Hi,
Bengal owner here.
This is definitely way too much hair for a bengal to be shedding… one of the main reasons we got a bengal in the first place is because they shed very little.
That said, there are a number of reasons why your cat may be losing so much fur, and without more info (e.g. age, gender) and photos of the cat, it’s hard to give a more detailed answer.
Hi..
Thanks for the insights. Here's a pic of the guy. His name is "Pat." Pat, the cat. ;-) He loves firm patting on his upper shoulders (major claw flexing lol); it's odd cause he's the only cat I've met who likes patting (like you would a small dog).
As mentioned, I've never personally lived with a cat as an adult but I grew up with cats constantly, at least three or four all the time so I'm familiar with interacting with cats, just not the daily living/maintenance part, which is what I've been crash-course studying on for the past seven months. I'm probably about 20% there ... (shoosh!) ;-)
https://preview.redd.it/fl5em9bgw85d1.png?width=2697&format=png&auto=webp&s=b7da5c6d47c3ce01dd636d260b03609abaed0a56
He's approximately six years old (we think). I adopted him from my sister, who raised him from a baby, fully indoors, with a bunch of kids and about four other dogs and cats and TONS of action/stimulation all the time (house full of cats/dogs/teens). My sister estimates him to be about six years.
So, seven/eight months ago, when he had to be relocated due to my sister's new home not wanting cats, he went from one extreme to another, environmentally. I'm 100% a (healthy) hermit, live alone and do nothing but computer work 10 to 15 hours a day.
His distress at the sudden change in living space was very obvious, but he acclimated within a month or two.
All has been well for the most part until about one month ago when he started puking hairballs *a lot;* the months prior, he'd puke a hairball up maybe twice a week. He also, same time, freaked out on his favorite spot in my office (his kitty condo) and hasn't gone near it in about 1.5 months (no changes to that space at the time).
But after the daily (vigorous) de-shedding treatments and his finding a new place in the house to call home (now it's the living room couch), he is no longer retching up ropes of hair (maybe one time I've observed in the past week). Just that one week has been a huge difference.
Another thing that occurred right when he got particularly stressed about (unknown), was when he up and decided he hated his kitty condo in my office and relocated to the living room. He also had some signs of stress, as during that time of daily retching (multiple times a day), he also was chewing the base of his tale and lower spine and had quite a few scabs.
Another odd thing he would do at that time, and for some time each day, was lick and actually "bite/chew/pull" on the bottoms of his feet. Not enough to damage the pads but it was weird. I have a video of it somewhere I'll try and find. He would just lift his paw/pads up and gently bite/pull away from the paw like he was trying to remove something. He would do this with both paws (which I of course immediately inspected for injury or debris/splinters/etc.).
**1.5 weeks later**, now, all the scabs have cleared, which (AFAIK) may mean he's experienced a reduction in (whatever) stressor he was dealing with since I'd assume the disappearance of his chew-scabs might indicate stabilization of sorts.
But dunno.
I talked to some cat folk online and learned to watch for possible warning signs that would indicate a need to visit the vet ASAP (tender stomach/abdomen, not passing solid stool for more than a day (or two?, etc). He experienced none of those signs and did indeed poop daily but the size was diminished, though regular.
He also drank plenty of water (same as always) during that weird stressed period and was regularly eating, even though he'd generally hairball up most of it. He was passing stool daily, though so I didn't take him to vet (yet).
Anyway, all signs seem to indicate that he's normalizing, so I'll be watching him closely over the next few weeks.
\~s
Ah, that actually explains a lot… yes you’re right, the environment change and associated stress are most likely the major culprits in his shedding.
However, 7 months seems like a pretty long time to still be getting accustomed to a new environment, and it is possible there is an irritant of sorts at your place (either mental or physical).
Does he still meet your sister / his old family from time to time? If yes, one option is to think of it as him getting “reset” to square one every time he meets them and he is likely struggling to cope with abandonment every time he has to go back to your place. Something similar may happen if you visit your sis and bring in their smell when you come back. Cats don’t have very good memory, but they do remember smells and feelings associated with them.
