Excessive hairloss: Combing my girls (shocking pics!)

[Kirsten]

This year, both my girls are shedding TONS of fur, especially the fur in their lower back looks bad, and you can see there's a lot of "dead" hair in it. They also have dandruff. My vet says it's something that occurs in many pets this summer for some reason, but I'm worried it may be some kind of mycosis, or mites.

Anyway, brushing the girls was not enough, so I tried a comb. I was already shocked yesterday after combing Lily about the huge amount of lose fur in the comb, but with Luna today, it was even worse.

Look:














BTW, both of my girls seem to like being combed, and their fur is looking so much better now. When I combed Lily for a second time today, no hair came out, so I figure the fur that's left is now intact. Now I only wish she would eat her vitamine paste with Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids to improve her fur and skin. Luna, however, likes her vitamines.

Kirsten

[Randi]

Kirsten, if you don't brush them every day, or every second day, I don't think it looks too bad. If I brush too much, especially if I use a metal comb, dandruff will appear, and I don't think it's good for their skin, so I quit that.

Fister loves it when I brush him with a wet brush. I use two different rubber ones.

Luna looks lovely in that forth picture!

[Kirsten]

Well, it's been the very first time I used a comb, and I guess that's why all this hair came out. More often, I'm using a soft baby brush, but with a smaller effect. I don't think the dandruff comes from that brush; the soft brush doesn't go deep enough into her fur to reach the skin. And I'm not using the brush on Lily at all because she doesn't like it, and she's having dandruff anyway. At least in her lower back, really strange. But I can see how a comb would cause even more dandruff!

Luna, however, always enjoys being brushed, as you can see in some of the pictures.

Kirsten

[Laura's Babies]

My girls love being brushed and I always get tons of loose fur off of them. The first day I am back from work I get LOADS off of them, especially Boo. Until she would allow me to brush her, her fur would fall off in big clumps all over the place and I always get more off of her everytime I brush her. I pick up the grooming tool and they line up and beg for their turn. Amy would let me brush her until she was hairless... she REALLY loves it.

It is summer so I am sure your vet was right about it is happening in many pets.

[Edwina's Secretary]

The E's HATE being brushed or combed. Nonetheless you should see the amount of hair that comes off them -- most any time of the year too!

Eddie sometimes has dandruff. The vet said it is because he is too big groom his back end properly (please don't let him know I told you that!!)

[Kirsten]

The vet said it is because he is too big groom his back end properly (please don't let him know I told you that!!)

Hmmm, makes sense... could be the same with Luna and Lily.

I pick up the grooming tool and they line up and beg for their turn.

How cute! I can picture them sitting in line and meowing: "mommy, it's my turn now, I'm next!".

It's so interesting how some cats love being brushed while others hate it.

Kirsten

[kitten645]

Different cats have different fur types. My Calvin is sleek and smooth. When I comb him I get some fur but not alot. Hobbes has a very think coat with a thick undercoat. Brushing him does little but when I comb him, oh boy. I get at least as much as you do. Sometimes a bit more if it's been a little while. His fur is still thick so I don't think it has anything to do with "male pattern baldness" They are littermates and I'm always amazed at how different they are. I wouldn't worry about the lovely Luna and Lily.
Claudia

[catmandu]

I HOPE OUR FRIEND JEN LUCKENBACH SEES THIS, AS SHES A PROFESSIONAL GROOMER AND CAN GIVE YOU SOME TIPS , KIRSTEN.
I REMEMBER MR SCRAPPY LOSING A LOT OF FUR IN THE HOT MONTHS
AND ALL I COULD DO WAS TO GROOM HIM , AND PRAY FOR MILDER WEATHER.
WE ARE SENDING PRAYERS FOR DEAR LILY AND LUNA.

[Kirsten]

Hope you're right! Well, they say this was the last hot weekend of this summer, and that the fall is just around the corner. Hope that will bring some relief to my girls, and all the other pets suffering from the heat.

Kirsten

[sugarpaws]

Kirsten, our Heidi also gets dandruff on her lower back and sides, and we have to brush otherwise it gets too uncomfortable for her, it itches her badly. We also bathe her once a month with a shampoo we get from the vet- I normally am not for bathing her but she can not clean her back anymore, and the oils and dandruff make her feel very uncomfortable. She is so happy after a good brush and after bathing. I really think Luna and Lily love the clean skin feeling.
Marina

[momcat]

Groucho hates to be brushed but he will tolerate the comb. I'm amazed sometimes at how much come off. While combing him, I keep telling him how ultra handsome he's going to be and that his lovely Inka will find him irresistable.

[Catty1]

A friend of mine had a regular hairbrush with even bristles, kind of like a shoe polishing brush, only softer. She didn't know why she didn't get any hair out of her cats.

I pointed out that a human brush doesn't work...the bristles have to be able to dig into the fur. A brush with the small metal bristles works well. My guys love it - I wonder if it reminds them of their mom's sandpaper tongue? Also, there are brushes you can get that have a strap that slip over your hand - they have rubber teeth on the one side. They're also available as "grooming gloves".

It took Cole a while to get used to being groomed (he's the one with long hair, go figure!), so the grooming glove was a great ice breaker! He felt like he was being stroked and patted, and he was - with the glove!

[cassiesmom]

The E's HATE being brushed or combed. Nonetheless you should see the amount of hair that comes off them -- most any time of the year too!

Eddie sometimes has dandruff. The vet said it is because he is too big groom his back end properly (please don't let him know I told you that!!)

Cassie Cat doesn't mind being combed for a little while. When she's had enough, she'll get up and walk away from me. After I comb her, she always washes herself and promptly coughs up a hair ball... Stinker. I have been getting more hair in the comb. I think that, as she gets older, she doesn't groom herself as often. I've noted that her dandruff gets worse in winter, when the heat's running.

Please give Luna a big hug for me and tell her how beautiful she is!

[Kirsten]

Well, I'm sure I won't be able to bathe my kitties but I will ask my vet what to do against the dandruff.

For the time being, most of the lose fur seems to have been removed now, and it looks and feels much better. Guess my kitties feel more comforatable that way.

Lily doesn't have the patience to be brushed for a long time, she runs away after a while, or starts playing with the brush. But Luna really enjoys it! While I'm doing it, I'm always telling her what a good girl she is.

My guys love it - I wonder if it reminds them of their mom's sandpaper tongue?

Good point!

Please give Luna a big hug for me and tell her how beautiful she is!

I will!

Kirsten

[mrspunkysmom]

Cat's also shed fur when stressed. I've noticed that on Sam when at the vet; clumps would come off in my hand. Recently I groomed them and held Sam down (he wanted to leave before I was finished) and a ton of fur came off of his back end. Strange thing is that I let him go and he came back for more, so he wasn't distressed, he just didn't want to be restrained at that moment, so the hair shed.

Spunky likes any attention so grooming isn't a problem.

Just a thought.