My cat is shedding way too much. Is it normal or a health concern?

Shedding is normal for nearly all cat breeds including Himalayans, and the amount of hair lost can be seasonal. Excessive shedding to the point where the cost is thin or there is hair loss would not be normal. If Noushmc has areas of bare skin, other skin lesions, or if she seems itchy I’d recommend having a vet examine her.

Some cats do shed more than others, but if you feel it is extreme compared to your other cats you may want to have your veterinarian do a thorough examination of her skin to make sure she doesn't have evidence of a dermatologic disease that could be causing excessive shedding. Shedding has also been linked to stress. If her skin seems normal and she is otherwise healthy it may simply be normal for her to be shedding like this - make sure she's on a high quality diet, brush twice daily, and consider bathing her every couple of weeks if you think she'll tolerate it.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Shedding is completely normal, especially as the temperature gets warmer. What would be abnormal is if you are seeing bald spots of skin on your cats, especially if it the skin is pink/red or dry and crusting. This could indicate a skin infection or allergies. I hope this is helpful!

It could be Snowy is suffering from allergies, a skin infection, mites, fleas, or even a medical causing her hair loss. This isn't normal, so you need to have her seen by a vet to have this diagnosed and treated.

Excess shedding can be from low thyroid levels, hormonal imbalances, allergies or yes environmental. I do recommend a blood panel including thyroid, and if she’s not spayed you may want to get that done to settle down her hormonal swings. That will also prevent uterine infections and lower the risk of mammary cancer too. In addition I recommend a fatty acid skin oral supplement which will help the hairs live longer thus reducing the shedding amount. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Kira.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Yes, this is normal but there is not really much you can do but daily brushing. All those "low shedding" products are a waste of money in my opinion. The only thing I can think of that may help is putting her on a salmon oil supplement. Both cats can take it. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/wild-alaskan-salmon-oil-cat-food-supplement )