Use suitable shampoo. Cat skin is different from human skin, and you should not use human shampoo or soap when bathing your pet. Look at your local pet store for a shampoo or conditioner that is specifically made for cats, or consult your veterinarian.

• If your pet skin allergy or other skin problems, your veterinarian will be able to recommend special shampoo. Please follow the instructions for use supplied with it.

Wash your cat carefully. Dial warm water, add a little shampoo to it (one part shampoo to five parts water) and gently rub it over the animal’s fur. Act quickly, but confidently and calmly, and pay special attention to problem areas (dirt, matted fur, etc.). Lather your cat from head to tail and be careful not to get the shampoo into the animal's eyes or ears.

Rinse the animal thoroughly. Since cats constantly groom their fur, your pet will most likely begin to lick his fur after a bath. Before letting your cat out of the bath, rinse off any remaining shampoo or conditioner to prevent your cat from accidentally ingesting it. Otherwise, your cat may experience an upset stomach and other problems.

Cats are clean and handsome. In nature, whiskers take care of their fur on their own, but at home you can help them look even more luxurious. We will give 5 tips on how to improve your cat's coat.

Appearance pet- a mirror of his health. If the cat bad wool, the first thing to do is take the animal to the veterinarian. Dull hairs, too much and sudden shedding, and the appearance of bald spots can be symptoms of serious illnesses. And here you can’t get by with special food, vitamins or bathing.

1. Adjust your cat's diet

A balanced diet will 99% help improve your cat's coat. If you feed an animal natural food, be sure to discuss the menu with your veterinarian. He will tell you which products to add and which to exclude.

If you feed a tailed industrial feed, pick up good food for cats to improve coat. This could be GO complete cat food. It fits both adult animals with different levels activity, and for kittens.

2. Sow grass for the cat

Set aside a place on the windowsill for a small tray of wheat germ, oats, or a special collection of “Grass for Cats” (sold in pet stores and seed stores). Such an addition to the diet will not immediately improve the cat’s fur, but the “apartment” resident will definitely like it and will affect her appearance over time.

Greens will help remove hairballs from the stomach easily. This will help avoid serious problems with health (sometimes so much hair and undercoat accumulates in the stomach that it requires surgery). Sprouted grass is especially relevant in the cat's menu during periods of molting.

What to do so that the cat has beautiful wool? Brush it regularly. Buy a good comb/brush that matches the length of the hair and the size of the animal. Train yourself and your pet to brush at least every other day. A furminator is also a special “comb” that effectively removes dead hairs from the undercoat. It is enough to use it once a week, during the molting period - 2 times.

The cat has bad fur. What to do? Perhaps this is a seasonal molt and you just need to get through it.

Brushing does more than just improve your cat's coat. This is a simple and enjoyable procedure for most furry pets:

• prevents the formation of tangles. Mats often appear in long-haired breeds with abundant undercoat; removing them is not always a pleasant procedure for the animal. Therefore, it is better to prevent tangles than to cut them later;
• reduces the amount of scattered hair on furniture, floors, clothes, as dead hairs are removed with a comb;
• prevents the stomach from becoming clogged with hairballs. Yes, it is impossible to remove all the dead hair from a cat, but it is possible to reduce what it eats with each wash.

4. Keep your skin healthy

5. Stop bathing your cat often

If a cat has bad fur, it is not enough to know what to do. You need to determine what not to do. For example, do not bathe your cat more than once a year. Why?

• firstly, it is stress, both for the animal and for you. And stress is bad for everyone;
• secondly, you wash away the natural protective layer from the fur and skin.

Fluffy takes care of his hygiene on his own. Without bath procedures not necessary in several cases:

If your pet has dirty its paws or other parts of its body, you should not bathe it all. It is enough to wash only the dirty part of the body.

There are medicated shampoos and special care products that can improve a cat's coat. Use them only after consulting a veterinarian or groomer.

What do you do to make your cat have beautiful fur? What cat food do you choose to improve their fur? Share your tips in the comments!

It's no secret that pets bring many pleasant moments to their owners. They, in turn, are obliged to carefully monitor their health and good mood your favorites. Proper nutrition And daily care will allow the cat to look just perfect.

