Cat Coats 101: What Your Cat’s Coat Says About Its Health

Cats are some of the most hygienic animals in the world. If you’ve ever watched them, you’ll notice that they spend a large portion of their day either grooming or conditioning their cat fur, keeping themselves free of debris, dander, and dead coat. But did you know all of this cleaning of their cat coat isn’t just for looks?

While cats are generally great at hiding how they feel, keeping an eye on their grooming habits can be all you need to know if they’re healthy or under the weather. Let’s get into what a healthy cat coat looks like.

Why do cats groom themselves?

Let’s start with the why before anything else. Cats are clean from the start, as they learn everything at birth from their mom. Their tongues are barbed and are used as bristles to remove the dirt, debris, and loose fur from their cat coat. Aside from just cleanliness, there are a few other reasons for grooming. 

The Spruce Pets says that cats will instinctively lick any areas that are painful, inflamed, or wounded. This is to clear the site of dirt and blood, but make sure they don’t overlick! All the excessiveness could lead to infection or delay wound healing.

Cats all groom themselves to lubricate their coat and skin. The barb-like tongues stimulate the sebaceous glands at the base of their hairs and as a result, spread sebum throughout the rest of the coat. This also helps them cool down on a hot day, as cats don’t have sweat glands like humans.

What does a healthy cat coat look like?

Just like humans, cats pride themselves on a beautiful-looking coat. A healthy cat coat tends to be shiny and smooth while the skin underneath is flexible and clear. Of course, health, nutrition, and a diverse, instinctive diet can help influence the look and feel of their cat fur, but frequent grooming and skincare will keep your cat’s coat looking fresh and clean.

What does a dull cat coat look like?

Just as a cat’s fur can be immaculate, there are times when it can look rather rough as well. The signs pointing at a dull cat coat are coarse, brittle, and matted cat fur. 

This is commonly seen in overweight and senior cats or pets suffering from cat arthritis, as they tend to have reduced flexibility. Due to these limitations, these cats are restricted to where they can clean, making them more prone to mats, greasy cat fur, and unkept coat condition.

What does a lack of normal grooming mean?

If your pet hasn’t been grooming its cat fur as often, Cat Friendly Homes says that it could be an early sign that they do not feel well. Some signs include:

• A messy or unkempt coat within 24 hours. Their cat fur will stick out on at strange angles, appearing clumpy.
• Failure to lap or wash their face. This could also include leaving food debris in the cat fur around their mouth.
• The cat fur near their tail is left dirty from a recent trip the litter box.

How to get rid of matted cat fur?

If your favourite feline is experiencing mats in their cat fur, it’s important to avoid using things like brushes or sprays to get them out. Those work great on tangles, but mats are their own things.

The two safest ways to remove mats from cat fur are combing them out fully or using pet clippers to shave them out.

Why is my cat losing his fur?

There are a few reasons for cat fur loss that we’ll get into below. 

First, it can stem from stress. A stressed-out cat can begin over-grooming in some spots, leading to bald patches and even skin sores. Think of this like people biting their nails. Cats are known to dislike change of any kind, so things like new furniture or moving to a new home can trigger obsessive grooming and eventually cat fur loss. You should do your best to remove any stressors as quickly as your can, as stress-induced activities can become habitual, leading to more cat fur loss.

If your pet has an underlying health condition, this could be the reason for the loss of cat fur. It is important to have regular check-ins and examinations with your holistic veterinarians to make sure everything is alright.

Pets who are prone to allergies can also suffer from cat fur loss. Certain allergies can cause skin itchiness, prompting your cat to overgroom certain areas of its cat coat. This will often lead to dry skin, thinning coat, bald patches, and additional skin irritations. Luckily, there is special cat food for allergies that you can purchase. 

For cat allergies, we recommend low-glycemic, single-ingredient diets. At Bold by Nature, we’re proud to supply pet parents with raw food diets that consist of the most basic and essential ingredients. In our Bold by Nature Cat recipes, you’ll find nothing but meat, bone, and organs. Since allergies can affect other parts of your pet beyond just their cat coat, our raw diets are also great for cat digestive problems.

Does diet influence a cat’s coat?

Yes! The more vitamins and minerals your pet is getting in its meal, the better off its cat fur and coat will be. Dry foods and kibbles are known to lack the omegas required to promote strong, healthy skin and cat fur. 

Feeding a meal like Bold by Nature Cat recipes means your feline friend is getting a diet comprised of animal products and no unnecessary carbohydrates. This helps to promote a healthy weight and body condition for senior and overweight cats. Just make sure to note that since all pets are different, how much raw food to feed a cat will all depend on its weight and size.

Along with our raw diets, there are other things you can consider adding to your pet’s dish to help maintain their cat fur. Our Bold by Nature+ Bone, Joint & Immune Health supplement helps to repair joint cartilage, controls inflammation, and promotes joint flexibility. It’s basically a one-way ticket to better grooming habits for senior cats! 

Our Bold by Nature+ Salmon and Wild Ocean Fish supplement is also a great choice for improving your cat’s coat. As a good source of Omega 3 essential fatty acids, it not only improves skin and cat fur health but heart health and cognitive function, too.

Where can I get Bold by Nature products?

As raw pet food suppliers, you can purchase Bold by Nature+ products either online or at your local retailer. If you’re not sure which stores carry our products, you can use our location finder to explore retailers near you that carry Bold by Nature products, like raw cat food in Canada.