Cats love cleanliness very much. They groom themselves by licking their fur with their saliva to keep the fur clean. Sometime cats regurgitate hair balls of fur in the stomach after grooming. This happens more for cats with long hair.

Despite their love for cleanliness, cats are prone to some hygiene problems. Two common problems are hair loss and flea attack.

Hair Loss

Cats’ fur is made up of two types of hair. One type is very fine and is closer to the skin as a waterproof and insulating “layer”. Another type is longer hair that forms the outer coat. Normally, two or three hairs grow from the same follicle in the skin surface to give a dense coat.

Shedding

Cats may lose hair out of natural cycle, and it is known as shedding. Shedding is a normal process of metabolism in the same way we humans shed hair when it is old or dead. When cats groom their hair, their rough tongue surface will naturally remove loose or dead hair to leave space for hair regrowth.

This is more obviously in the case of long-haired cats as they need regular grooming to make sure their fur is not knotted and become difficult to groom. It is a good idea for us to help long-haired cats to groom with cat brush and comb so as to stimulate the skin to remove the dead hair. This is to prevent frequent fur-balls they regurgitate after self grooming.

Another advantage of grooming with cat brush and comb is that we can check if there are any skin issues, such as redness and infection, that may be hidden by the dense fur.

It should be noted, however, that there is a difference between domesticated cats and feral cats in the pattern of shedding. Feral cats that live on the street (also know as stray cats) need to adapt to changing temperature of the external environment. In spring, they will shed the coat over a period of time to thin the density for air ventilation. In winter they will shed much less fur to maintain the thickness of the coat for insulation and keep warm.

Domestic cats may not show the seasonal shedding cycles when they are in nearly constant temperature in human house. As a result, the shedding process is more likely to be continual throughout the year, and the amount of hair shed is little compared to feral cats.

Excessive Hair Loss and Treatments

Excessive shedding would suggest health issues. One issue is psychological or behavioral. Sometimes cats may become obsessive and/or compulsive in the grooming habit. They lick their fur so much that hair starts to detach from the skin and fall out. As a result, bare patches will appear on the skin.

This may happen when cats are stressed and upset by changing environment or location. Alternatively, this can be a sign of depression. In either case, veterinary advice is needed on behavior modification to help the cats cope with the obsession or compulsive behavior, or to calm down the cats in the first place.

Another issue is physical, and it can be a sign of illness. The illness can be caused by parasites (such as ringworm), hormonal disturbances, circulation problem, and skin diseases.

Ringworm is a kind of skin infestation that causes round bald patches on the skin. This is a result when fungus lives on the hair shaft and weakens it so that it breaks.

Flea and internal parasites may cause skin allergy, and some allergies can lead to skin irritation which impedes blood supply and affect the health and growth of hair follicles.

To cope with the physical health issues, veterinarians can provide treatments to improve cats’ general health and improve skin condition and hair growth. This usually includes oils as food supplement, or tablets.

Prevention

Prevention is always better than cure. Hair loss that is caused by illness can mostly be prevented by daily care and attention. This can be done by brushing and combing. Use a cat brush to remove little dirt, dust and skin flakes on the surface of cats skin; comb cats fur with cat comb to keep the coat tangle-free and promote blood circulation in the skin that is helpful for healthy hair growth. Note that cat brush is uniquely designed for their fur and skin. We should not use human brush or comb for cats, for hygiene and structural reasons.

Another way to keep cats’ fur healthy and glossy is homeopathy treatments. Most veterinarians are in favor of these treatments, and they can give advice on safety, dosages and products to keep cats’ coat in good condition.

Above all, the key is to have healthy and well balanced diet which contain all the nutrients cats need, plus regular exercise to enhance blood circulation and body movements. The nutrients will be circulated in the bloodstream and reach the base of the hair follicles ultimately.