Responsible pet owners regularly visit a veterinarian and monitor the health of their pets. Special attention requires grooming. It happens that a cat's hair comes out a lot. What to do? How to help your pet and prevent it from happening similar phenomenon in the future?

Reasons

First, you should determine why your cat is losing hair and think about whether it can be eliminated. negative impact. However, there is no need to panic. If that doesn't mean she's dying. The reasons may be different:

Seasonal shedding. Have you noticed that your cat has a lot of hair coming out? What to do? First, take a close look at the calendar. Is your cat not looking sick and hairless, but is actively shedding excess hair? It is likely that she is simply molting. This usually happens twice a year: in autumn and spring. For “apartment” cats that do not go outside, the process may take 2-3 months. There's no need to panic. Instead of the old fur, a new beautiful fur coat will quickly grow.

Dermatitis. It can be allergic and contact. When a cat's fur comes out in clumps and obvious bald patches appear, owners have cause for concern. In the future, bald spots may become covered with scales, turn red and itch. You should immediately see a doctor and determine the cause of the disease. It is likely that this is how the animal reacts to certain products or new food.

Flea dermatitis. If the resulting bald patches are itchy and covered with crusts and scales, there is reason to suspect a severe reaction to fleas. During this period, the cat’s temperature may rise, and it is very easy to see uninvited “guests” between the hairs.

Skin mite. The disease can be identified by bald paws and muzzle. The hair on the ears also noticeably thins, and throughout the body it becomes dull and unkempt. Self-medication is not enough; you will have to visit a veterinarian.

Lichen. In this case, the wool does not just climb, but falls out in whole pieces. Unsightly bald spots form that quickly increase in size. At the slightest suspicion, you need to show the animal to a doctor as soon as possible.

Stress. A cat can shed heavily in response to new impressions or an unusual environment. The catalyst can be the appearance of other animals in the family, a move, the birth of a baby, the death of the owner, and more.

Avitaminosis. Lack of nutrients, change of feed, seasonal manifestations, lack of certain organic compounds.

Age-related changes. The cat seems to be healthy, but the fur on the ears and face has noticeably thinned out? Your cat is already many years old. In this case, hair loss is associated with poor nutrition hair follicles.

Hormonal imbalance. On appearance and the thickness of the coat can be affected by pregnancy, estrus, birth and feeding of kittens, contraceptive drops and pills that the cat takes.

How to diagnose hair loss?

How can you tell if your cat has a lot of hair? What to do and how to help the animal?

It is simply impossible not to notice the problem. Cats with long hair lose fur so actively that literally everything becomes covered with hair. Short-haired breeds shed their hair less noticeably, but it is still noticeable. If the pussy is outwardly alert and cheerful, actively eating and playing, but the number of lost hairs has increased, there is no need to worry. We are most likely talking about a trivial molt.

You should take your pet to the vet immediately if:

1. The pet's behavior has changed. He is too active or apathetic, shows aggression, sleeps more than usual, scratches himself or chews out pieces of fur.
2. The hair falls out unevenly, and bald patches and bald spots appear.
3. Hair loss is accompanied by the appearance of wounds, pustules or scales.
4. The cat has dandruff, fungal manifestations or other troubles.

The doctor will diagnose accurate diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment. You may need to get tested.

How to help your pet?

Once your doctor determines why your cat is losing hair, treatment should begin immediately. In some cases, you can do without medications. Sometimes it is enough:

• adjust the animal’s diet, add previously missing products to it, remove excess;
• Regularly brush your pet with a special brush and bathe it;
• do not ignore preventive vaccinations;
• walk your pet more often;
• calm the cat down, show care and attention if we're talking about about stress manifestations;
• pick up a special one vitamin complex to improve the condition of the coat.

How to treat hair loss?

If hair loss is associated with allergies, the following measures will help:

• identify the allergen, exclude salty and fatty foods from the diet;
• stick to special balanced diet as recommended by the doctor;
• If you gave dry cat food, it is better to use it for wool medicinal product, recommended for animals prone to dermatitis;
• add special vitamins for wool to food;
• Give antiallergic drugs prescribed by your doctor.

