Pets
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Cats Shedding
in Pets
We have three cats at home, two girls (2yo) and one boy (1yo). They all shead hair like it's nobody's business. I feel like I am brushing them almost every single day (I use the furminator about once a week on all) but I have to brush them everyother day of the week with a regular comb/brush. It seems that this winter has been the worst for their hair. I don't remember last year being this crazy. Of course, all of my kitty cats are all indoor. Do you guys have any recomendations on how to calm down the shedding, or should I just ride it out until summer?
Thanks in advance! 
Re: Cats Shedding
I noticed my now almost 4-y/o kitty shed FAR less her first year or two of life than she does now as a full-grown adult, so that might be why you noticed less shedding last year.
What do you feed them? Yes, a high-quality food can go a long way to helping with skin and coat quality and therefore cutting down on shedding.
Other than that, it's just that time of year! All out beasts start shedding more right around now; it's fun vacuuming up the rolling balls of fur all over the place!
B/w 1/8: betas 17,345, progesterone 25.6
Thanks!
Right now we are feeding them Iams Hairball and indoor weight (teal/green bag). We talked to the vet at Petsmart and that is what they had recommended, also because we are dealing with hairballs from the shedding.
Pardon my reaction, but EURGH!! Go research pet foods and get them on something better.
Personal experience: I used to feed my cats Purina One, thinking it was awesome. I learned it wasn't, so switched them to PetSmart's Authority brand, trying several formulas from weight/hairball control to sensitive tummies (one of my cats puked a lot).
Since finding the petfoodratings.net site, I've learned a TON about quality ingredients and crappy fillers in "special" pet food formulations. Go check out the site and try to find a food with at least four stars; we switched our cats to Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul, a 5-star food at an excellent price; don't bother with "light" or "weight maintenance" formulas, they just contain useless fillers your cats won't benefit from. If you're concerned about weight, remove some dry food from their meals and add in a high quality wet food (it not only helps them get more water in their diet, which most cats are severely lacking, but it helps them feel fuller with fewer calories).
If hairballs are an issue, try picking up a product called Laxatone; most any pet store will carry it and I know PetSmart does because that's where I've bought it.
Final note: most vets get paltry nutritional education in vet school (maybe amounting to 2 whole courses in their entire vet school education) and it's usually sponsored by a couple of key pet food manufacturers, thus brainwashing them to recommend them (Hills/Science Diet and Purina, who makes Iams, I think). Do your own nutritional homework and get your kitties some food that will really help them live higher quality lives for a good long time! Not only does my one kitty almost never puke anymore, but they both feel SO much softer/sleeker than they used to.
B/w 1/8: betas 17,345, progesterone 25.6
Ditto PP.
I definitely saw a difference in my cats when I switched them from crappy food to better stuff.
I agree that the food is part of your problem. Cats are obligate carnivores and should ideally be eating a grain free food, but at the least a food that is high in protein. The ingredients in Iams are pretty bad and you can see it through excessive shedding, having to poop more often, particularly stinky poop, and long term the lack of proper nutrition will affect their kidneys and other organs and can lead to diabetes, kidney disease, etc. Get them on a grain free food liek Taste of the Wild, Wellness, Orijen, Acana, Instinct and you should see a huge difference. If you can't afford grain free, California Naturals and Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul are better than grocery store brands.
DH told me he thought I was exaggerating until we adopted her third cta and switched from what she was eating at the shelter (science diet). Her coat is so much softer and sleeker now. When we meet other people's cats and dogs he claims he can tell whether they're eating good food or not by the way their coat seems.
- Martin Luther King Jr.
Ditto the advice about nutrition.
Many people have commented on the fact that our cats' coats are so soft, and I know it's because we feed a raw diet. We have 5 cats and I will admit that I am lazy about brushing them, but I don't think their shedding is that bad.
5 cats. 1 baby.