But reducing the spread of hair will also reduce the spread of these allergens. People tend to be allergic to the cat’s dander or saliva rather than the hair. However, excessive shedding can lead to a cat vomiting up hairballs.īrushing and other shedding reduction efforts help to prevent this, since you remove the excess fur so your cat doesn’t have to do it themselves.Īlso, shedding reduction can benefit humans in the household by decreasing exposure to allergens. This is natural and most of that hair passes through the digestive system just fine. When cats groom themselves, they swallow hair in the process. In addition to the convenience of not having cat hair on everything you own, reduced shedding carries other benefits for you and kitty alike. With all this in mind, it’s never a bad idea to call your vet’s office and see if they recommend a visit, since sometimes shedding (especially a sudden increase) can be indicative of pain or a medical condition. Therefore, a cat will appear to shed more because they can no longer groom the shedding fur away on their own.
This could be caused by an allergy, a skin infection, a hormonal imbalance, or many other types of health problems.Īlso, old age, arthritis, or pain can make it difficult for a cat to groom themselves. On the other hand, a cat that is shedding more due to a medical cause may have a dull or thin haircoat, hair loss or even bald patches, rashes, or other abnormalities. Their fur will be shiny or fluffy, without any bald patches, oiliness, or odors. Medical Conditions that May Contribute to SheddingĪs a general guideline, cats that are experiencing normal shedding will have a healthy hair coat.