You love your cat unconditionally, but it can be slightly embarrassing to have all of your clothes and furniture constantly covered in cat hair. While shedding is a perfectly normal part of the life cycle of hair and can never be stopped altogether, there are a few things you can do to restrict the amount that your cat sheds.

Grab a Hairbrush

The best way to control shedding in cats is to brush them regularly. Certain breeds of cats shed more than others so if you notice that your cat sheds a lot, brush him every day. This might sound like a bit of an inconvenience, especially if your cat does not like to be brushed; however, there are perks beyond just less hair on your couch and clothes. Hartz.com claims that using a brush to capture the dead hair will result in fewer hairballs and make your kitty's coat less prone to matting.

Change Your Cat's Food

If you are brushing your cat's hair and notice that the hair is becoming sparse and brittle, you may need to change her diet. Humans experience a condition called alopecia when they are not taking in enough nutrients. In the same way, cats can suffer from excessive hair loss if they are not getting the vitamins and nutrients they need from their food. Take a list of the ingredients in your cat's food to the pet store and compare the list with the ingredients in other types of cat foods. If this does not help you determine what is lacking in your cat's diet, call your veterinarian and get some recommendations.

Source:

Doctors Foster and Smith: 6 Easy Ways to Control Cat Shedding

Hartz.com: How to Brush Your Cat's Coat

Purina: Hair Loss

More Information:

PreventDisease.com: Diet and Hair Loss