Why is my 9-month kitten shedding so much? How long does it last?

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.

Excess shedding can be a result of changes in the season so it is possible it is associated with weather warming up, but we can also see excessive shedding with other problems such as allergies. I would recommend having your vet examine Kilo to check for any underlying problems. In the meantime you could start a supplement good for skin such as a fatty acid supplement like Welactin which can be found online.

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.

Hair loss can be a sign of external parasites like fleas or mites, allergies to food, or seasonal allergies. In some rare circumstances cats seem to over groom themselves due to anxiety. It sounds like Tota may have a seasonal allergy to something in the environment since her symptoms seem to come and go. There are some prescription medications that can help with allergies so I'd recommend making an appointment with your veterinarian.

Frequent brushing may decrease the amount of shedding. Fleas can be treated with a topical preventative such as Frontline or Revolution. You can purchase these from your veterinarian. Use a topical or oral flea preventative for at least 3 consecutive months, preferably year round. An oral medication such as Capstar can quickly kill any adult fleas on your cat. Again, purchase this from your vet. You will also need to treat the environment. This includes vacuuming everywhere your cat goes and washing all bedding. Follow up with an area treatment (flea bomb) to prevent reinfestation. Cays usually keep themselves very clean and don't require bathing more than once every 6-8 weeks if not longer. If your cat is not grooming regularly, have him examined by your vet to diagnose illness or injury as either can commonly cause a change in behavior or grooming habits.

Persians shed year round, but they will shed more in spring and summer to get rid of their winter coat in preparation for the hotter weather. I would get Smooshee groomed more frequently starting in November.

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!