Can I Shave My Cat To Stop Shedding? What you need to know

A cat that could benefit from shaving

If you’re a cat owner, I bet you’ve had some trouble dealing with cat hairs around your home. They tend to stick to the most precious places, making any furniture instantly less nice on the eye. As a cat owner, dealing with these hairs is one of the most infuriating things I know, and I’ve tried many methods of getting rid of them.

Maybe you’ve tried some supposed solutions to the problem as well, but none of them have worked. Are you now asking: Can I shave my cat to stop shedding? In this post, I’ll give you the answer!

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Can I Shave My Cat To Stop Shedding?

Yes, You can shave your cat to stop shedding. This is an effective method to prevent your cat from shedding, but there are some cons to this method. When shaving a cat, you risk removing protective hairs that cats use to regulate their body temperature.

I actually tried shaving my cat once to make her shed less. She was an American Shorthair, and for some reason, she always started to shed like crazy during the summer. My reasoning at the time was that by shaving her, I would help her cool down during the hot months of the year, as well as stop her from shedding. I thought I would kill two birds with one stone!

In reality, shaving really did help reduce the shedding. For a few months, I saw almost no cat hairs around my home, which was a great relief. Gone was the time when I had to vacuum the entire apartment every other day! I felt like this was the best decision I had ever made.

On the flip side, though, shaving didn’t help her cool off at all.

Cats actually have a very thoughtfully designed coat, and I was probably wrong to meddle with it when it came to body temperature. Cats have something called an “undercoat”, which is responsible for regulating their body temperature. By removing this coat, they will be much more exposed to the summer warmth and sun.

Since my cat was relatively short-haired, it only took about 3 months for her fur to completely regrow. I never shaved her again, though, since I had learned about the importance of their undercoat, and I just didn’t want to meddle with it. My life became slightly easier since I didn’t have to deal with cat hairs everywhere, but I didn’t feel like it was worth it.

I would recommend looking into other alternatives if you feel like shaving your cat isn’t for you.

There are brushes, shampoos, and many other methods that can do wonders when it comes to reducing shedding in cats. I will go through all of them further down the post, so keep reading if this sounds like something for you!

PS: Enjoy this post? You might want to check out my post covering 15 other commonly asked questions about cats!

Benefits of shaving your cat

The only benefit of shaving your cat is that it will stop shedding! All cats shed various amounts, and if this bothers you, the most effective way of stopping it is by shaving its fur. Cat-shed is just fur leaving the body, the same way that people wake up with hair on their pillows. In turn, removing the hair will prevent it from falling off!

Some believe that shaving their cat’s fur will make it cool off in the heat during the summer months. This is a common misconception and in fact, 

shaving a cat can have the reverse effect. The undercoat helps insulate the cat from both warmth and cold. It keeps cold air in when the weather is hot outside and warm air in when it is cold. 

Whether it is good practice to shave a cat’s fur depends on the cat and the climate. Some people praise its effectiveness, while others argue that the negative sides outweigh the convenience. Most people, however, agree that the cat will most likely prefer to have its fur untouched. Cats were built to withstand both summer and winter, after all.

Best ways to prevent a cat from shedding 

Okay, so we’ve already covered that shaving a cat is one way of completely preventing it from shedding. This might not be the best option for you, though. Luckily, there are many other ways of reducing shedding. These methods listed below are tried and tested, and I am confident that they will help even the most rapidly shedding cats. Try these one at a time, or all at once! They will help for sure.

Shed-reducing brush

This is the go-to option for many cat owners, and probably the most commonly used remedy. There are many cat-brushes specifically designed with this purpose in mind, and they are easy to find.

Cats are generally very good at self-grooming, but there is nothing wrong with giving them a helping hand. Deshedding brushes come in many variants: Gloves, brushes, combes, to mention a few. If you have trouble keeping up with how much your cat is shedding, I suggest getting one of these and brushing regularly. I used to brush my cat every evening during shedding season, and helped a lot!

Diet

Diet is one of the biggest factors affecting how much a cat sheds. Some foods help with keeping a cat’s coat healthy, while others do the opposite. Keep this in mind if you notice your cat’s fur looking dull, or if it is shedding more than usual. 

Some nutritional deficiencies cause more-than-usual shedding. To prevent this, make sure to feed your cat a varied diet, made up of all the nutrients the animal needs to stay healthy. Here’s a good article on the subject from RSPCA, if you need some pointers.

Low-quality cat food contains less meat (and more carbohydrates) than its high-quality counterpart. This food is not very nutritious and can lead to excess shedding in the long run. Therefore, it is best to stick to the highest quality cat food that you can get.

Another benefit of a good diet is to help your cat stay in shape. Maybe your cat is not allowed outside and gains weight because of its sedentary lifestyle. Being overweight is not only unhealthy for a cat, but it also makes it difficult to self-groom. Helping your cat stay in shape will also help it get rid of excess fur.

Hydration

Dehydration is another thing that can lead to extra shedding. Providing enough water for your cat is important for many other reasons as well, so it is very important to get this right. I recommend having multiple bowls with fresh water around the home, to make sure your cat never runs out. 

