Best Cat Food For Shedding

Cat food that helps with shedding is one of the most sought out types of cat food. Cats make for adorable pets and if you do have one, you’ve probably gotten used to finding cat hair all over your home. Shedding is pretty normal for cats but when there’s too much of hair everywhere, it may be time you take some steps to control the hair loss. Find the best cat food for shedding which can improve skin and coat of your cat, along with some tips on best ways to reduce shedding.

Best Cat Food That Helps With Shedding

We currently recommend following cat food for shedding control and prevention of hair loss:

Cat Food For Shedding Protein Cat Food Price
Nutro Wholesome Essentials Anti Shedding Control Adult Dry Cat Food, Chicken 33% Check Price
Purina ONE Anti Shedding Formula Cat Food 34% Check Price
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Anti Shedding Control 38% Check Price

This food contains high share of the most important ingredient for strength of the fur and for prevention of excessive shedding: high quality protein. Protein is the building block of life and crucial to overall health of cats.

Choose the Best Food For Cat Hair Loss

What to feed cats to stop shedding? One of the simplest and easiest ways to prevent further shedding is by giving your cat the balanced diet it needs to stay healthy, have lustrous hair, and prevent excessive hair loss.

While most cat foods offer complete nutrition, not all are made to complete your cat’s nutritional needs. There is low quality cat food and there is high quality cat food for shedding, and knowing the difference between the two will save you and your cat potential excessive hair loss. Hair loss also increases hairballs which creates a separate set of issues. Find best cat food for hairball control.

Best Cat Food To Prevent Hair Loss Contains Rich Animal Protein

It’s common knowledge that cats are obligate carnivores, which means they only eat meat. The best cat food that you provide for your cat’s diet must be packed with at least 26% meat protein sourced from animals, not plants. It’s very important that you make sure the protein source of the cat food you buy come from lean meat, such as lamb, beef, chicken, bison, white fish, or salmon. We have also prepared a wider range of high protein cat food products we recommend.

Cat Food to Prevent Shedding Must Contain Omega Fatty Acids

Your cat’s daily nutrition must contain at least 9% fat from Omega-3 fatty acids. Healthy fats (fatty acids) give your cat improved energy levels, but most of all, Omega-3 fatty acids support healthy skin and hair. Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are particularly beneficial in keeping your cat’s skin healthy and hair strands strong, preventing easy hair breakage that could lead to excessive shedding.

Must Be Easy to Digest

Cat food that contains fiber make it easier to digest, and therefore, nutrients are better absorbed by the body. All that protein, healthy fats, and vitamins and minerals will be a waste when your cat can’t digest the food properly. So look for cat food that also contains plenty of healthy fibers for easy digestion.

Must Only Have a Small Number of Ingredients

When cat food has a long list of ingredients, be wary of certain artificial ingredients, preservatives, allergens, and fillers. Best cat food must contain more protein than other ingredients, so make sure only a small number of ingredients are present.

Wheat, soy, grains, and gluten must be out of the picture, as well as artificial flavoring and preservatives. Choose cat food that’s as fresh as possible, and free of allergens that may cause itchiness, scaling, and other side effects on your cat’s skin and health.

Must Be Nutritionally Complete

Cats need protein, fatty acids and certain vitamins and minerals to fill their daily nutritional needs. Healthy skin and hair are not only achieved with protein and fats, but also with other vitamins and minerals that complete your cat’s nutrition. The healthier your cat is, the healthier its coat will be, which translates to less shedding.

Normal vs. Too Much Shedding

So how much shedding is too much for your cat? While there are certain types of cats that shed more than the average cat, shedding mostly occurs during two seasons of the year.

Usually, cats shed during spring and winter. During springtime, cats need to shed their hair to make way for the summer season, when it’s hotter. They shed hair so new hair can start to grow after the summer season, when winter is coming. During winter, cats have to grow more hair so they are warmer during the colder months, and thus, they have to get rid of dead hair to make way for newer hair to grow for their winter coat.

When your cat sheds during these times of the year, it’s mostly considered normal shedding. However, when your cat sheds for most of the year, when they lick their fur constantly, bite their skin constantly, and have visible hair loss or patches on their fur, then it could be a sign of abnormal shedding.

When you sense that your cat may be suffering from excessive shedding, it’s about time you visit your pet’s veterinarian. Its not just your health at stake, but also possibly your guests’ as allergens are released around the house.

If you see wounds and red areas without fur, the condition of your cat might be worse than just excessive shedding. In many other situations, greasy fur can even be fixed with special cat food for skin and coat.

Eliminate the Possibility of Illness

The very first thing that you must do to find the cause of your cat’s abnormal shedding is to eliminate the possibility of illness. There are many causes of abnormal shedding, from the simple poor diet to the more complex side effects of certain medications, but the very first step to understanding why your cat may be losing hair more than usual is to visit a veterinarian who can eliminate the possibility of a disease.

