Everything You Need to Know About Shedding Cats
As a cat owner, you must be prepared for the fact that your cat will have to change its coat twice a year. Hair distributed in the home is part of everyday life during this time and unfortunately cannot be completely avoided.
Why the change of coat is important for your cat and how you can support your four-legged friend with the right coat care, you will learn in the following.
Why cats change their coat
The coat change takes place twice a year in cats. In spring the four-legged friends lose their dense winter coat, which is replaced by a lighter coat for the summer. In autumn the summer coat falls out again and the thicker coat for the winter grows back.
The change of coat helps your cat to adapt to the different temperatures in summer and winter. In the cold months of the year, a thick coat ensures that the cat does not freeze and in the warm season, the light summer coat prevents the cat from getting too hot.
When the coat change begins in cats
The change of coat starts all by itself in cats. When exactly it starts is mainly influenced by the length of daylight.
While the short days in winter lead to an increased production of the hormone melatonin, the melatonin level decreases again with the increasing length of the days in spring. In this way, your cat's organism receives the signal that it is time to change coat.
The density of the new coat, on the other hand, is influenced by the temperature. For example, the colder it is in autumn, the thicker the cat's winter coat will be after the coat change.
Duration of the coat change of the cat
Regarding the duration of the coat change in cats, there are quite clear differences depending on the type of husbandry. In outdoor cats the change of coat is usually completed within six to eight weeks.
In indoor cats, however, the situation is often different. Due to the relatively constant temperatures and artificial light, it is often the case that the actual change of coat is at best moderate and the cats lose hair more or less evenly throughout the year.
In addition, the following factors can influence the extent and duration of coat change in your cat:
- The cat breed
- The age of the animal
- The hormones (neutered cats usually have stronger hair.)
- Excessive stress
- The quality of the cat food
A good coat care supports your cat during the coat change
During the change of coat your cat loses hair practically all the time. Often there is hardly a place in the house where cat hairs do not get lost. To counteract this, you should brush your four-legged friend every day if possible.
In this way, a large part of the hair that has fallen out can be removed directly from the coat. In addition, by grooming your cat, you support him in changing his coat. Because brushing promotes the blood circulation of the skin and thus ensures that the new hairs can grow back better.
In addition, you prevent the hair from knotting and tangling, which among other things reduces the risk of your cat becoming infected with skin fungus. In addition, the daily grooming ritual also strengthens your bond with each other and is accepted with great joy by most cats after a while.
If your cat does not comb or brush her hair while she is changing coat, you can alternatively use a special grooming glove. With this glove you can at least partially remove fallen hairs from the coat of your quadruped and get him used to the procedure.
The change of coat in cats and the right nutrition
Be aware that the change of coat is a considerable burden for your cat. After all, the organism of the four-legged friend has to produce countless new hairs in a very short time.
Your cat needs enough nutrients for this. For this reason, it is especially important during the change of coat to pay attention to a balanced diet.
With the products of I love my cat you decide for this purpose for high-quality cat food without cereals and artificial additives. The food provides your cat with an optimal supply of important nutrients such as proteins, vitamins and minerals and can therefore help to support the change of coat.
Shiimun Skin: Nutrients for the change of coat of your cat
In addition to a high-quality cat food, it can be useful to supplement your cat's diet during the change of coat with a product such as Shiimun Skin.
Shiimun Skin is a natural food supplement for cats, which we have developed especially to support the health of the skin and coat. The powder contains selected ingredients such as shiitake, spirulina and insect protein, which provide your pet with extra nutrients.
Shiimun Skin is ideal to prevent excessive hair loss in cats and to support the regrowth of new hair during coat change.
Coat change in cats - our conclusion
As the owner you have to live with the fact that your cat has to change its coat twice a year. The increased cleaning effort in the form of daily vacuuming, more frequent washing of blankets and pillows, and the use of a lint roller for the couch are simply part of it during this time.
Pay enough attention to your cat's coat care during the change of coat and provide your four-legged friend with high-quality cat food and a natural food supplement such as Shiimun Skin.
In this way you can keep the number of hairs that fall out in your home within limits and ensure that your cat will soon be able to cope with the change of coat.
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