The Briton constantly sheds what to do. What to do if the cat sheds a lot and the whole house is covered in wool in summer and winter, from spring to autumn, all year round. Causes of intensive year-round molting

There are many legends about Scottish cats associated with wool. Someone even calls them hypoallergenic, although this is not true. Someone believes that if he acquires a short-haired beauty, then there will be no problems with molting at all. Is it so? Let's figure it out.

SHELTING - the process of changing the coat of an animal, caused by various reasons. Molting occurs not only in animals with hair, but also in birds and even insects.

Do Scottish cats shed?

Scottish cats shed. Moreover, a Scottish fold cat sheds no less and no more than a straight-eared cat: it does not depend on the shape of the ears. Semi-longhair varieties of the Scottish Highland Fold breed And Highland Straights are similar to Scottish Folds and Scottish Straights in terms of the amount of shedding wool, only the Scottish hair is short and therefore flies around the apartment, while in the Highlands it is longer and heavier, therefore it often hangs on furniture and clothes, but it does not fly and does not climb in face.

An experienced cat breeder buys clothes in the color of his cat's coat

Who sheds more?

Often readers of the site "MURKOTIKI" ask who sheds more - Siberian, Persian or Scottish cat? That is, they compare Scottish cats with long-haired breeds.

If we talk about Scottish Straights and Scottish Folds, that is, Scottish Shorthair cats, then they shed less noticeably, because. their hair is shorter. XIsland Straights and Highland Folds, that is, Scottish semi-longhair cats, also shed less than Persians and other long-haired cats, but more than Scottish cats.

Baby molting, or when Scottish kittens change their coat

Does a Scottish cat shed a lot of hair for the first time? Perhaps this is the so-called baby molt. When do Scottish kittens change their coat from baby to adult? The first molt visits seals at 5-6 months, give or take. At this age, within 1-2 months, the Scottish cat's coat climbs so much that it seems as if there will be no end to this problem.

The molting period Scottish kitten will end, but it can smoothly move into a calmer phase, the duration of which sometimes reaches up to a year.During this period, the teenager should gradually change the primary, given to him from birth, soft fur for an adult, coarser, denser and more contrastingly colored. At the end of the baby molt, the coat becomes more beautiful, and laid down by the view color pattern is shown in all its glory.

Seasonal molting of Scottish cats

During seasonal molting, the cat's coat and upper epidermis partially change. seasonal molt designed to adapt the animal to changing temperature conditions. Roughly speaking, by the summer, cats shed their excess hair and build up a thinner one for the sake of better heat transfer, and for the winter they gain a denser and thicker coat.

Seasonal molting of cats occurs in spring, closer to the beginning of summer, and in autumn, with the approach of the first cold weather. It all depends on the latitude where you live: if your summer comes earlier, then the molt will take place earlier, if winter comes later, then the molt will take place later. And vice versa.

In addition, pets that do not go outside at all may not feel the weather changes - then the seasonal molt will be practically nullified or, on the contrary, will be present all the time. Although the cat reacts more not even to temperature, but to changes in daylight hours, that is, it recognizes the approach of summer or winter by the time of sunrise and sunset.

Why does a Scottish cat shed a lot?

There are times when the shedding is stronger than it should be, which threatens to deteriorate the quality of wool and health and the torments of the owners, who will literally drown in the hair. The fact that shedding is excessive is indicated by the rapid deterioration of the coat and the resulting areas with baldness.

Before you begin to act, you need to find out the cause of an abnormally strong molt. To do this, you need to consult a veterinarian, who may find some kind of disease in your pet.

Most common cause strong molt is malnutrition lacking in vitamins, minerals and fatty acids. To eliminate this problem, it is enough to read the information on how to properly balance the nutrition of a Scottish cat, and include vitamin complexes with Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids in the diet.

However, it also happens that a cat receives all the vitamins, acids and trace elements, but they are simply not absorbed. Most often this happens due to hormonal failure, which, in turn, can be caused by cysts and tumors, bad job thyroid gland or adrenals. IN this case treatment should be done by a veterinarian.

