Shedding season is here!
Cats tend to shed naturally but excessive shedding should be a cause for concern. Shedding relies on many factors, for instance the environment of the cat and whether it spends more time outdoors or indoors. While outdoor cats shed more in the spring months, indoor cats shed all through the year.
Like most any animal sheds some part of its skin, shedding in a cat is a very natural process. However, much like how abnormal amounts of falling hair will cause anyone to panic, too much is.
Shedding is a process that will cause skin irritation in a cat, and this presents problems both in a cat’s overall health and in the cleanliness department for your home.
Cats, especially ones that have the easy life indoors, shed hair all throughout a year. However there are many variable factors at play that determine the amount. If a cat has a skin disease of some sort, is not eating proper food, or it stressed out, they can lead to some ghastly carpet-cleaning days.
On a more sombre note, your cat may be seriously ill and in need of immediate veterinary help, so watch out.
Some diseases to look out for include feline Cushing syndrome and Hyperthyroidism. Cushing’s is a fairly rare disease in cats, and mostly occurs in old cats 7 years and up. It is characterized by excessive production of cortisol, often caused by tumors in the pituitary glands. Hyperthyroidism on the other hand is caused by a malfunction of the thyroid gland.
Another factor could be allergies of any kind, including allergies to sunlight and administered medicines. Others include pregnancy, lactation, bacteria, fungi and yeast.
Helping a cat groom itself through brushing can help a cat avoid excessive shedding. Long-haired breeds such as Persians and Himalayans are doubly susceptible to these conditions, so stay alert!
