How Do You Stop A Cat From Shedding?

If you read the site you know I have a lot of cats, six to be exact! So, cat hair is a constant battle in our house. Like any problem I set out to find the solution to cat hair and shedding.

So, how do you stop a cat from shedding? You cannot stop your cat from shedding. A healthy cat will naturally grow a thicker coat in the fall and winter months, and then molt to a thinner coat in the spring and summer months. Your cat is however constantly growing and losing hair!

Many people assume that you need to get a specific breed of cat or provide supplements to improve this shedding. That is not the case. There are a lot of things you can do however that will improve your cat’s hair and keep shedding on your clothes and furniture to a minimum.

Controlling Cat Shedding

When I started encountering this problem it was with my fluffiest cat by far, my Maine Coon.

Anyone that has a Maine Coon, or other long hair cat, knows that this hair will be everywhere. You will have cat hair on the sofa, on your bed, and everyone’s favorite…. on your clothes.

As our cat family grew though and I got our white cat, Cairo, I noticed that his hair was everywhere as well. And he is a short haired cat. This led me to further research and findings that all cats shed equally, if they are healthy!

Yes, even the so called “hairless” cats, such as the Sphynx. These cats are actually covered in an ultra-fine gossamer down. Which sheds!

So, knowing that there is no preventing your cat from shedding. You need to learn to control cat shedding instead.

I tried several methods from baths (this was fun), brushing, supplements… you name it! Below are my PROVEN methods to improve your cats coat while simultaneously reducing them from shedding everywhere in your house!

How to stop a cat from shedding everywhere?

Knowing that we need to control cat shedding and not prevent it. The question becomes how to stop your cat from shedding everywhere.

In our tests the clear winner is via grooming.

The obvious answer I know!

But, when you groom your cat you are not only removing the excess hair that would otherwise end up on your sofa or worse, your clothes. There are also a lot of health benefits that come with grooming your cat regularly.

Benefits of grooming a cat to reduce shedding

It will come as no surprise that the main way to prevent having your cat shed everywhere is by controlling the amount of loose hair available to be shed.

When you groom your cat, it is not as simple as removing loose hair. You are actually providing your cat with tons of additional benefits that will give him a healthier coat.

1. Brushing your cat not only removes dead and loose hair. It also removes dust, dirt and potentially fleas (if they have any!)
2. Brushing your cat helps prevent hairballs due to them consuming dead and loose hair.
3. Distributes naturally oils through the cats’ fur which helps their coat become healthier and reduces shedding!
4. Improves circulation, giving your cat healthier skin, a shiny coat and reduces molting.
5. Helps prevent potentially painful hair mats and tangles in long hair cats.
6. Enables you to check for fleas and ticks.
7. Improves the bond between you and your cat.
8. Gets the cat used to being held and touched. Especially good with skittish cats!

How Often Do I Groom My Cat to Prevent Shedding?

While it is clear from the above results that grooming your cat isn’t just going to prevent them from shedding everywhere, you might immediately ask how often do I groom my cat to prevent shedding?

For the best results to preventing shedding, you should groom your cat at least once a day.

While this sounds like a lot at first, hear me out!

Once you start grooming your cat daily it really can be limited to 15 minutes of brushing and your done. Also, if you get a grooming glove, then it is really just 15 minutes of petting your cat, which you do already hopefully. And the removal of extra loose hair happens naturally!

What cat brush prevents shedding the best?

I have a few favorites for this however ANY brush will work.

There are a few brushes or combs however that will really help keep your cats coat healthy and most importantly, prevent excess shedding!

First off, you are going to want to have a nice metal comb. You do not need to spend tons of money on this. Any metal cat comb will do.

I recommend metal ones since they help distribute oils nicely throughout the fur and are tougher for thick cat fur.

Another grooming tool I highly recommend is a grooming glove!

As mentioned earlier, you can really turn what seems like a chore; grooming your cat. Into just 15 minutes of petting your cat and removing loose hair at the same time!

Lastly, I am a big fan of de-shedding combs. These are the really fine bladed combs you have probably seen in the pet store. And I can personally recommend that these work very well!

I do tend to use the de-shedding comb strictly on my shorter hair cats. While I can use it on the Maine Coon I get better results with the grooming glove and metal combs on his thick fur.

How to comb at cat to prevent shedding?

Now that you have picked up a grooming tool or tools. It is time to learn how to properly comb your cat to prevent shedding.

Yes! There is a right and wrong way to comb your cat. And believe me if you groom your cat improperly they are going to let you know.

When grooming your cat, you ALWAYS want to groom from head to tail. Going with the direction that their fur is.

Do NOT groom your cat against their coat. This can lead to hair being pulled out and it can be an uncomfortable experience for them.

Also, groom your cat lightly. This should be a gentle, relaxing massage for your kitty. You do not need to apply any pressure to remove excess hair and debris from their fur. Use nice, soft, brush strokes and your kitty will thank you for it!

As your cat gets more used to you grooming him, they will normally present their stomachs for brushing as well.

Proceed to brush their stomach from chin to belly, as long as there are excepting of it. If at anytime your cat attacks the brush or your hand, then just go back to brushing their sides or back.

Repeat this process for about 15 minutes or until are your cat’s hair has been brushed a few times.

Related Questions:

Can I shave my cat to stop shedding? No, you cannot shave your cat to stop shedding. You can however shave your cat to reduce the amount of hair that is going to be removed from brushing. This will also reduce the amount of hair that is naturally shed that would otherwise end up on furniture or clothes. Shaving your cat can also help keep a long hair cat cooler in the summer months if you live in warmer climates and can make for a much healthier happier cat!

Can supplements stop my cat from shedding? No, anti-shedding supplements are comprised of ingredients meant to make your cats coat healthier. Generally containing omega 3 and 6. While these supplements might give your cats coat a shinier, healthier look. They cannot prevent the natural molting process that occurs. This is still best handled by regular brushing sessions with your cat.

What time of year do cats shed? Cats shed year-round, especially indoor cats. Your cats naturally pattern of hair growth and shedding is dictated by temperature. So, in the longer spring and summer months, when it is warmer outside your cat will shed to a very thin coat. This is done to prevent overheating. During the fall and winter months, your cat will grow additional layers of fur to retain body heat and thus be able to survive the winter.