Foo - My white Kitties shed like "mad" yo...What gives?

I've owned cats my whole life and i don't think i've ever seen cats shed this much. I'm actually beginning to be concerned that something is wrong, except that they both shed as much as the other (for the most part) and they always have.

I'm talking wads of hair. I can brush them and come up with a handful of hair, more than once, every day. They both have thick coats, my guy more so than the girl and likewise sheds a bit more. I've tried to do some research on how to minimize this but i can't find anything.

Do kittens lose a particular coat of fur? They are coming up on a year old in about June or July. Coupled with spring i'm wondering if there is some compounding things at play here. I'm also wondering if their whiteness plays a role. As i understand it, their white coat is a genetic mutation. They aren't albino, but my understanding is that a mutation prevents the color of their fur from developing. In other wards, they each have a color in their genes...perhaps black or pink or blue...but this mutation prevents it from developing. I'm just wondering if this could be related to the excessive shedding.

Any thoughts would be great. It's been a real annoyance around my apartment but they are soon going to be moving in with my mom and i would hate for her to be annoyed by my cats because of their...fur loss.

http://photos-881.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v189/236/6/14827881/n14827881_37603323_173.jpg

My parents have a mostly-white short-haired calico that sheds quite a bit (not quite clumps though). They also have a short-haired black cat that doesn't shed at all. Maybe white hair just falls out easier.

btw, your kitties are just sooo cute! :)

My parents have a mostly-white short-haired calico that sheds quite a bit (not quite clumps though). They also have a short-haired black cat that doesn't shed at all. Maybe white hair just falls out easier.

btw, your kitties are just sooo cute! :)

The clumps are more referring to what i pull from the brush. They are cute...especially personality wise. It's difficult to get mad at them. It would probably be best if i had sons when i decide to have children. I can see "daddy" working very well on me

Sometimes higher quality food can reduce shedding.

Sometimes higher quality food can reduce shedding.

They're eating Iams...how much higher of a quality are we talking here?

Do those specially "formulated" foods really address the things they claim to?

Yes, there is a huge difference between Iams and Science Diet. Mostly, how much filler is in the food.

http://cats.about.com/cs/catfood/a/tipsforchoosing.htm

http://cats.about.com/cs/catfood/a/ingredients.htm

http://cats.about.com/cs/catfood/a/ingredients2.htm

http://cats.about.com/cs/catfood/a/comparisonatoz.htm

http://cats.about.com/cs/catfood/a/whyfussfood.htm

I think any of these brands would be good (http://cats.about.com/od/dryfood/tp/premdrycatfood.htm). I will not feed my cat Iam's or Science Diet.

Nair? :D

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8f/Ted_Nude_Gent.jpg


Just kidding...hope your cats are ok. Please forgive my brief moments of evil...

I used to have a black and white long haired cat that could shed enough for three cats, never knew why....how she was not bald is beyond me.

Nair? :D

Just kidding...hope your cats are ok. Please forgive my brief moments of evil...

Don't be. It's crossed my mind :lol:

It's warming up Timmy. Maybe they are shedding their winter coat. Being kittens still, they have a more active system because they are growing so, thus having more "protection" so to speak, from the winter elements.

Hmmm Ima have to see about that Inova brand then. I Know the Science Diet has much less filler than Iams and the like, but it still is corn based.

just get out the electric hair shaver and show 'em what being bald is all about. :D

I have had cats for most of my life and I agree mostly with the Spring Shedding Theory. If you see any bare skin or they take a swipe at you when you try to comb them then see a Vet. Preferably one that specializes in cats. If they are still shedding heavily by mid summer see a vet anyway. I use Science Diet for my three cats. The tartar control, reduced calorie type. They got their annual check-up and shots from The Cat Doctor in town and she told her clerks how health they were.

Thank God! I thought I was going to have to make that suggestion :eek:

<Donning Nomex clothing, rapidly!/>
http://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/paladin/flamethrower.gif


Nair? :D

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8f/Ted_Nude_Gent.jpg


Just kidding...hope your cats are ok. Please forgive my brief moments of evil...

I used to have a black and white long haired cat that could shed enough for three cats, never knew why....how she was not bald is beyond me.

They're eating Iams...how much higher of a quality are we talking here?

Do those specially "formulated" foods really address the things they claim to?


We are talking the "Gourmet" brand of Chicken of the Sea tuna. You know, $6.00 for two little cans.

TQ - My HairBall Kitty (neutered) is an awesome cat and I've found he absolutely loves being brushed. and his two female sorta litter mates (short haired) like being brushed too - with a brush that to me looks like you'd shine a shoe with - close knit bristles or something.

And then the one female older kitten (now almost a year old) has gone into full blown heat twice and is fa-reaking annoying. Roommate - and owner of cats - says he will fix ... sometime. Hmmmm.

But anyway ... the nearly full-grown kitten goes into heat and even with me brushing her like crazy - she just seems to spew fur everywhere. I mean everywhere. I have a dark blue rug, dark blue bedspread ... yeah, you know where I'm going with this one. I want to follow her with my vacuum, grrrr! Amazing amount of fur they shed out when in heat!

Actually my roommate's friend just set up the kitty cage downstairs so both in heat kitties are entombed. Wish my friend (roommate) would follow up on his decisions to have the cats fixed. Personally when I leave here I would love to take another one of the cats - but she has to be fixed.

So anyways - that one of the reasons why these guys here shed abbi-normally at certain times. OY! Like now!