Why does my cat shed heavily in winter?

Cat shedding heavily in winter may be due to seasonal shedding, which is a normal phenomenon and there is no need for owners to worry too much. However, if your cat is shedding throughout the entire winter, it could be due to a skin disease or because the cat's food contains high amounts of salt. Owners should check if there are any abnormalities such as redness, scales, or crusts on the cat's skin. If so, it is advisable to take the cat to the pet hospital for examination and treatment.

1. Seasonal Shedding

Heavy shedding in cats during winter is mainly due to seasonal changes. In order to protect themselves from the cold temperatures, cats will shed their summer short hair and grow thin, soft, and warm fur. During this time, it is recommended for owners to frequently brush the cat to remove loose hair or feed the cat hair removal paste to prevent hairballs from forming in the cat's stomach.

1. Skin Disease

If the cat experiences severe shedding during winter along with symptoms such as skin redness, crusts, itching, and dandruff, it may be due to a skin disease. In this case, it is best for the owner to take the cat to the pet hospital for a microscope examination to diagnose whether the cat has a skin disease and treat it accordingly.

1. High Salt Content in Food

If the cat's hair becomes rough and lacks luster along with heavy shedding in winter, it could be due to a high salt content in the cat's food, which prevents the cat from excreting excess salt from its body. In this case, the owner needs to adjust the cat's diet and feed it light foods to avoid giving the cat food with high salt content or human food.