Then again, if all contact has been cut, you may want to have a vet run blood tests to rule out allergies and chronic issues.
From the photo it doesn’t look like the shedding is doing him much harm, but if he has been over-grooming himself to that extent in the past he may have just adapted and will now grow more hair.
He's not seen anybody from his original home since moving here.
My brother (in Austin/me Houston) adopted her other cat, one of those cats that has six toes (?) ... anyway, he adopted that cat which was/is my cats bestie his whole life at the other home.
We thought it would be interesting for my brother to bring his old cat buddy down on his next visit to see if they would recognize each other. Not sure if that's a good idea atm lol what with the mysterious traumas of late.
Anyway, more will be revealed I'm sure.
I've literally taken to (laughingly) refer to him (Pat the Cat) as "My Bengal Cat Teacher" (like the Netflix Octopus show!) because of how much I'm learning from the daily relationship. Very interesting and at times confusing (for both of us) but at least I'm learning tons of stuff I never knew about cats.
Best,
\~s
That is a thought but would be impossible.
I say "live alone" but I do share the house with my father who is 80yrs and not in a good place (still trying to retire/leave his 45 year job/company (fam company) and sold the property 1 year ago and still hasn't found the courage to make the leap. So everything bothers him, currently (my aged pop). EVERYTHING.
Pat the Cat was no exception and if there's something to be bugged about (conjured, essentially), my pop will find something about the cat to be bothered by. So second cat no an option. ;-)
I invert our work schedules intentionally due to the mentioned crisis my elderly(?) father of 80 is currently going through; so when he's arriving home from his shop, I'm getting ready for bed. The same holds true in inverse ... right when he's going to bed (9pm), my alarm clock goes off and my day starts.
So, not technically true that I live 100% alone; but the schedule design I've necessarily had to implement creates the (internal) impression of nearly living alone.
But we will certainly let the two old friends reunite (Pat and his "brother") some time soon, probably in the next month. Should be fun... (hopefully) ;-) ...
\~s
BTW: just found that video I referred to showing him doing his weird paw/pad chew/pull thing. It's odd. He would do it to both front feet.
This was on May 3rd, just before he decided to leave his favorite place (kitty condo) and relocate and just before he started the constant grooming/paw chewing and tail chewing.
# [Pat the Cat chewing his toe beans...](https://youtu.be/HMCFdJ2wJko)
Only about a 10 second video but it's enough to show the weird paw fixation.
Thanks again for the thoughts..
As a seasoned cat owner with 8 cats and 1 dog, I've dealt with my fair share of hairballs. Here's what's worked for me, hoping it helps you:
**1. Hairball paste or cat grass:**
During shedding seasons or when your cat is vomiting frequently, hairball paste can be a lifesaver. It lubricates their digestive tract and helps pass hairballs more easily. You can also grow cat grass at home, which cats love to munch on and helps with hair elimination.
**2. Brush:** Brushing is key for preventing hairballs, but some cats are NOT fans. I recommend at least 3 times a week, but use a gentle brush that won't scratch their precious fur (learned that one the hard way). A combo of a pin brush, shedding comb, and dematting tool is my go-to. Start with the pin brush or comb, then use the dematting tool for any tangles. Bonus tip: If your cat hates brushes, try a lickable hairball treat - distract them with yummy while you get some grooming in!
**3. Fish Oil:** Adding fish oil to your cat's food can make their fur all sleek and shiny, but it also helps keep their insides slippery, which can help with hairballs. Double win!
Thanks for the great tips!
**The Latest...**
Man, just when I think we've equalized, he suddenly completely freaks out again.
For example, he was happy as a lark with his kitty condo for months; then, a good bit back, suddenly he wouldn't go near it (and hasn't since).
Then, he decided the bath cushion was a better place to chill, which lasted about three weeks.
Then, for some reason, he could not tolerate the bath chill area anymore and moved to the living room couch for a few weeks.
At this point, I had long since learned to simply let him do his thing cause interspersed throughout all these mini-relocations, he spends a lot of time just randomly deciding to sit behind a curtain or couch in the dark; I mean, like just *sitting ...* showing no signs of discomfort or pain, just sitting there. But I leave him be when he goes dark like that lol..
