The longer spring days make it an excellent time of year to do some spring cleaning. Also during the spring, many pet parents find themselves asking, "Why is my cat shedding so much?" 

While cats shed all year, they tend to shed the most during springtime. In the autumn, cats develop a thick winter coat to keep them warm. When spring rolls around, the longer days signal a hormonal response in cats that tells their body it's time to shed the winter coat. 

Cat Breeds that Shed More

It’s a common misconception that long-haired cats shed more. Seasonal cat shedding is common but some shed more than others do, and the length of the cat’s fur is not a factor. The following cat breeds are known for shedding more frequently.

Long-Haired Cat Breeds

• Maine Coon: This cat sheds a lot and is also the largest domestic cat breed. This breed is long-haired; however, the fur on their tail is longer than the fur on their body. Pet parents interested in adopting this breed will need to regularly groom the cat, especially their tail.

• Ragdoll: This breed is known as a “rag doll” because of the way they like to relax. They will usually lay on their back with all four legs spread out. This breed is also very large and has long, fluffy fur that easily becomes tangled or matted. Pet parents will need to groom Ragdoll cats often. If their fur becomes matted, their skin can develop sores and become infected. 

• Norwegian Forest Cat: This is another large long-haired cat. This breed likes to go outside and will shed heavily twice a year, in the spring and fall. Since this breed doesn’t like to be an indoor-only cat, pet parents should be prepared to brush out debris that accumulates from being outdoors. A pet parent will need to brush this cat daily to prevent their fur from matting and to get any sticks, leaves, and dirt out of their fur. 

Short-Haired Cat Breeds

• Chartreux: Pet parents who want to adopt this breed need to prepare for a house full of fur. This breed has wooly short- to medium-length fur and a double coat. They shed throughout the year but will have extreme shedding once or twice a year when the seasons change. 

• Russian Blue: This is a short-haired breed that also has a double coat. The double coat means double the amount of fur. Russian Blue cats don’t really shed more than the average cat — they simply have more fur to shed. 

How to Reduce Cat Shedding

There are a few things pet parents can do to help prevent their homes from filling with cat fur. 

• Proper diet: Cats may shed more if they aren’t getting the appropriate nutrients from their food. Pet parents should always feed their cats a high-quality diet. High-quality food will keep the cat healthy and their coat healthy. A good cat coat supplement can also be added to the cat’s diet. Cat coat supplements not only help maintain a healthy coat but are also good for cat skin care. 

• Regular grooming: Pet parents can use cat shedding brushes and combs to groom their cats. If a cat doesn’t like being brushed, a pet parent can try using a shed massager or grooming glove. 

• Routine brushing: Pet parents should regularly brush their cats every other day to clear out loose fur, debris, dirt, and anything else that that cat wasn't able to remove by itself. 

• Use the correct comb: Metal tooth combs are perfect tools to get to the bottom of cats' coats. Pet parents should take care not to be too rough and should avoid hurting the cat when using such a comb.