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I am looking to rescue a cat from my local shelter but I am hung up on the amount of cat hair that will soon be all over me and my furniture. So I've been doing my research on cat breeds that shed less than others and came across the Bombay. Is this true -- do Bombay cats shed less fur than other breeds of cats? Are there any other breeds that shed less than the average cat but are not hairless cats?
Generally speaking, you don't sound ready to live with a cat, or any pet, really. Pets take a lot of work and make messes.
Worrying about shedding in the home is the least of it. Vacuum cleaners and rubber gloves can take care of removing fur that accumulates in the house and on furniture, if anyone really cares that much.
But there is far more than that to living with a cat.
Generally speaking, you don't sound ready to live with a cat, or any pet, really. Pets take a lot of work and make messes.
Worrying about shedding in the home is the least of it. Vacuum cleaners and rubber gloves can take care of removing fur that accumulates in the house and on furniture, if anyone really cares that much.
But there is far more than that to living with a cat.
^^^^^This. Plain and simple
Get a cat off the WalMart shelf until you are really ready to commit 200% to hair balls, cat puke, and hair everywhere.
Don't forget vet bills --- just the routine trips will cost money and take up your time
...and counter-surfing, stray poops, screaming at annoying hours, bouncing off the walls at 5:00 AM, peeing on your pillow if you make them mad (yes, cats really can be vindictive) climbing over your keyboard, knocking ceramics and glass off of tables and counters, scratching up your furniture,...the list goes on.
I wouldn't trade my kitties in for the world. But they are a responsibility that I'm more than willing to take on.
*I think it's noble of you to want to rescue a shelter kitty. Just know everything that's involved
**Also, in all fairness to the OP, she was asking about hair. She may well have had cats before, and we are all assuming the rest.
Last edited by TerraDown; 05-30-2018 at 08:24 AM..
Sorry to say, but this is how so many loveable beautiful animals end up in shelters through no fault of their own. In this instance, the poster is looking for a 'designer' kitty -- and once the kitty disappoints with any bad habits, it will be returned to the shelter as not 'fitting in'. You have to take the good with the bad and never look back -- for the life of the animal. I suggest the OP visit some shelters, and experience loving kitties wanting to be petted, looking for nothing simpler than love for life; and hoping that 'this human is the one who will take me home and love me forever" regardless.
To the OP:
This is not a decision to take lightly. You should go to a shelter and let a loving kitty choose you.
If you have a cat, you're going to have fur shedding, no matter what breed (except a Sphinx I guess, but then you need to bathe them weekly).
Best practice is to brush regularly, invest in a good vacuum cleaner, get beds/coverings you can wash regularly, use a sticky roller, etc.
IMO shedding cat fur is pretty far down on the list of "worries" of being a cat person. Vet bills, feeding good food, providing mental stimulation and a good environment (scratchers, etc) are more important to your cat's well being.
Good vacuum cleaner (mind was around 100$ and three cats one long hair.
If housekeeping is already an issue for you - please do not adopt until you are ready. Cat litter, scratched furniture, hair balls, vet bills, .... you are looking at roughly 15 years of responsibility with no guarantee of a loving, snuggling fur ball.
I am looking to rescue a cat from my local shelter but I am hung up on the amount of cat hair that will soon be all over me and my furniture. So I've been doing my research on cat breeds that shed less than others and came across the Bombay. Is this true -- do Bombay cats shed less fur than other breeds of cats? Are there any other breeds that shed less than the average cat but are not hairless cats?
I'm not familiar enough with that breed to answer your question, but I think your plan may be flawed to start with. You want to 'rescue' and need a certain breed at the same time, and I doubt that's going to happen. I think the chances of finding a Bombay in a shelter is probably slim to none. Don't think they (or any pure-breds) are that common in shelters or rescues.
I have to agree with the others here... if pet hair in your home is one of your main concerns, then you might want to reconsider having a cat (or most dogs for that matter). Most cats, regardless of breed will shed to one degree or another. I have seen short-haired mixed-breed cats that didn't shed very much at all (my sister has one). But they are very rare. You can have a cat, and a clean house at the same time, but it takes work and commitment.
Well, you could get a Sphinx, then you wouldn't have to worry about cat hair at all. Or possibly look into the Rex breeds (Devon Rex, Cornish Rex) as they don't have an undercoat and supposedly don't shed as much.
But other than that, the biggest influence, in my experience, on the amount of shedding a cat does is the cat's diet. A diet of poor quality food, especially dry, will create EXPONENTIALLY MORE shedding than a diet of raw meat or even a diet of higher quality processed food.
I fed my previous cats (both no-name brand shelter kitties) a raw diet from the time they were kittens and their coats were sleek and luxurious. Overall, they shed very little, much less than other cats I have had.
My current kitty (another no-name brand shelter variety) is older and was raised on corn- and wheat-based dry food. When I got her she shed like crazy on the corn-based dry food. Over time I have been able to switch her over to a grain-less dry food and have adding in some wet food too. I would say the shedding decreased by about 75% just from the change in diet. And her coat got softer, too.
So either way, whether you have a designer breed or a generic kitty, the diet will be very important in influencing the frequency and amount of hair shed on a daily basis.
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