If the dermatitis is of a flea nature, then first you need to get rid of the “neighbors”. They will help special drugs: shampoos, drops, collars or spray.

Self-treating shingles can be problematic. It is important to contact a competent specialist as quickly as possible. You will also have to:

• clean all carpets, bedspreads and furniture in the house with a disinfectant;
• wash and iron all clothes;
• disinfect the room;
• Throw away, or better yet, burn all bedding, rugs and the animal’s house.

How to choose the right vitamins?

So, you noticed that your cat's hair is shedding a lot. What to do? If you are sure that the pussy is healthy and there is no reason to visit the veterinarian, you can simply buy a special vitamin complex. The choice will depend on several factors:

• age and old cats have different vitamins);
• presence of pregnancy;
• preservation of the ability to reproduce (castrated and sterilized animals need a special complex);
• release form of the drug (gel, tablets, drops, paste);
• availability of a product certificate.

Popular cat vitamins for a healthy coat

There are a lot of preparations to improve the condition of the coat. It is best if they are selected and prescribed by a doctor. The most popular vitamins for cats against hair loss are:

• "Farmavit Neo";
• Cat Felltop Gel;
• "Vittri";
• Laveta Super For Cats;
• "Phytomins";
• Derm Liquid;
• "Sherstevit";
• Derm Caps;
• "Beafar";
• Gimpet Katzentabs;
• "Kitzim";
• Kitty's + Taurin + Biotin;
• Canina Cat-Fell O.K.;
• "8 in 1 Brewer's yeast Excel";
• "Felvit."

Furminator for hair care

To help your cat renew its coat faster and get rid of tangles, it is best to use a special device. The Furminator is perfect for long-haired cats. Initially, the word was a name trademark one American company that developed the device. Now this is the name given to all manual “combers” that combine the functions of a slicker, comb and trimmer.

A cat's fur is not like human hair. Several hairs grow from one follicle at once: central; 2-3 additional, undercoat and down. In order for the animal to look beautiful and neat, the old fur must be removed. Otherwise your cat will shed all year round.

Regular combs are not able to process the undercoat; special combs damage the top layer of skin. The Furminator for long-haired cats does not have all these disadvantages. Outwardly, it is similar to a razor, but instead of a traditional blade, it has a special metal comb with sharpened teeth. With its help it is very easy to process the undercoat and remove dead hairs. Living hairs remain intact.

How to choose the right device?

To choose the right furminator, it is important to pay attention to the following points:

1. Scallop width. The larger the animal, the wider the comb should be.
2. Length of teeth. It should match the length of the animal's fur. Teeth that are too short will not reach the undercoat of “fluffy cats,” and teeth that are too long will not be suitable for short-haired cats.
3. Quality of tooth sharpening. They should be even, smooth, without nicks or irregularities. Defects in sharpening interfere with quality combing. Irregularities will tug the fur and injure the skin. To check the quality of sharpening, run the furminator over your own head. If you haven't experienced discomfort, the quality of sharpening is normal. Pulling hair? The sharpening was unsuccessful.
4. Ejector button. Its presence allows you to get rid of hairs on the work surface in one motion. It must be remembered that such devices fail faster.
5. Comfortable handle. It is best if the handle is rubberized, has a convex relief and a rounded end. Hold the Furminator in your hand, feel its weight, and measure the length of the handle against your palm.

Not long ago, universal furminators went on sale. They have removable combs of varying lengths and widths. With their help you can care for several pets different sizes. But the moving connection becomes loose over time and the device becomes unusable.

Grooming rules

A good cat hair brush is not the only thing a responsible owner will need. It is very important to bathe cats of any breed. Moreover, this must be done at least 3 times a year. Of course, the cat itself regularly cleans its fur using its tongue. But it will not be able to cope with microscopic particles of sebum and dust. Over time, they clog pores and the skin receives less oxygen. The animal's fur becomes dull, brittle and falls out more.