If you notice skin lesions, your cat scratching its coat more than usual, or any signs of illness, make sure you visit the vet first and foremost.

Why is My Cat Shedding So Much?

While it’s always best to consult your cat’s veterinarian when you notice something out of the ordinary with your pet, it’s also good to know the possible causes of abnormal shedding.

Let’s take a look at some of the possible causes of excessive cat shedding:

Cat Food That is Not Nutritionally Complete

Cats need the right balance of vitamins and minerals to keep their fur healthy. When they are being fed low quality food, their skin could be dry, leading to hair loss, and thus, abnormal shedding.

When your cat’s hair isn’t as lustrous as it should be, it can become dry and brittle, leading to more hair loss.

One of the top causes of excessive shedding in cats is a poor diet, so if you notice your cat is shedding more hair than usual, then it’s time you take a look at their diet to see if you’re feeding them food with the right nutrients needed to keep their skin and hair healthy.

Cat food that’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids that support healthy hair and skin is of top priority, as well as cat food that’s easily digestible. If the diet is not optimal, using cat food for shedding can reduce shedding of hair.

Medication

If your cat is taking medication for certain health issues, excessive shedding may be a side effect. Certain types of medication can cause itchiness and scaling, which will make your cat scratch his skin and lead to shedding. 

Your Cat’s Age

Older cats tend to shed more than younger cats. One reason is because older cats don’t groom themselves as much as the younger ones, and senior cats also suffer more hair loss and dry skin, which could explain shedding more than usual.

Pregnancy and Lactation

Pregnant cats undergo complex hormonal changes that can lead them to shed more than usual. A mother cat who’s nursing will also shed more hair in her belly region where her kittens nurse.

These are just some of the possible reasons why your cat is shedding more hair than normal. If you think none of these possible causes could be the reason behind your cat’s excessive shedding, then going to a veterinarian is the most ideal thing to do.

Cat Types That Shed The Most Fur

When figuring out whether or not your cat is shedding more hair than the average, it’s also a good idea to know if your cat normally does shed more hair than the usual. Certain types of cats shed more fur than the average cat, and before you go into a panic frenzy, take a look at these cat types that shed the most fur to see if your feline friend is included in the list.

Here are the 9 cat types that shed the most fur:

  • American Bobtail Cats
  • American Curl Cats
  • Chartreux Cats
  • Cymric Cats
  • Nebelung Cats
  • Ragdoll Cats
  • Russian Blues
  • Ragamuffin Cats
  • Siberian Cats

Does your cat fall under these cat types? If she does, then maybe her excessive shedding is normal for her cat type. 

Tips to Prevent Excessive Shedding

Aside from improving your cat’s diet, eliminating the possibility of an illness, and going to a vet, there are also other things that you can do to improve your cat’s shedding issues.

Here are three simple ways that you can do to reduce shedding:

Keep Your Cat Hydrated

Unlike dogs, cats are not normally thirsty creatures. This puts them at a higher risk for dehydration. Unless you put water in front of them, chances are, they won’t go looking for any form of hydration. The more hydrated your cat is, the more moisture its skin has, which makes it healthier and more able to produce healthier hair. Cats that don’t drink enough water have an increased risk for dry skin, itchiness, and thus, shed more hair than the average cat. Hydration can reduce shedding.

Brush Your Cat’s Fur

You may not always have the time to brush your cat’s hair but it’s highly helpful to prevent excessive shedding. Brushing your cat’s hair more often collects the dead hair that are hanging on your cat’s fur, and lessens the tendency for them to fall off on their own and create furballs.

Wash Your Cat Often

Once a week is ideal if you want to clean your cat of excess and dead hair. This can prevent further shedding and of course, keeps your cat cleaner and healthier. The procedure itself won’t help with shedding, but will make life in your home more bearable.

Conclusions – Best Cat Food For Hair Loss

It’s normal for cats to shed their hair but when there’s too much shedding, it’s time you start looking at the possible reasons why this is so. Improving your choice of cat food for your feline friend can change this dramatically, since nutrition is one of the best ways to improve your cat’s skin and hair. Healthier skin means healthier fur for your cat and therefore, it can lessen your cat’s excessive shedding.

When improving your cat’s diet, improving your cat food choice, and all the other options are exhausted, taking your cat to the veterinarian is the best option at this point.

Cat Food For Shedding FAQ

What are causes of excessive shedding?

There can be many issues – disease, pregnancy and lactation, bad nutrition, age….

How to know if my cat sheds too much?

All cats shed, mostly in winter and summer. If your cat is shedding all year long, licks the fur often, bites the skin constantly and/or has visible hair loss or patches on the coat, you should probably see see what you can do to reduce shedding.

Whats special about cat food that helps with shedding?

The trick to see if nutrition can help your cat shed less – especially if it has a nutrient deficiency that causes it. In that case, only the cleanest sources of protein and omega fatty acids, with micronutrients for skin and coat help. See our list to see best recommended foods for hair loss.