Other causes of hair loss

If your cat suddenly began to shed not in adolescence and not on the eve of summer and winter, this means that she has other reasons for shedding wool that need to be clarified and corrected.

If a cat sheds hair during pregnancy or lactation, this means that she lacks certain vitamins and minerals that need to be replenished with vitamin complexes and regulation of nutrition.

In addition, the cat may shed its hair due to the stress caused by moving to new house, the death of a family member, the arrival of a new pet or child. There may be other reasons for concern.

The reason is the aforementioned lack of fatty acids, vitamins and microelements, which can provoke not only increased seasonal molting, but also shedding of wool when it is not supposed to.

It is possible that an allergy or leukemia led to hair loss in a pet.

In any case, the diagnosis should be made by a veterinarian, since with your treatment you can only do harm.

What to do?

In order for the family to successfully cope with any kind of molting, it is necessary to arm yourself with knowledge. If the shedding is abnormal, you should contact your veterinarian. If the shedding is childish or seasonal, you should not worry and you just need to take some measures.

Firstly, during molting, the cat actively licks off the hair, which accumulates in the stomach and intestines and can clog it. A clear sign of the presence of such a problem is a deterioration in appetite and the absence of a stool. To prevent this, it is necessary to provide the pet with access to fresh grass, which should be planted on the windowsill. It will help to burp the accumulated hair. In addition, purchase special treats or foods that contain substances that help remove hair.

Also, when a Scottish cat sheds, it must be combed not 1-2 times a week, as usual, but every day. But regular brushes and combs are powerless here, as they can not cope with combing a large number wool.by the most effective tools for combing wool are a glove-brush and a furminator. These devices are simple, but extremely effective: literally in 1-2 doses they can comb out everything that has accumulated on the cat for 2 months of molting, and if you use them from the very beginning, then the problem as such will almost not be felt.

We consider buying a paw the most rational option, since it costs only a couple of dollars (unlike a $40 furminator), and works just as well, and sometimes even more efficiently. In addition, many fakes have been created for the Furminator and you can stumble upon them, but they are ineffective. And the paw is such a simple and cheap invention that there is simply no point in forging it.

Also very effective tool bathing will remove dead hairs and stimulate the growth of new ones. While bathing, massage the skin with shampoo: most of the dead hairs will go away with the water. But bathing does not cancel the use of the furminator and the paw, but only complements it.

During molting, you will also have to intensively take care of the apartment: regularly shake out blankets, vacuum and sweep, remove wool from objects with a sticky roller.

The article was checked and approved by the instructor-felinologist, breeder and owner of the Scottish cattery Real cats (Belarus) Irina Kazak. She is engaged Scottish breed more than 5 years and has accumulated significant experience in the field of breeding and selection, which is actively shared with the Internet audience.

Everyone knows that representatives of the cat family periodically shed their hair, for the most part seasonally. This process is called molting, and it is quite natural, so there is no reason to panic. This article will help you learn what to do when a British cat sheds heavily.

Seasonal molting of the British: how to make the process invisible

For each breed, the molting period may differ slightly both in the time of its appearance and in the characteristics of its passage. The British Fold sheds twice a year - in spring and autumn.. On average, the process takes one month, but may be delayed due to temperature changes.

If you are tired of continuous cleaning in the apartment, removing wool from furniture and other similar problems, you should familiarize yourself with the basic rules of care in such a difficult period. These include the following:

• maintaining stability in the microclimate of the room, relatively the same temperature indicators;
• careful and reverent attitude towards the animal, which will save both you and your pet from unnecessary stressful situations;
• regular bathing with hair care shampoos;
• careful combing of the hair every day with a massage comb, it is possible to use a brush with metal teeth;
• correct and enriched with vitamins and trace elements will help the pet when it sheds.

The reasons for the molting of a British cat can be varied, including non-compliance with the above mentioned rules for.