Should be used for bathing special means for cats: shampoos and conditioners. It is unacceptable to use “human” ones. Owners of long-haired animals have even more worries. Several times a year they need to give their pets a “dry” bath. To do this, you need to sprinkle a special powder on the animal’s fur, and after some time comb it out thoroughly.

It is very important to brush your cat properly and regularly. Long-haired dogs should undergo this procedure daily, and short-haired dogs should undergo this procedure at least 2 times a week. Combing does more than just get rid of dead hairs. It is also a kind of massage that stimulates blood circulation.

When a large lump of matted fur is discovered during combing, it is worth trying to disassemble it. If it doesn’t work out, you must definitely get rid of the tangle, for example, cut it out. If this is not done, it will increase in size and can become a source of infection or a nest for fleas.

Preventing Excessive Shedding

To ensure that your pet stays healthy and his fur does not adorn your trousers, carefully monitor his diet:

• do not give it to the animal harmful products: spicy, smoked, salted or fried foods;
• if you use ready-made feed, purchase only a high-quality product from a well-known brand;
• include a sufficient amount of vitamins and microelements in your diet;
• do not overfeed your pet, especially if it is not young;
• Take your cat to the veterinarian regularly and do not neglect the required vaccinations.

Even if your cat has never been outside, this does not mean that she cannot get sick. We bring a variety of infections home ourselves, on clothes and shoes.

Fluffy and affectionate cats- a real decoration for any home. A beautiful fur coat is not only a sign of well-grooming, but also a reflection of the state of health. However, household members often begin to notice fur not only on the animal, but also on the floor and upholstered furniture. The reasons why a cat's hair will fall out are very diverse - from physiological shedding to serious ones. infectious diseases. Most often, this phenomenon is caused by non-serious reasons and is quickly corrected. rational nutrition, vitamins, hygiene procedures.

Read in this article

Main reasons

The thick and fluffy coat of a pet is not only an indicator of its physical health, but also a source of pride caring owner. And if the animal begins to lose its beautiful coat, then you should find out the reason why the cat’s hair is coming out. As a rule, the reasons leading to hair loss in a pet can be divided into the following groups:

Physiological factors

This category primarily includes seasonal molting. Spring and autumn coat changes are associated with the preparation of the animal for the summer and winter seasons. The duration of the phenomenon may last for several months. It should also be taken into account that in conditions of apartment living with constant temperature air, the boundaries of interseasonal molting can be erased.

TO physiological reasons This also includes loss of fur during pregnancy and nursing. During this crucial period, the mother’s body gives maximum quantity vitamins and minerals, which adversely affects the condition of the coat. After giving birth and feeding the kittens, the condition returns to normal, and the fluffy coat takes on its original appearance.

Hair loss is common in older cats. As a rule, it thins out on the muzzle and around the ears.

Allergic reactions

Often the reason why a cat sheds hair all year round is due to allergies. This reaction occurs to medications, dust, household chemicals, detergents. Often found in animals food allergy. Often hair falls out due to development contact dermatitis, for example, when developing an allergy to chemicals or on plants. One of the causes of hair loss is also considered to be flea infestation, which develops as a result of a pathological reaction to flea bites.

With allergic hair loss, the owner will also experience itching, redness skin, animal anxiety.

About what it looks like, what symptoms it is characterized by flea dermatitis in a cat, watch this video:

Nutritional reasons

Often, hair loss is caused by a lack of vitamins and minerals in the diet. An unbalanced content of vitamins A, D, E, and group B in food is the cause of thinning of a cat’s coat. Important Taurine plays a role in maintaining a healthy coat. When choosing a diet for your pet, you need to monitor the optimal content of not only complete protein, but also taurine, vitamins and minerals.

In addition to the lack of elements, poor nutrition leads to dysfunction gastrointestinal tract in the form of dysbacteriosis, which often leads to an unhealthy coat and prolonged shedding.

Such contagious diseases are often the reason why a cat's hair falls out in clumps. In addition to baldness, which can be either focal or general character, with such pathologies there is also itching, dandruff, purulent processes on the skin, anxiety, weight loss. also worsen the condition of the coat and lead to its loss.

