Cats shed all year round, with two peaks in spring and autumn. This is physiological. What varies is the amount you find on your sofa - and that's something you can really influence.
Why brushing matters more than you think
Cats groom themselves, and they do it well. The problem is that everything they remove with their tongue, they swallow. Hence the hairballs regularly regurgitated, especially in long-haired cats and during shedding periods.
Every dead hair removed by a brush is a hair they don't ingest, and don't leave around your home. It's as simple as that.
The routine, according to coat type
Short hair: twice a week is enough outside of shedding season. Switch to daily during the spring and autumn peaks.
Medium or long hair: every day, without exception. For these cats, an untreated knot becomes a matted clump that pulls on the skin and hurts - and can only be removed with scissors, or even by a vet.
How to do it
Start with very short sessions. Two minutes, in the direction of the fur, on the areas they like: head, cheeks, back. Stop before they get fed up, not after. This is the most important rule and the one we all forget.
Avoid the belly and hind legs at first. These are sensitive areas for most cats.
Choose the right time. After a meal or a nap, when they are relaxed. Never right after an excited play session.
End well. A stroke, a treat, something pleasant. You are building a positive association that will serve you for years.
If a knot resists, don't pull. Detangle with your fingers first, or carefully cut the knot. Pulling hurts and they will remember it every subsequent brushing.
Which tool
A soft brush or grooming glove is perfectly sufficient for short hair, and is what works best with wary cats. For long hair, a wide-toothed comb for detangling, then a brush for smoothing. Self-cleaning brushes save time when there's a lot of hair to remove.
Use light pressure. A cat's skin is thin, and a metal-toothed tool pressed too hard quickly irritates.
What is not normal
Localized hair loss - thinning areas, bald patches, red, crusty or itchy skin - has nothing to do with shedding. The same goes for compulsive licking down to the skin, or sudden and massive hair loss.
These situations can be due to parasites, an allergy, a hormonal problem or stress. Brushing will not solve them: a veterinary consultation is needed.
Coming soon to Chatô: brushes and grooming gloves, selected with the same criteria as the rest - EU shipping, delivery in less than 7 days.