The pet sheds - caution does not hurt

In addition to the reasons already mentioned that provoke molting in a cat, more serious events may also be present.

Most often, the owners pay attention to the off-season molt in winter, immediately starting to worry.

However, in most cases there is no reason for this, since in winter British cat receives fewer vitamins, warmth and care. This is what causes the fact that the Briton begins to actively shed.

In addition, there are several more reasons when a pet sheds.:

1. stressful situations: in most cases, this is due to moving, undergoing operations or long-term illnesses;
2. childbirth: in addition to the fact that the process itself takes away strength, babies take almost all the nutrients from their mother, as a result of which she begins to shed;
3. malnutrition: cats are very sensitive to the slightest changes in their tiny body, therefore healthy eating very important;
4. allergic reactions: most often occurs due to intolerance to certain varieties of dry food in the British;
5. hormonal jumps: especially clearly noticeable in lactating women after childbirth;
6. the presence of fungi and diseases.

Basic Rules

It is possible to alleviate suffering when a British cat sheds heavily, but it is not always possible to observe all the necessary points. To avoid allergies in relatives and visitors to your home, regularly ventilate the room and do the cleaning.

Also, special shampoos will help you, somewhat reducing hair loss and making the process when the animal sheds less noticeable and painful.

However, there are times when optimal solution will seek advice and assistance from a specialist veterinarian. For example, if you notice hair loss only in certain places on the body of a British cat, and the hair itself falls out unevenly in tufts, you need to immediate treatment. Often similar symptoms caused by microsporia and trichophytosis infections, or ringworm. Similar diseases dangerous for both the pet and the owners.

What to look out for

In addition, in British cats, molting is due to internal violations in the work of the body. At the slightest suspicion, it is also worth going to veterinary clinic to prevent or treat as much as possible early stages all diseases.

The main thing is to remember that a lot depends on your attitude and careful care of your pet.

If a British cat sheds, do not panic and immediately run to the doctor, the problem can be easily solved at home. The healthy coat of your cat is the key to its impeccable health and the owner's endless love for his pet.

Vet

Dropdown cat hair can cause a lot of inconvenience, because it tends to penetrate literally everywhere. It is especially unpleasant if the cat sheds heavily. What to do in this case? How to distinguish the norm from health problems?

Shedding in different breeds of cats

Hair falls out in all animals. This is a natural process and cannot be avoided. But the intensity of molting is highly dependent on the breed of cat. Often on the forums of animal lovers there is a question: “ British cat sheds heavily. What to do?" After all, often problems with molting are expected from long-haired breeds, and not from short-haired British. But this approach is wrong, since it is fluff that falls out the most.

British, Persian, Siberian cats and Maine Coons have a thick fluffy coat with a rich undercoat, which gives so much trouble to the owners. Often the Scottish cat sheds heavily. What to do in such cases, you will learn from this article.

If you like long-haired cats, but the prospect of spending a lot of time cleaning furniture is scary, then pay attention to the sacred Burmese, Turkish Angora, Somali, American Curl.

Does it bother you that she sheds a lot? What to do in this case? This situation should alert you, since the Siamese do not have an undercoat, and the guard hairs normally fall out in small quantities. Less intense molting takes place in Burmese, Abyssinian, Bengal, Bombay, Singaporean cats.

Of course, the Cornish and Devon Rex, Sphynx will not have problems with molting.

How to reduce the amount of hair?

It happens that the cat sheds a lot. What to do in this case, how to reduce the amount of hair falling out? The first assistant to the owner of a shedding cat with a thick undercoat is the furminator. To prevent the formation of tangles and gently get rid of the fallen fluff, cats with long hair needs to be brushed daily.

Will help and use special shampoos and air conditioners. They moisturize the skin and repair damaged hair. It is worth noting that the furminator and cosmetics can only eliminate the consequences of excessive molting. And for optimal elimination of this trouble, it is necessary to find out the cause of its occurrence. Let's figure out why the cat sheds heavily, what to do to solve this problem.

