By Royal Canin Scientific Communications

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Healthy skin and shiny silky fur are proof of a cat's good state of health and are directly linked to diet.

Shorthaired cats have a total length of hair of some 68 miles, for longhaired cats the figure is 229 miles! How fast the hair grows depends on the final length and varies from ½ to ¾ of an inch a day. Beyond the matter of looks, fur also acts as insulation against heat and cold.

Up to 30% of food protein can be mobilized for skin metabolism and the growth of fur, particular during hair loss. Illnesses, lack of appetite, poor fitness or inadequate diet poor in essential nutriments have immediate repercussions on the skin and the quality of the fur, which become dull and brittle.

Sedentary cats spend more than 30 hours a week grooming themselves. The hair they swallow forms hairballs that are difficult to evacuate naturally, and may cause digestive disorders (vomiting, constipation, occlusion, etc).

Misconceptions

"Cats that don't groom themselves are lazy…"

Grooming is an essential act in the daily behavior of cats. It depends on the lifestyle, with sedentary cats spending more time grooming than others. Elderly cats, like obese cats tend to neglect this activity. An animal that has always been well groomed and suddenly stops may be suffering from illness, which is tiring, and this deserves special attention.

"Cats lose their hair only twice a year…"

Cats subject to seasonal variations in temperature and light undergo seasonal hair loss. It is greatest in the spring and autumn. The makeup of fur varies with climatic conditions (long and dense in winter, short and thinner in summer). Moreover, 30% of food protein may be mobilized for the skin metabolism during the change in fur. Indoor cats lose their hair year round, but have lower protein requirements.