If you own a cute cuddly Ragdoll, you might be curious about it shedding. Nobody wants their house to be littered with fur, right? If you’ve caught yourself asking “Do Ragdoll cats shed?”, then this article is for you!
Besides some hairless cat breeds like Sphynx, Donskoy, Peterbald, all the other cat breeds which have fur, more or less shed. If your cat mostly remains indoors, then there is a high chance that it will shed, release furs on your home. The good news is that, unlike other furry cat breeds, you won’t find piles of fur lying here and there in your home. The reason behind that is the lack of undercoat of your Ragdoll cat which is nothing but a fine lower layer of soft hair that provides additional insulation to the cats.
Below are the following tips to reduce the amount of shedding of your cute Ragdoll by employing proper grooming techniques, brushing, dietary habits. We also add answers to some of the most frequently asked questions related to this topic.
How do I stop my Ragdoll from Shedding
See, it is quite impossible and not feasible at all to stop your adorable Ragdoll from shedding completely. But there are some practical ways you can follow to reduce the amount of shedding of your feline friend. Below are some quick hacks to stop your Ragdoll cat from shedding.
- The first and foremost thing that you should do to reduce the amount of shedding is through regular brushing and grooming. This not only applies to Ragdoll cats, but also to other cat breeds who tend to shed even much more than Ragdoll cats. You can use a grooming tool like “FURminator” which works fine for your Ragdoll cats. A lot of pet owners who own furry friends gave positive reviews on this product mainly because of its effectiveness.
- Another thing you can use is a “Hairbuster Comb” which works very well if you have short and medium-haired cats, rabbits, etc.
You may need to create a regular brushing habit at a very early age for your cat otherwise they may not like the idea of brushing if you try to develop it later in their life.
The idea of giving treats to them while brushing works very well. You can start with few gentle brush strokes on her cheek, then try to proceed slowly to other body parts of your kitty. If she opposes, try to give her treats to make her happy and say “Don’t worry! My beautiful baby, you are gonna look much prettier”.
There are some areas which your kitty may be opposing to clean like under the legs part. In that case, what you can do is try to make her stand or sit on your Legs and then gently try to reach those areas.
Are Ragdoll Cats Hypoallergenic?
Many Ragdoll cat owners tend to believe that Ragdoll cats are hypoallergenic but the correct answer is they aren’t. We previously mentioned that Ragdoll cats don’t have an undercoat, so they shed much less than other fluffy cat breeds but more than hairless cat breeds. So, Ragdoll cats are suitable for those who have mild allergic reactions.
Lack of undercoat significantly reduces the chance of showing cat allergy symptoms. Many people have a misconception that allergic symptoms are caused only because of fur but dried saliva is also another main reason. Since cats regularly clean themselves with their tongue and dispose of it on their coat, so it gives rise to a misconception that the Fur is triggering the allergy.
Do Ragdoll Cats Need Grooming?
Like what we mentioned earlier, you need to perform weekly brushing to reduce unwanted shedding. Except for brushing, you need to trim up your Ragdoll’s nails using a cat nail clipper once in every 14-15 days. It is advised to take your cat to a professional cat groomer for proper grooming. They will create a regular schedule for your kitty cat to be groomed. This will help a lot, maybe it’s expensive but worth it. You will also love to see how beautiful and cute your kitty cat has become after grooming.
Are Ragdoll Cats High maintenance?
Ragdoll cats are not high maintenance cats and neither they are low maintenance cats. They fall in the categories somewhat in-between high and low maintenance. It is not a big deal to maintain your super cute Ragdoll cat once you get used to his/her behavior and know what makes them happy. One thing you must keep in mind is that Ragdoll cats need constant attention and they are your “attention-seeker companion.”
What to Feed Cats to Stop Shedding?
Diets often have a major role in maintaining a healthy coat and skin. A proper, balanced diet sometimes also helps to overcome some skin-related disorders. To acquire a healthy coat and skin, you need to feed a high-quality diet to your cat. You can add Omega 3& Omega 6 supplements to its diet which has the potential to improve skin health. As a Ragdoll owner, you can offer Cold-Pressed Hemp-Seed Oil to improve the coat quality. Many cats are sensitive to salmon. If your furry feline doesn’t have any allergic reactions to salmon, then you can offer it Salmon or Krill Oil made for cats.
According to a recent research done by scientists, trace elements like Zinc (Zn) are very important for the growth of hair and health. According to that survey, excessive hair shedding is related to Zinc deficiencies. The skin becomes dry and flaky because of Zinc deficiency. The best sources of Zinc are meats, fish, and whole grain.
So, if you are observing excessive shedding on your Ragdoll cat, then it is better to consult with your vet.
Can I shave my Ragdoll Cat to Stop Shedding?
Yes, if your Ragdoll cat is an indoor cat, then it is OK to shave her. However, if it’s an outdoor one, then we wouldn’t recommend you to do this as because of being an outdoor cat, their skin is exposed to sun and it becomes risky to shave it.
But we generally don’t recommend anyone to shave because the fur acts as a natural insulator that helps them to regulate their body temperature and you may hurt your cat while shaving her.
Conclusion
Overall if you want to add a cute, adorable baby to your family and you are okay with handling a little bit of fur, you are good to go. But if you are not at all okay with shedding, then you can probably adopt hairless cat breeds like Sphynx, Peterbald, etc.
