Shedding hair!

[Rienell]

I have a medium haired white cat who is shedding like crazy! He was lost for two months, but I finally got him back in the house and he's doing well; healthy as a horse now. The vet said he was ok, and nothing to worry about.
So, now he is shedding like you wouldn't believe. You walk near him and you get hair on your pants. I brush him every day and the brush has so much hair on it, you could knit a sweater from it.
I decided to bathe him once a week to cut down on the excess hair hoping this would help with hairballs. I also give him a vitamin supplement every other day to improve his health.. thinking maybe his follicles are weak from mal-nutrition (being outside).

All of this to no avail.

Anyone have any tips (aside from giving him a "Lion Cut"!) to cut down on the shedding? What it might be? I called the vet and she said... "He's just a shedder!" but he didn't used to shed this bad when we lived in Texas. The only other thing I can think of is there's something in the air/environment here that he is adjusting to, but that seems way off.

?

 

[jenbengen]

I think it's normal, but I'm not a vet, of course. My cat was shedding a lot recently and now she is getting what looks to be a thicker coat. All I can say is "welcome to having a cat...don't wear black shirts". It's a different environment than Texas, so it could just be adjusting to the new temp changes.

I have a medium haired white cat who is shedding like crazy! He was lost for two months, but I finally got him back in the house and he's doing well; healthy as a horse now. The vet said he was ok, and nothing to worry about.
So, now he is shedding like you wouldn't believe. You walk near him and you get hair on your pants. I brush him every day and the brush has so much hair on it, you could knit a sweater from it.
I decided to bathe him once a week to cut down on the excess hair hoping this would help with hairballs. I also give him a vitamin supplement every other day to improve his health.. thinking maybe his follicles are weak from mal-nutrition (being outside).

All of this to no avail.

Anyone have any tips (aside from giving him a "Lion Cut"!) to cut down on the shedding? What it might be? I called the vet and she said... "He's just a shedder!" but he didn't used to shed this bad when we lived in Texas. The only other thing I can think of is there's something in the air/environment here that he is adjusting to, but that seems way off.

?

 

[cattitude]

Did the vet do any bloodwork? Diabetes and thyroid issues can cause problems with their coat..shedding, etc.

Bathing once a week will only make his coat worse.

 

[krazd_kat]

If it's a matter of grooming, also get a "furminator", these are truly awesome combs for both dogs and cats.

 

[jenbengen]

Did the vet do any bloodwork? Diabetes and thyroid issues can cause problems with their coat..shedding, etc.

Bathing once a week will only make his coat worse.

Good to know. Thanks for the info.

 

[Rienell]

Bathing once a week will only make his coat worse.

Even if I use a gentle, conditioning cat shampoo with the water lukewarm? I know their skin is very sensitive to temperature changes. What about once a month? He is a stinky old cat that won't clean himself regularly.

And yeah, the vet did all the blood tests, stool, flea check, you name it. Aside from being...well,.. just skanky.. he's very healthy and happy. Gets along very well with the other cat, Ling-Ling. Eating normal, etc...
Don't know what else it could be. Hoping it's just a temp thing. I'm running out of lint rollers. lol!

 

[Rienell]

If it's a matter of grooming, also get a "furminator", these are truly awesome combs for both dogs and cats.

Woah! that looks really cool (link below). I am going to Petco tonight and getting one of those!
FURminator

thanks for the help, all!

 

[Nickel]

just skanky

That's not very nice. My mom's cat used to shed like crazy, and a friend suggested she try giving her a little wet food. She gets half a tin of food in the morning (in addition to her normal dry food) and her shedding has reduced dramatically.

 

[cattitude]

Even if I use a gentle, conditioning cat shampoo with the water lukewarm? I know their skin is very sensitive to temperature changes. What about once a month? He is a stinky old cat that won't clean himself regularly.

And yeah, the vet did all the blood tests, stool, flea check, you name it. Aside from being...well,.. just skanky.. he's very healthy and happy. Gets along very well with the other cat, Ling-Ling. Eating normal, etc...
Don't know what else it could be. Hoping it's just a temp thing. I'm running out of lint rollers. lol!

Do you know if he checked specifically for thyroid issues? Old, not cleaning himself and shedding sure sounds like a thyroid problem.

 

[Rienell]

That's not very nice. My mom's cat used to shed like crazy, and a friend suggested she try giving her a little wet food. She gets half a tin of food in the morning (in addition to her normal dry food) and her shedding has reduced dramatically.

I know it's not, and believe you me.. I love him to death! He gets lots of lovin, and treats. He's been the greatest cat! Doesn't get into anything he isn't supposed to. Jump on stuff, spray, or anything! He's been my bestest bud when I have felt so down/out.
but.. he just isn't the prettiest cat. (theres a pic of him in the cat pic thread. Conan is his name.) When he meows, it sounds like he gargled razor blades for breakfast... and it doesn't start with an M, it starts with a B.. .so it's kind of like a garbled, BleowWWww! I think he had a hard life on the streets before I adopted him from the shelter.

You know... your post reminded me, that I did used to give him a can of Iams every once in a while... I haven't done that since the big pet food poison scare a while back! I am going to try that again and see if that's the missing thing! Thanks!!!

 

[Rienell]

Do you know if he checked specifically for thyroid issues? Old, not cleaning himself and shedding sure sounds like a thyroid problem.

That, I do not know now... I know she did test him for leukemia, feline aids, diabetes and something else I can't remember.. but I know it wasn't thyroid.

if the canned food doesn't do the trick, I am going to ask the vet about that.
Thanks again for the suggestions!

 

[Nickel]

I know it's not, and believe you me.. I love him to death! He gets lots of lovin, and treats. He's been the greatest cat! Doesn't get into anything he isn't supposed to. Jump on stuff, spray, or anything! He's been my bestest bud when I have felt so down/out.
but.. he just isn't the prettiest cat. (theres a pic of him in the cat pic thread. Conan is his name.) When he meows, it sounds like he gargled razor blades for breakfast... and it doesn't start with an M, it starts with a B.. .so it's kind of like a garbled, BleowWWww! I think he had a hard life on the streets before I adopted him from the shelter.

You know... your post reminded me, that I did used to give him a can of Iams every once in a while... I haven't done that since the big pet food poison scare a while back! I am going to try that again and see if that's the missing thing! Thanks!!!

My mom's cat was found on the side of the road when she was an itty bitty. She's gorgeous...black and white and fairly small for a kitty. She has an awful meow too. She usually mouths a "meow", but when she's being emphatic about something she'll start "yow"-ing. Scary stuff.

 

[Rienell]

Here he is in all his glory!

 

[cattitude]

Here he is in all his glory!

He looks just like our Oscar (RIP). He was a really big cat with a pretty, soft white coat. When he was about 11, he started to get a little thinner and his coat was greasy looking and he would shed horribly. He was hyperthyroid and we put him on meds and he really improved. Hyperthyroidism is VERY common in cats.