does Brushing The Cat Help With Shedding Hair?
Using a cat shedding glove or brushing the cat on a regular basis, will reduce the amount of hair that is shed by the cat and prevent it from entering your homey stratosphere.
Using a shedding glove will also mean that you can keep the hair fall to a minimum because it collects in the glove.
The cat will enjoy a massage at the same time you are keeping the shedding cat hair under control.
Don’t necessarily expect to remove large amounts of fur if using a glove. It depends on how much hair your cat sheds. Even a short haired cat can shed a lot of hair. When it becomes a regular part of grooming you will be removing a small amount of hair often, which has to be a good thing.
- UPGRADE VERSION: With enhanced 255 silicone grooming tips, mimics the touch of your hand for a soft and relaxing massage; This flexible, slip-on grooming gloves allow you to brush away dirt and loose hair from cats and dogs
- Hair Remover: Perfect for long, short and curly haired dogs, cats, horses, and other pets, grooming the hair quickly, gently and effectively; The shedding hair sticks to the glove, making it easy to peel and throw hair away
- Bath Brush: Bathe the pets with this glove, which will clean the pet hair easily and give your pets a gentle massage without hurting their skin; Five finger design allows you to groom hard-to-reach places like tail or face
- Skin-friendly: Free from any materials which could cause skin damage; Soft silicone ensure gentle massage and grooming without painful removing of fur or scratching the skin; One size fits all, it has adjustable wrist strap for a comfortable fit
- What You Get: 2 blue DELOMO pet gloves (1 left-hand and 1 right-hand; The left-hand glove is customized for left-hander)
The Best Way To Remove Cat Hair From Your Clothes
Excessive Shedding Of Cat Hair
If your cat is senior and has excessive hair shedding, or bald patches are appearing, please take the cat to the vet for a checkup.
Similarly if your cat, senior or otherwise, appears to be shedding more than usual it will mean a trip to the vet for a diagnosis and treatment if necessary. It is best to get an expert opinion when something is not right.
Which Breeds Of Cat Do Not Shed Much Hair?
Here are some breeds of cat that do not shed much hair.
Don’t confuse not shedding hair with not causing allergies. It is actually not as simple as that.
Allergens are produced in the the cat’s saliva, dander (flakes of skin) and urine.
It is explained clearly here by webmed.com – how to recognize allergies and what advice to take if suffering from cat allergies.
1. The Sphynx – hairless cat
The Sphynx is the breed of cat that comes to mind when thinking of a cat that does not shed hair.
Sphynx cats do have a very fine, fuzzy amount of hair.
The Sphynx may not shed hair but it’s skin needs special attention as it has less protection from the elements.
2.The Siamese Cat – low Hair shedder
The Siamese is another reed that is a low shedder. In addition to being low shedders, Siamese cats are also considered hypoallergenic.
This could be a good choice for you if low shedding and cat allergies are at the top of your want list.
3. The Bombay Cat – Another Low Hair shedding breed
The Bombay breed of cat is a low hair shedder.
Bombay cats have the most divine, sleek, black coat that is minimalist in the shedding stakes.
Bombay cats are not considered hypoallergenic and will benefit from a brushing with a grooming glove once a week, to keep the coat tip top and shiny and to remove hair.
4.The Bengal Cat – low Hair shedding Breed
Bengal cats are known for their minimal upkeep. They don’t shed much and can groom themselves efficiently.
A Bengal cat will typically weigh between 9-17 pounds when fully grown.
Most Bengals have short hair that does not require daily brushing.
They do well around people who suffer from allergies as protein allergens aren’t common among them.
5. The Russian Blue – low Shedding cat breed
Russian Blue cats have a low shedding rate, which makes them ideal for people with allergies or asthma.
Russian Blue cats are also known to be very gentle and loving pets, that can easily adjust to living in an apartment or small home. A very popular breed and wonderful for families.
How To Cope With Shedding Cat Hair
- Regular use of a cat glove or mitt will help lessen the amount of cat hair shed, with the bonus of a massage for the cat.
Hint: Put a towel on your lap to catch stray hair. Cat hair tends to float. - Invest in sticky rollers or (lint rollers) which remove not only lint but also cat hair. They are quick and easy to use and an essential for any cat owner.
A jacket covered in cat hair is not a good look. A quick brush over a jacket as you head out the door will remove cat hair. - Use some pet protectors on your furniture.
This quilted look protector looks quite satisfactory to fling over the bed in the morning.
There is a huge variety of these covers depending on the size of your furniture.
From experience, something that is easy to whip on and off is a good idea. I wrote an article about this when our cat was clawing our new leather couches.
The same principle applies to cat hair. We did it the hard way. - If you have carpet or hard floors, sweep the cat hair using a broom. Yes I know that sounds weird. This can apply to cat litter also.
These pet hair removing brooms are amazing. This one has a telescopic handle so the handle length can be adjusted.
The rubber picks up hair/fur brilliantly from fabric couches. I can vouch for that.
Plus, the broom lasts forever. You will lose it before it wears out.