Another way of providing water is by feeding your cat wet food. While this shouldn’t be the biggest part of a cat’s diet, it can be very helpful when it comes to hydration. Sprinkle some wet food in with the dry fodder, so your cat is hydrated from both of his bowls!

Bathe your cat

This can go a long way if your cat is shedding excessively. The water helps wash away fallen hairs from the coat and generally keeps it in good condition. Think about it, what do you see if you look into the drain of your shower or bathtub? Most likely your own hair. If it works for us, it will work for our pets, right? This is for sure one of the most effective ways of combatting shedding in cats.

Some cats love bathing, but most find it uncomfortable and scary. If you can, try this method, and see if it works for you! If it doesn’t, there are dry shampoos and balsams that you can use to treat your cat to a fresh wash without the water. I remember my cat absolutely hated bathing, and I actually tried a dry shampoo. I applied it before brushing him one or two times per week, and my cat loved it!

Cat behavior after shaving (How do they act?)

As you can see from the video above, it is going to take some time for a cat to get used to its new haircut. They will often be a bit shy for the first hours after a fresh shave, and this is nothing to worry about. If you have multiple cats, you might even see some confusion between them, as they have a hard time recognizing their friends.

All of this is completely normal, and the unusual behavior usually wears off after a few hours. If your cat continues to act weird after a day or two, you might consider contacting your vet to make sure all is good. 

During the actual shaving, cats act differently. Some are pretty unshaken by the procedure, while others find it uncomfortable. If you ask a vet to do the shaving for you, they might even put your cat to sleep before shaving. As long as you spare the undercoat, and avoid using scissors, your cat shouldn’t mind too much. 

Should I shave my cat in the summer?

You can shave your cat in the summer, but it is usually not necessary. Even if your cat is shedding more than usual, it is best to try other methods before shaving, as it can cause your cat to overheat. The coat actually helps cats regulate their body temperature.

During the summertime, your cat might start to shed more than usual. This can be annoying, but shaving it is probably not the best solution to the problem. Before resorting to this quite drastic measure, you should try all of the other effective methods.

Also, the belief that shaving a cat helps it cool off is a common misconception. The bottom layer of the fur, called the undercoat, plays an important role in regulating body temperature. Shaving this off will likely do more harm than good. If you do decide to shave your cat, make sure to spare the undercoat.

Additionally, a cat without its fur is left exposed to the sun. This may cause sunburn, which takes time to heal. A shaved cat will spend less time outside during the summer because of this, so unless your cat is exclusively kept indoors, I recommend against shaving.

Cat shedding season

Cats have their shedding seasons twice per year. Once in the spring, and once in the fall. This helps them adapt their fur to the changing weather conditions throughout the year. Additionally, cats shed more than usual during the summer months, when the weather is warm. 

If you own a cat I bet you have noticed some extra hairs laying around your home during the warmer periods of the year. This is completely normal, as warm weather causes cats to shed more than usual. This is their way of getting rid of excess fur that they do not need for the moment. The fur is then regrown during the fall, to prepare for the winter cold.

Another factor at play here is the effect of air conditioning and indoor living on a cat’s shedding cycle. While they will still have their main shedding periods during the spring and fall, domestic cats are usually prone to excessive shedding throughout the year. Wild cats are less likely to shed significantly during “off-season”.

Which cat breeds shed the most? Top 10 shedding cat breeds

While all cats shed various amounts, some breeds just suffer from it more than others. The thought that long-haired cats shed more than short-haired counterparts is a myth, but there is some truth to it. Because of the longer hairs, their shedding is more noticable. This might be a problem for you. You might be allergic, or maybe you are just very protective of your beautiful furniture? In that case, it might be best to avoid these cat breeds.

Here are the 10 cat breeds that shed the most:

  1. American Bobtail Cats
  2. Ragdoll Cats
  3. Nebelung Cats
  4. Norweigan Forest Cats
  5. Siberian Cats
  6. Maine Coon Cats
  7. Russian Blue Cats
  8. Chartreux Cats
  9. Ragamuffin Cats
  10. Cymric Cats

I also wrote a quite interesting post on the top 20 cat breeds you can walk on a leash. Check it out here!

Can I vacuum my cat to stop shedding?

Yes, you can. Vacuuming is a good method of removing fallen hairs from your cat’s coat. Be careful, though, and make sure it is not uncomfortable for the pet. Some cats are scared of vacuums, and you should never force a cat to be vacuumed. 

I never got the chance to try this with my own cats, as they were too scared of the vacuum. As soon as I even brought it out, they would run away and hide under the sofa. I wish they weren’t scared of it, because I’ve always wondered how well this method worked. Instead, I had to make do with brushing and bathing. Probably it was for the best, though, as these methods are probably just as effective.

Conclusion – Is shaving a cat to reduce shedding a good idea?

So, can you shave your cat to stop shedding? Yes, you can. It is the best method to stop shedding, but your cat might not like it. If you do decide to shave your cat, make sure to leave the undercoat intact, as it plays an important role in keeping your cat cool.

If you found this article helpful, consider leaving a comment down below! Maybe you’ve shaved your cat? Then I’d love to hear how it went!

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