Causes and solutions to problems: season

At the age of about six months, the kitten's coat is completely replaced by an adult. Shedding can last up to two months. Soft baby fur is replaced by a coarser permanent. The pattern on the wool becomes brighter, richer. During this period, the animal especially needs the right balanced diet. A well-groomed and healthy kitten will shed faster, and the new coat will be better.

Normally, a cat sheds twice a year. With the coming of spring light summer a fur coat replaces a lush winter one. fluffy cats can continue to shed all summer, freeing themselves from excess undercoat, by autumn this process stops. Short-haired cats shed hair the same way in spring and autumn. The seasonal molt can last from a few weeks to two months. To speed up the process, the animal needs to be combed out.

Health

Shedding can also be caused by health problems. Change hormonal background may cause hair loss. Cats shed after giving birth, and this is normal. But the proximity of an animal of the opposite sex can also cause changes. Even if the intended partner lives in next door, the cat or cat can smell it. Inability to satisfy the sexual instinct or, conversely, exhaustion from frequent mating or childbirth may cause a molt. Veterinarians recommend sterilizing animals that are not intended for breeding. This avoids hormonal surges, reduces the risk of cancer.

The reasons for molting can be various diseases. strong fallout wool can be an alarming symptom along with bad smell from the mouth, coughing, scratching, lethargy, etc. The veterinarian should figure out what the pet is sick with and prescribe treatment. The molt caused by the disease will pass only after the recovery of the animal.

Conditions

It often happens that a cat that never leaves the apartment sheds a little all year round. She does not feel the change of seasons. The problem intensifies in winter, when heating dries the air a lot. Low humidity is harmful not only for the cat, but also for its owner. Raise it to normal level air conditioners, humidifiers, aquariums without a lid will help. For domestic cat you need to choose the right diet, take care of the coat with the help of special means. Vitamins from molting will also help, but courses can be carried out no more than twice a year.

Even with ideal conditions hair loss can be caused constant stress. The cat may be attacked by a child, another animal at home or on the street. In such a situation, you need to try to remove the source of stress. In advanced cases, a veterinarian may prescribe a mild sedative medication.

Care and feeding

Your cat sheds a lot. What to do if she is healthy and calm, but her hair continues to fall? Pay attention to the quality of shampoos and balms for fur care. cheap low-quality cosmetics may cause shedding. In addition, shampoos must be used according to the instructions, the concentrate should be diluted correctly. Combing not only helps to get rid of loose hair, but also improves blood circulation and nourishment of the hairs.

The cat sheds a lot. What to do? Finally, one of the most common causes of hair loss is malnutrition. Cheap dry food cannot provide a fluffy pet with everything it needs. choose quality products well-known manufacturers. A natural nutrition should be balanced, the menu - varied. It is wrong to feed a cat with food from your table or only one chicken breast. She needs lean meat, fish, offal, eggs, raw vegetables, fruits, greens.

Finally, a few tips:

• comb your pet, avoiding combs with sharp teeth;
• wash the cat only with high-quality shampoo;
• use vitamin supplements with natural feeding;
• Purchase special conditioners for cat hair.

Cats and kitties living on the street shed twice a year. Spring and autumn. Moreover, on the eve of summer, they seem to be preparing for the heat season and are freed from wool. And in the fall they build it up. For warmth. Domestics sometimes molt almost all year round.

Reasons for excessive shedding

So, you have noticed that your beloved cat sheds a lot. What to do? First of all, you must realize that he lives in an apartment. The usual place is a sofa. On the street, of course, does not happen. And why? After all, he is always served food. He even sometimes allows himself to choose food. One eats, the other turns away.

Moreover, it is interesting that it is in winter, when the coat of animals should grow, that your cat sheds heavily. What to do? Why is it the exact opposite?

The answer is simple. Cats have a "self-deception". Dry and warm air coming from batteries, plus bright artificial lighting Here is the real summer for you! Excess fur on the cat's body only interferes. She is hot and uncomfortable. And the wool reset function starts to work.

