Cat hair everywhere! Shedding help?

twistedfire

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My kitty Eska is about 8-9 months old. From the moment we first brought her into the house, she completely stole our hearts. We were incredibly lucky to get such a well-behaved kitten... but dealing with her hair is another story. It's no big deal, but I'm starting to become annoyed with the cat hair EVERYWHERE. It gets on my clothes, on the furniture, in my food, in my toothpaste, etc. Every time I pet her, my hands are covered in hair by the time I'm done.

Eska is a short-haired cat, so when we got her, we didn't even think she would need a brush. She does groom herself, but from what I've seen, she doesn't seem to be as grooming-intensive as other cats. I do bathe her once every six weeks or so (yes, I know cats clean themselves, but in a household with two people with cat allergies, an occasional bath really does help).

So, what I'm asking is, what can I do to help limit the amount of hair she sheds? I know brushing her regularly will probably help (and I will  be getting a brush as soon as I can), but other than that, is there anything I can do to reduce the shedding?
 

sugarcatmom

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I do bathe her once every six weeks or so (yes, I know cats clean themselves, but in a household with two people with cat allergies, an occasional bath really does help).
That's a lot of bathing! Personally, I would use an allergy wipe type product instead: 

Allerpet

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is there anything I can do to reduce the shedding?
What do you feed her? My experience is that diet plays a huge role in the amount of shedding a cat does. If she's eating mostly kibble, switching to a good quality canned or raw diet can dramatically improve coat condition. 
 

jennyr

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At this tome of year especially, all cats shed ahir, some more than others depending on their type of coat. Brushing every day helps enormouslym and amny cats love tobe brushed. They will shed less if the coat is in really good condition, so you could add a supplement to her food -even a little olive oil can help. I haqve eight, including 3 white ones, and I never stop brushing!
 

txcatmom

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Just a tip about brushes....I found that a Zoom Groom removes much more hair than a regular brush and only costs around $6.  (Hair will fly around when you use it though.)  Other people also like the furminator but it is much more expensive.  Oh, and I also have short haired cats and find that weekly brushing is a must (twice a week would be better but it is my least favorite cat chore.)
 
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twistedfire

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That's a lot of bathing! Personally, I would use an allergy wipe type product instead: 

Allerpet

QuickBath

What do you feed her? My experience is that diet plays a huge role in the amount of shedding a cat does. If she's eating mostly kibble, switching to a good quality canned or raw diet can dramatically improve coat condition. 
I've already discussed the bathing with her vet. He said as long as I don't bathe her any more than once a month, it shouldn't be a problem.

I've been feeding her the Good Life Recipe brand All Ages formula as well as half a can of wet food a day (she is about half the size of other cats so she doesn't eat as much). I've been having to budget as to what I can get her for wet food, so recently I've been feeding her 9 Lives wet cat food because it's cheap. Usually, when I don't need to budget she gets either Meow Mix or Whiskas wet food. I haven't noticed a difference in shedding since we switched from the Meow Mix to the 9 Lives though.
 

orientalslave

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In my view either a metal tooth comb or a slicker brush (which has metal 'bristles' that look a bit like a cat's tongue)  will get the most loose fur out.  Other burshes (including the zoom) don't get right through the coat.  You can get double-sided combs in the UK, fine teeth one side and wider apart the other. 
 
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txcatmom

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I had no luck with a slicker brush, but I tried it when my cats were under one year old and I noticed their shedding didn't really kick in until they were full grown.  Maybe I should try the brush again.  I've seen the combs in the store too.
 

jcat

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I second the suggestion to get a Zoom Groom and/or Furminator. I use a fine-toothed comb every day, and both the brushes once or twice a week on different days. I've found the larger dog Zoom Groom with the bigger nubs more effective than the cat one. This time of year I comb 2 - 3 times a day (at Jamie's "request".)
 

tarasgirl06

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I know times are tougher than tough, and I know all about budgeting.  But the foods you are feeding are probably very much to blame, as they are honestly low quality foods.  Personally, I would go without things myself -- and I do -- to assure my cats have the highest quality foods I can buy.  Not only are they healthier because of it, we save tremendously on doctor (vet) visits/bills because of it.  STRONGLY suggest you visit a good "pet" supply place such as Petco and buy higher-quality foods.  Nutro is one that is a better quality but not too expensive.  Others that are higher but of good quality include Natural Balance, Wellness, Soulistic, Solid Gold, and Royal Canin, and there are others.  You might ask a representative at the store to recommend some good foods that are as reasonable as possible.  You will see a difference in your cats' health and wellbeing, and probably in lessened shedding as well.  
 
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