Bacterial and viral diseases

As a rule, in addition to hair loss in this case, the owner observes other more serious symptoms:

• lethargy,

• poor appetite

• indigestion,

• feverish condition,

• other.

Dysfunction of the sebaceous glands

Development of seborrhea in a cat due to pathological work sebaceous glands often leads not only to the loss of beautiful and healthy looking hair, but also to its total loss.

There are many reasons why a cat loses hair. The owner needs to correctly identify when coat loss is reversible and can be corrected without drug treatment, and when it is a symptom of a serious illness that requires treatment from a specialist.

Dietary rules for those who do not require treatment

Plays an important role in maintaining the health of a cat's coat. good nutrition. The animal's diet should contain not only protein, taurine, but also other useful substances: vitamins, minerals, omega-3 acids.

If the cat eats natural food What should you feed your cat to prevent hair from coming out in this case? The diet should first of all be varied; mono-diets lead to the fact that the pet does not receive the necessary vitamins and microelements that make up wool. Veterinarians recommend the following:

• The cat menu should include lean meat. Preference should be given to beef and chicken. The protein contained in foods is used by the body to build tissue, including fur.

• The diet should contain lean fish(cod, halibut, salmon). Fish products contain natural omega-3 fatty acids, which have antioxidant properties and are responsible for a thick coat. It is useful to give your cat seafood rich in zinc.

• Raw and boiled vegetables (carrots, turnips, pumpkin, zucchini, cauliflower), greens are excellent sources of not only useful vitamins and minerals, but also substances that help normalize digestion.

• Adding to the diet has a positive effect on the condition of the coat. fermented milk products- low-fat cottage cheese and kefir. These products prevent the development of dysbiosis and improve the absorption of vitamins.

And for those who choose dry food, the question of what to feed the cat to prevent hair from coming out is no less relevant. First of all, it is necessary to exclude mass-market food from your pet’s diet. Cheap ready-made diets are not adequate physiological needs, contain many preservatives, dyes and other undesirable components.

Preference should be given to high-quality industrial feed from manufacturers producing premium and super-premium products. In line well-known companies There are options designed specifically to support coat health. Typically, such foods contain omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, biotin and zinc. These substances provide not only a healthy shine, but also prevent hair loss.

About what and how to feed your pet correctly to avoid various diseases, watch in this video:

General rules for avoiding problems

• Regular brushing of fur. For this procedure, it is best to use a special comb -. Combing wool not only allows you to remove tangles and stray hair, but also significantly reduces shedding. The use of a special comb massages the pet’s skin, improves blood circulation and thereby reduces hair loss.

• Bathing a cat using medicated shampoos and special air conditioners allows you to eliminate the consequences of excessive hair loss. Caring shampoos normalize acid-base balance skin, improve the condition of the coat and promote the growth of new healthy hair.

• Regular walks on fresh air will help not only strengthen the immune system, but also significantly reduce the periods of off-season molting.

• Avoidance stressful situations . When moving, changing home, getting a new pet or family member, to prevent hair loss from stress, the animal should be given sedatives after preliminary consultation with a veterinarian.

• It will help some to solve the question of what to do if the cat has reducing the temperature in the room where the cat lives, as well as preventing it from being near radiators.

• Vaccinate the animal from bacterial and viral diseases, including from ringworm.

• R regular preventive examination V veterinary clinic . Biochemical analysis blood, urine will show the pet’s health status, help identify disease or vitamin deficiency early stages development and adjust the diet.

• The use of vitamins and mineral supplements to improve the condition of the coat and reduce its loss. Should I recommend this or that complex? veterinarian taking into account the pet’s health status, diet and lifestyle. As a rule, such additives should be used if the animal eats natural food. When feeding a cat with industrial food high quality V additional vitamins and, as a rule, it does not need minerals.

Hair loss in a pet has many different causes, some of which the owner can deal with on his own. Rational feeding, introducing vitamin and mineral supplements into the diet, and hygiene procedures. It should be remembered that the beauty of a cat’s coat is not only an aesthetic pleasure, but also an indicator of the pet’s health.