I love my cat. I love everything about her – she’s soft, furry, warm, cute, loving, and playful. One thing about my cat I don’t love, however, is her shedding. She leaves pieces of herself- her hair- everywhere she goes in my house. This is especially embarrassing when friends come over, sit on the cat’s favorite sofa, and when they stand up to leave, the back of their black pants are covered in whitish-gray cat hair. Ugh!
Can you do anything to remove cat hair from your clothes, or is this just an indignity that we cat owners must suffer?
Luckily, there are a few things that can be done to get cat hair off your clothes.
- Use a lint roller. This might be the simplest, quickest way to remove cat hair from your clothing. You can buy a cheap lint roller at the dollar store, or at your grocery store. It’s a nice method as it’s portable too, and they are cheap enough that you can keep one at home and take one with you in your car or purse in case you get to work and find you missed some cat hair on your clothes.
- Wash your clothes with white vinegar. When you next do laundry, use about a half cup of white vinegar in the laundry with your detergent. This will help to remove any lingering cat hair from your clothing (until the next time you pick up your cat or she jumps into your lap, that is!)
- Use a dryer sheet. When you dry your clothing, use a dryer sheet. You can even throw dry clothing into the dryer with a dryer sheet for 15 minutes to remove hair. You’ll be amazed how much cat hair you’ll find in the lint trap after!
- Use a roll of masking tape. If you don’t have a lint roller handy, simply use a roll of packing or masking tape. Cut a piece and wrap the non-sticky part around your hand then go to work on your clothing, picking up cat hair until it won’t pick up any more.
- Put your clothes in the dryer before washing. Some people swear by this, although I’ve never tried it. They say if you put clothing in the dryer for 10 minutes on a heat-free, tumble-only cycle, this will help to loosen cat hair from your clothing before washing it. It’s worth a shot!
How to Stop Your Cat from Shedding So Much in the First Place
The best thing you can do is to try to prevent your cat from shedding so as not to have to worry about removing her hair from your clothes, right? It’s easier said than done. Certain times of the year (usually spring and fall in this household), cats will shed more than others. There are a few ways you can help get rid of excess hair on your cat.
- Brushing: Regular brushing of your cat will help to reduce its shedding. Using a special brush like a FURminator is highly recommended. It takes off the loose hair without damaging your cat’s fur or skin. It even comes in different models, for cats with short or long hair.
- Other companies make pet grooming gloves, which are gloves with little nubs on them that help to remove loose hair from your cat’s coat. This seems like a fun way to pet your cat and prevent excessive shedding at the same time.
- Anti-shedding products: Although I’m not sure how well they work, companies (including FURminator) also make de-shedding shampoos, sprays and cloths. These are specially formulated to stop your cat from shedding as often. I haven’t tried them, so I can’t attest to their effectiveness, however.
- Bathing: Cats are self-groomers, so unless you have an oily skinned cat, it’s not recommended to bathe them often. Giving a cat a bath every once in a while can help to remove dander and reduce shedding. If you can give a cat a bath without getting scratches all over your arms and hands, more power to you. That’s not something I’d personally try with my cat.
- Vacuuming: Some vacuum cleaners have grooming tool attachments that you can actually use on your cat (if she will let you get near her with that noisy thing, that is). You can vacuum the loose hair off your cat, preventing shedding. Dyson is one of the models that has this type of tool attachment.
Owning a cat means putting up with cat hair on your clothing, furniture, and floors. It’s just one of the unfortunate side effects of owning and loving a cat!
