This a big problem for a number of reasons. Many people keep their cats largely indoors these days and its my opinion that this contributes to poor coat quality in cats and to fur loss and shedding around your home. Cats by nature like to groom themselves a lot to keep sleek and clean. If their fur quality is poor for what ever reason they tend to groom more and guess what? they swallow quite a bit in the process and get a fur ball.This is easily treated but can be avoided by regular attention to the coat.
I think indoor cats need to be groomed regularly to give them a helping hand with the process. You can buy a metal two-sided comb for cats and make a gentle start even when they are kittens. Normally cats will enjoy this, but don't do it for too long because this can lead to a sudden sense of humour failure from your cat and you may be put off doing this for ever if he or she lashes out. I think every couple of days for a few minutes is fine.
Cat
Long haired breeds pose a number of further problems. Obviously they will need grooming too, but many resent this especially on the abdomen and between the legs. Start early to avoid disappointing results when your cat is older.
Sometimes a very large clump of fur will develop. Even the whole side of the cat can be involved. Don't neglect this. If you do it can lead to unpleasant skin diseases and provide the perfect home for fleas and other skin parasites. You may be tempted to cut this off with scissors. I would advise against this. I have stitched up many a cat where the tearful owner has been a bit clumsy and cut through the skin. It takes skill to remove this wad of fur. Go to the vet. He will have special clippers designed for the job, and remember it may be necessary to give your pet an anesthetic or sedation to do this so starve your pet just in case.
Old cats may have either dental problems or sometimes mental problems which means they essentially have given up grooming due to dental pain or from loss of mental acuity. Talk to your vet. He is trained to help out with this.But you will need to groom an older cat much more.
Cat Fur
Steve is a veterinary surgeon in London with wide interests. Come visit his latest website over at http://bad-credit-people.com which helps people find the best bad credit options and information they are looking for to find a loan.