What’s Behind Your Cat’s Excessive Shedding

You’ve always enjoyed brushing your cat Moxie, as you know brushing stimulates her skin and keeps her coat in good condition. Lately, though, Moxie has been shedding like crazy, generating several brushfuls of fur in a single session. While cats often shed their dead hair, and indoor cats shed throughout the year, Moxie’s current shedding volume is off the charts. You’d like to find out why Moxie’s shedding so much, and you’d especially like to rule out a medical problem. You’ve asked your Pelham veterinarian to solve Moxie’s shedding mystery.

Moxie’s diet could be the culprit here. Cats who consume inexpensive diets often miss the top-quality nutrients needed for good coat health. On the other hand, Moxie might eat a well-rounded diet but still needs certain vitamins or minerals. Either way, Moxie’s body knows something is nutritionally out of whack, and it responds with bouts of excessive shedding.

Moxie’s over-the-top shedding might result from a flea allergy, with a lone flea bite driving Moxie into frantic itching, scratching, and raw skin spots. Or, Moxie might have contracted a skin allergy, an uncomfortable case of ringworm, or a bacterial infection. If an allergy or infection is to blame, poor Moxie’s immune system is under assault, and she needs your vet’s help to banish the intruder.

Just like humans, little Moxie can become stressed out from changes in her environment; and her body shows that stress by dropping tons of hair. Perhaps you’ve adopted a new kitten, and Moxie doesn’t like the change in the feline family member makeup. Maybe you’ve recently moved, and Moxie feels displaced when her familiar furniture and cat dishes are in totally different places. Your vet can help you devise ways to reduce Moxie’s stress, which should also cause the shedding to ramp down over time.

Moxie could be shedding herself silly because of a hormone imbalance such as hyperthyroidism, or overactive thyroid. It’s also possible that Moxie’s excessive shedding is due to a medication side effect. If Moxie suns herself in your backyard during the summer months, she might have picked up a feline sunburn and experienced overshedding from soaking up too much sunshine.

If your Pelham vet eliminates a medical or stress-related cause, but Moxie’s still shedding up a storm, make sure she’s consuming an optimum diet and you’re brushing her daily. Monitor Moxie for skin bumps or redness, and perhaps hair loss, that can mean she’s developed a treatable medical condition.