Dr. Marie replied:

Hi Lisa. For many cats, shedding is completely normal. Some cats will shed more than others.

Is Speed on a good quality cat food? I have noticed a great difference in coat quality when a cat is on a poor food as compared to a good one. So, how do you know if your cat is on a good food? For most foods, you get what you pay for. So, if he is being fed a really inexpensive food then you may see an increase in coat quality if you upgrade to something better. (Additionally, inexpensive cat foods can predispose a cat to serious urinary tract problems that can be very expensive to treat and even life threatening.)

Some cats with increased shedding can benefit from an omega fatty acid supplement that you add to the food each day. In our office we sell a liquid in a pump that you can squirt on the food each day. The fatty acids will really help with the coat quality.

Sometimes if a cat suddenly has more shedding than usual it can be a sign that he is fighting an illness of some sort so a vet visit would be a good idea.

Another thing you can look in to is a product called a furminator. These brushes are expensive but are amazing at removing the undercoat of a shedding animal.

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