Though they don’t require the same grooming routine as dogs, cats sometimes need some help staying primped, especially if they’re older or obese.
By Wendy Bedwell-Wilson
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| (Courtesy of Furminator Inc.) |
Shedding fur is a never-ending battle for cat owners. It covers couches and clothing. It balls up and gathers in corners and under furniture. No matter the time of year, shedding remains an ongoing frustration, but the gripes are declining.
The 2007-2008 American Pet Products Manufacturers Assn. National Pet Owners Survey reports that among respondents, 33 percent of cat owners complain about shedding. That number is down from 43 percent 10 years ago, thanks to the variety of shed-control products on the market and helpful retailers recommending the right tools for the job.
A Natural Frustration
Shedding is a nuisance, but it’s a natural process that
Hairballs Be Gone Are hairball gels a thing of the past? They may be heading in that direction, due in part to an abundance of hairball-control diets and grooming tools designed to control the ingested hair.
The 2007-2008 American Pet Products Manufacturers Assn. National Pet Owners Survey reports that among respondents, only 13 percent of cat owners use the gels. That number has dropped from 48 percent 10 years ago.
“Cat owners are feeding their pets hairball-control diets, so they feel they don’t need the remedies,” says Amy Osete, vice president of marketing for Bamboo in North Hills, Calif. “I think it’s the diet plus things like the deshedding tools that are out on the market. I think that’s taking the place of the hairball remedies.”
For some cat owners, hairball-control diets and grooming tools aren’t enough, and that’s where hairball gels and pastes come to the rescue. Made with a petroleum base, the gels are designed to help the hairballs slide through the intestinal tract, says Rachel Lesperance, marketing representative for Mark and Chappell Ltd. in Elgin, Ill.
“Longer-hair cats, no matter what you do, they’re always going to have a hairball and they’re always going to be shedding,” she says. “So the paste will alleviate hairballs better than just a high-fiber diet.”
They can also be used as a preventive, she adds.
“The paste helps remove a hairball, and it also helps prevent a hairball,” she says. “It helps to keep the digestive tract lubricated so it can slide right through.” |
all cats experience, says Brent Mayabb, D.V.M., of Royal Canin USA in St. Charles, Mo.
“It’s a cycle; it’s a constant turnover,” he says. “The follicle sprouts a hair, the hair goes through its growth and matures, and after a while, it starts to get old and it comes out.”
Spurred by soaring temperatures and sunlight shifts, outdoor cats typically shed in the spring, doing 75 percent of their total shedding from April to October, Dr. Mayabb says.
Indoor-only cats follow a slightly different schedule, he says. Because they’re not affected by temperature and sunlight like their outdoor brethren, they tend to shed continuously, creating a constant irritant for their owners.
Rachel Lesperance, marketing representative for Mark and Chappell Ltd. in Elgin, Ill., confirms this.
“With indoor cats, they’re in artificial light, heat and air conditioning, and they don’t understand when the different seasons are, so they’re constantly shedding,” she says. “They don’t know when they should have a thick fur and they don’t know when they should have a thin fur.”
A cat’s constitution can also affect their shedding rate, says David Porter, chief executive officer for FURminator Inc. in Fenton, Mo. A healthy coat means less shedding, he says.
“Health varies from person to person, and the same thing is true with cats,” he says. “There are a lot of different nutritional elements that play into the health of a cat’s skin and coat.”
The breed of cat can make a difference, too, says Amy Osete, vice president of marketing for Bamboo in North Hills, Calif. “Shedding depends on a cat’s genetic makeup,” she says. “And it isn’t just long-hair cats that shed.”
Tools, Topicals and Nutrition
The APPMA survey reports that 75 percent of cat owners own grooming tools, compared to 66 percent in 2004.
Cats need frequent brushing to help prevent hairballs and maintain their coats’ natural luster. Short-hair cats should be groomed every few days and long-hair cats every day. It’s best to start when they’re kittens to get them into a routine.
Topical formulas, such as shampoos and conditioners, use essential fatty acids to nourish the skin and coat and lock in the moisture, while deshedding solutions help the ready-to-drop fur fall out, Porter says.
Diets have surged as shed-control options, too. Many cat food manufacturers offer hairball-control formulas, which are designed to provide soluble and insoluble fiber to help the cats pass the ingested fur and nourish their skin and coat from the inside out.
Hair growth demands a tremendous amount of the body’s protein intake, and in some instances, up to 25 percent of the protein taken in by the pet can go to hair growth. You want to make sure you provide an optimum amount of protein to prevent hair loss or decreased growth.
Supplements can also help prevent shedding.
Health Risks in Obese Cats
We may laugh about our chunky cats, swapping stories about how many cups of kibble our pets eat or how many treats they chow down, but feline obesity is no joke. As with people, cats carrying extra weight stress virtually all organs of their bodies, and when those organs are overloaded, it can lead to disease and even death. 