How to "persuade" an animal

So, decide if the British cat sheds heavily, what to do? What is the right thing to do so as not to make mistakes?

Keep your pet away from hot radiators. Buy and install an air humidifier in your rooms. Open windows and doors often to ventilate the room. Don't be afraid to let the cold in Fresh air. By the way, this is useful for people.

And on the loggia or on the balcony you need to arrange a "winter" house for the cat. Install a claw point fixture there. And all sorts of ladders, shelves, coasters. Then the purr will have an interest to go out onto the balcony.

Shed all year round

There are breeds of cats with a thick undercoat. These are, for example, Siberian, British. They shed their hair throughout the year. This is natural for them. Therefore, if nothing bothers you in the process of molting, there are no obvious changes in the coat, then you should not sound the alarm.

However, there are other reasons for this phenomenon. If the cat sheds heavily, what to do in such cases?

Those animals that sit in the apartment all winter, and in the summer they are transported out of town, for example, to the dacha, are distinguished by increased hair growth. It's warm outside, you can run freely everywhere. The fur is growing. And as soon as they return to the city dwelling, increased hair loss begins.

What if it's still a disease?

What to do if the cat sheds heavily in spring? Some hosts mistakenly take skin diseases for the traditional line. But it is caused by an allergy either to food, to medicines, or to fungi.

You also need to seriously think in a situation if hair loss is associated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Or even with hormonal failure. Often this outwardly looks like redness, itching, the appearance of bald patches on the cat's body.

Do not try to self-medicate your pet. Don't read treatments on the Internet. You can only hurt. Take the animal to the veterinarian. The vet will do everything necessary tests determine the diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Does the British cat shed a lot? What to do? Probably not enough vitamins in his diet. Then the doctor will select the ones that your cat needs.

Usually, those who have clearly expressed focal lesions are prescribed fairly simple, but well-acting vitamins. For example, brewer's yeast. If all other indicators of the cat are normal, then it will take only two weeks, and you will see how much her hairline has improved.

Change your diet completely

Such a situation: it is clearly visible that the cat sheds a lot. What to do? You are looking for a reason, and it is quite simple - you offered a cat new food. So, exclude certain foods from the animal’s diet and don’t experiment anymore! And the addition of vegetable fats to food will only help to quickly restore the shine and beauty of your favorite kitty's "fur coat".

Wool is recommended to be combed regularly. There are cats that are predisposed to rolling hairline. The same Persian or Siberian. It is best to comb them every day. And not just an ordinary comb, but a special one - a furminator. It significantly reduces shedding, prevents the formation of tangles.

Take care of your hair

You are a caring hostess. You do everything for the beauty of your mustachioed friend. Don't forget that if washing the cat does not solve the problem (with excessive shedding), then a special conditioner will restore the hair that is damaged. And it will also eliminate the dryness of the cat's skin, relieve it of peeling.

Due to their short coat, Scottish (or shorthaired) do not need any complicated care for their fur coat. True, during the period of hair loss, cats need to be combed more often to remove dying pieces of hair and stimulate new ones to grow.

In a situation where the cat sheds heavily, "what to do?" is a very serious question. After all, the cat licks itself, and can swallow pieces of wool like that. Lumps of fur will accumulate in her stomach. The animal may vomit or the accumulated hair will cause intestinal blockage.

Street cats, for example, cope with this complication simply - they eat grass. And domestics try to gnaw flowers, others houseplants. Not understanding the reason for this, the owners simply drag them away from green spaces.

Be careful when the Scottish cat sheds heavily. What to do? Consult your veterinarian, because the wrong decision can harm your pet.

By the way, feed manufacturers today produce them with such components that they do not allow balls of wool that have entered the cat's stomach to roll. Furthermore, they facilitate their natural removal from the body. Of course natural green grass better, more efficient. Therefore, let your kitty go for a walk in the summer and eat plenty of street grass. Or grow it at home.

