As temperatures gradually rise, my pesky cat has started shedding like crazy again.
On the bed, chairs, sofa, floor, table, and clothes, cat hair is visible to the naked eye after just two days without cleaning. A mere gust of wind can send the cat owner into a series of uncontrollable sneezes.
Every molting season, snail rice noodles always have two major problems:
Why do cats shed so much fur?
Whether it's a lint roller or an air purifier, which one is the ultimate solution to the cat hair problem?
When it comes to shedding, cats are truly gifted.
In humans, a single hair typically grows from one pore (some people may not even have one). However, a single pore in a cat can grow dozens of hairs.
This is because the hair follicles under a cat's skin cluster together to form a compound hair follicle. A compound hair follicle usually consists of one main hair follicle and N accessory hair follicles. The main hair follicle grows long and thick hair, which is what we usually call guard hair.
The accessory hair follicles can grow two different types of cat hair: the thick-fine-thick type is called awn hair, and the more curly type is called downy hair.
All these hairs combined make a cat's hair density approximately 11,000 hairs per square centimeter (W. Meyer, 2002).
(By the way, the density of human hair is 615 hairs per square centimeter. That's why you shed hair, cats shed hair, but only you go bald.)
The surface area of a 4-kilogram cat is approximately 2,500 square centimeters, which means that a cat has about 27.5 million cat hairs on its body.
The growth rate of these tens of millions of hairs varies with the duration of sunlight exposure. The table below shows the changes in hair growth in cats living in the Northern Hemisphere:
New hair growth simultaneously promotes the shedding of old hair. In other words, from April or May until January of next year, your cat may be in a state of "dandelion-like" shedding.
It falls out once a year, and each time it lasts for 10 months.
So, what are some good methods for removing cat hair?
What are some great tools for removing cat hair?
What are some great tools for removing cat hair in different scenarios?
It is recommended to brush your cat's fur at least once a week, and long-haired cats should be brushed daily.
Choose a comb with higher friction to remove more loose fur from your cat during the combing process.
However, because of the high friction, going too fast or using too much force can easily hurt the cat, so be careful with the pressure you apply while brushing and consider the cat's mood. Stop immediately if the cat becomes impatient.
If your cat is shedding too much, you can give it a bath in the spring or summer.
The area with the thickest fur on a cat is its belly. However, if your cat isn't used to being brushed, you can start from the top of its head and chin, gradually moving on.
Vacuum cleaners are excellent at cleaning floors and smooth surfaces, making them an essential tool for cat-owning families.
Ideally, there should be treats or toys waiting for the cat at the end.
If it's inconvenient to use a vacuum cleaner, you can use rubber gloves and an electrostatic mop (you can buy a mop and more than 100 replacement electrostatic sheets for around 30 RMB), which is also affordable and easy to use.
When cats shed a lot in spring and summer, it's best to clean their fur every day or every other day.
One important tip: when cleaning, remember to clean the gaps between sockets and plugs regularly.
Otherwise, dust and hair accumulating in the crevices could easily ignite when electricity is applied.
For soft clothing, the first thing to mention is our old friend, the lint roller.
Besides the paper tube version, there are also reusable lint rollers (around 15 RMB) that work very well.
For clothes with a lot of lint, you can heat them up in a dryer before washing. Adding fabric softener or white vinegar during the wash cycle can make it easier for cat hair to come off the clothes. Remember to clean the dryer and washing machine after use.
For soft furniture such as carpets and sofas
If you don't have a vacuum cleaner or a brush attachment, these two dark horse options can be used for stubborn cat hair.
Are air purifiers effective against cat hair?
Air purifiers are primarily used to filter particles from the air. Most cat hair will settle on the ground, which can help prevent dandruff allergies, but regular cleaning is still necessary.
