Dear Fisher,
My folks brush me all the time and they still talk about all the hair on the new sofa where I love to take my morning nap. When I get up to get a little snack or do my daily duties, I always seem to leave a pile of fur behind on the upholstery.
I think this is just natural, but they get a little tired of it, especially when they get unexpected company. My human dad had a businessman call on him and the man sat on the sofa because it’s very comfortable. When the meeting was over and the man left the house, my dad watched him walk away to his next meeting with my hair all over his nice suit. That didn’t go over very well. Any suggestions?
Isabella
Dear Isabella,
You are absolutely right when you say shedding in cats (and dogs) is perfectly normal. Shedding is most prominent when the seasons change. Going from a winter coat to a summer coat, even in Florida, is your way to lighten the load of fur so you will be cooler. This is especially true for outdoor cats, who are a little more tuned into the weather changes. As an inside cat, shedding is just something that goes on pretty much all year.
But, while the “insiders” do not have to experience the whims of Mother Nature, they are subject to the whims of their caretakers. Even the use of more lighting on a dark day or air-conditioning on a hot day can cause a little ebb and flow in your shedding. So it is not something you are doing wrong. I suspect your humans know that and are not blaming you. They just would like to know what to do about the seemingly endless fur extraction.
Cats (and dogs) under normal conditions will shed in order to rid their bodies of dead hair. Dead hair is perfectly normal in just about any hairy species and can cause skin irritations and itching. If one should happen not to get a proper daily brushing, the animal will handle the matter themselves with a proper “hair be gone!” attitude. Hence the emerging new look in upholstery and business suits.
There are also underlying conditions that could cause abnormal shedding. Allergies or hormone imbalance could be a cause, and your veterinarian will know how to help you. Your humans can do a quick double check first by pulling lightly on some of your fur. If a few strands come out, you are most likely within the normal range of shedding. If large tufts of hair come out, I suggest they get thee to the clinic for evaluation. A very good web site for more information is Cat Health.
If your health is good, daily brushing is really the best answer. I would advise your humans to check on the many choices at the pet stores and purchase a brush specific to cats. A simple exercise of brushing the hair all in the one direction, specifically downward from the neck to the tail will do wonders to solve your problem. If you are extremely hairy and massive amounts of fur are exorcized during brushing, they may even want to take you outside for the event.
I have not done any research on the subject of hair falling on tomato plants, but maybe I will look into it. This whole problem could be a win-win situation. If there is a benefit, or re-use for good, to your shedding hair, I will let you know.
Your friend,
Fisher
published in tbt* Tampa Bay