Pet stores sell special pastes. They help remove hair from the stomach of a cat or cat. They can be used too.

Hair, especially in long-haired cats, can also accumulate behind the lower canines. The animal itself, of course, cannot get them. This is your concern. Otherwise, inflammation may occur.

All cats are so different

The coat of the Highlands (that is, Scottish, long-haired cats) needs more careful care. But don't worry - it's not difficult at all. The Highlands do not have such a voluminous undercoat as the same Persians, for example. Therefore, there are no tangles. Yes, and the cat's fur can not be combed often, but from time to time.

That's how it turns out, it's not easy to keep a pet at home. But if you do it with love, then you get a lot of joy in return.

A healthy cat living in nature sheds twice a year, in spring and autumn. By summer, cats actively shed their hair, preparing for the hot season. In autumn, on the contrary, they increase their woolen cover in anticipation of winter cold. Animals living in an apartment are also prone to molting, but often this process is delayed or becomes uncontrollable when the cat sheds heavily almost all year round.

What causes excessive hair loss in a cat or cat?

If your pet is an apartment resident, without access to "free range", then most likely he is prone to increased hair loss. In winter, when the coat should grow, the opposite process is observed. In apartments with central heating dry and warm air dictates the animal to shed excess fur for a more comfortable feeling. A hot battery replaces thick winter fur for our pets, and artificial lighting and, as a result, a longer daylight hours complete the picture.

To avoid hair loss from overheating, if possible, keep the animal away from the batteries, install air humidifiers, and ventilate the apartment more often. If you have a balcony or a loggia, equip your cat with a “winter” house on the balcony, install scratching posts, shelves and ladders at different levels so that the animal is interested in going out into the fresh air.

Gastrointestinal disease or hormonal imbalance

Some breeds with thick undercoats, such as British, Siberian, and Maine Coons, shed all year round, so unless there are other visible coat problems, there is nothing to worry about.

Animals that spend the winter months in an apartment and move to a dacha in the summer tend, on the contrary, to increased hair growth in the summer months, when they have access to walking, therefore, upon returning to a city apartment, they are subject to more intense molting.

Given seasonal factors and the specifics of keeping pets, it is very important not to mistake skin diseases for a normal molt. These diseases include allergic reactions to food or medicines, fungal diseases. Hair loss can be associated with gastrointestinal as well as hormonal problems and be accompanied by itching, redness, the formation of focal bald patches.

In no case do not self-medicate, take the animal to the veterinarian.

The clinic will do the necessary tests (scraping at the site of alopecia, blood tests), diagnose and prescribe treatment. Perhaps excessive hair loss is due to a lack of vitamins, in which case the doctor will recommend a complex that will suit your pet.

Most often, cats with focal lesions are prescribed simple and effective vitamins, such as brewer's yeast. If all other vital signs of the animal are normal, then after two weeks you will notice a significant improvement in the condition of the hairline.

Shedding may be related to food change

The cat sheds heavily due to problems with gastrointestinal tract or food-related allergies. Exclusion from the diet of certain foods, as well as the addition of vegetable fats, will help restore your pet's fur coat and return it to its usual shine and gloss.

How to reduce hair

There are several ways to reduce the amount of hair shedding. Here they are:

Furminator

For supporting healthy condition The coat needs to be brushed regularly. For cats prone to hair rolling - Persian, Siberian - we recommend doing this daily with a special comb - furminator. Furminator allows you to significantly reduce shedding, prevent the formation of tangles, remove the undercoat gently without damaging the skin, outer hair and coat.

My cat

Washing your cat will not solve the problem with excessive shedding, but using special coat conditioners, for example, No Wool, will help restore damaged fur, eliminate dry skin, and relieve flaking.

You need to understand that washing and processing with a furminator solves only a consequence of the problem, but not its cause. To establish accurate diagnosis best to contact veterinarian. Approaching the issue of excessive hair loss is complex and preferably under the supervision of a specialist.

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