Coping with Cat Fur

Fur, fur everywhere and not just on my cat…

We love our feline companions, but often wish for ways to control or clean up their shed fur. Here are some ideas to help you (and your cat!)

Why cat fur is shed everywhere

Cats have at least two layers of fur (some have three!) and the one we see most often is the longer upper layer. This layer is not shed in great quantities by cats. It is the dense shorter underlayer designed to insulate cats during weather of any kind that is shed. Shedding of old fur occurs year-long, with a seasonal increase after winter being the most prolific. A cat’s self-grooming of this seasonal shedding is what leads to spring and summer hairballs and the resultant problems for your cat and you. Having said this, we turn to ways of decreasing shed fur, first on your cat, and then in your home.

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A Yarn Of Feline Fur

Cat fur is fun to touch, whether on or off the cat! Our youngest son insists on keeping all brushed-out cat hair in a round container he calls his “hairball”. Having done some wool yarn weaving in years past, and while looking at the growing pile of hair I have brushed out of one of our cats each day, I began to idly wonder about the feasibility of weaving with shed cat hair.

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