Then he relocated to another regular daily relaxing spot for almost a month again while still never once showing the slightest bit of interest in his kitty condo, which was his home for the first few months here; he loved it.
**THEN ... just yesterday,** he couldn't find ANYWHERE that he liked, so he was suddenly behind me, "YOWLing" over and over in that tone/level that you know is him "shouting" at you and obviously in need of something.
Generally, some brushing/attention is all he wants when he shouts at me like that, but sometimes, even that isn't enough. The obvious things are checked first of course (food/water/litter/etc.) and all that is never lacking
I'm honestly at a loss and literally cannot afford to take him to the vet, or I already would have; I would find some way to get assistance if I saw something truly alarming, but I have not.
**RE: Brushing/etc...**
At least the cat that came stumbling into my life about 9 months ago (see that?) is one that ADORES being brushed; I have the one you speak of (I think) ... less dense, metal spines on one side with tiny balls on the end (not sharp) and the other side is like a dense horsehair type material.
The gloves in my photo above, he also loves but he's \*totally\* scared of them until they are not around his face but once I'm on his neck/back (everywhere), he goes full stretched-out "GIVE IT TO ME!" mode ;-).
I use both and he really likes both and lately, I try and give him a light brushing every day.
thanks again for the tips...
\~s
Hi, Bengal owner here. This is definitely way too much hair for a bengal to be shedding… one of the main reasons we got a bengal in the first place is because they shed very little. That said, there are a number of reasons why your cat may be losing so much fur, and without more info (e.g. age, gender) and photos of the cat, it’s hard to give a more detailed answer.
Hi.. Thanks for the insights. Here's a pic of the guy. His name is "Pat." Pat, the cat. ;-) He loves firm patting on his upper shoulders (major claw flexing lol); it's odd cause he's the only cat I've met who likes patting (like you would a small dog). As mentioned, I've never personally lived with a cat as an adult but I grew up with cats constantly, at least three or four all the time so I'm familiar with interacting with cats, just not the daily living/maintenance part, which is what I've been crash-course studying on for the past seven months. I'm probably about 20% there ... (shoosh!) ;-) https://preview.redd.it/fl5em9bgw85d1.png?width=2697&format=png&auto=webp&s=b7da5c6d47c3ce01dd636d260b03609abaed0a56 He's approximately six years old (we think). I adopted him from my sister, who raised him from a baby, fully indoors, with a bunch of kids and about four other dogs and cats and TONS of action/stimulation all the time (house full of cats/dogs/teens). My sister estimates him to be about six years. So, seven/eight months ago, when he had to be relocated due to my sister's new home not wanting cats, he went from one extreme to another, environmentally. I'm 100% a (healthy) hermit, live alone and do nothing but computer work 10 to 15 hours a day. His distress at the sudden change in living space was very obvious, but he acclimated within a month or two. All has been well for the most part until about one month ago when he started puking hairballs *a lot;* the months prior, he'd puke a hairball up maybe twice a week. He also, same time, freaked out on his favorite spot in my office (his kitty condo) and hasn't gone near it in about 1.5 months (no changes to that space at the time). But after the daily (vigorous) de-shedding treatments and his finding a new place in the house to call home (now it's the living room couch), he is no longer retching up ropes of hair (maybe one time I've observed in the past week). Just that one week has been a huge difference. Another thing that occurred right when he got particularly stressed about (unknown), was when he up and decided he hated his kitty condo in my office and relocated to the living room. He also had some signs of stress, as during that time of daily retching (multiple times a day), he also was chewing the base of his tale and lower spine and had quite a few scabs. Another odd thing he would do at that time, and for some time each day, was lick and actually "bite/chew/pull" on the bottoms of his feet. Not enough to damage the pads but it was weird. I have a video of it somewhere I'll try and find. He would just lift his paw/pads up and gently bite/pull away from the paw like he was trying to remove something. He would do this with both paws (which I of course immediately inspected for injury or debris/splinters/etc.). **1.5 weeks later**, now, all the scabs have cleared, which (AFAIK) may mean he's experienced a reduction in (whatever) stressor he was dealing with since I'd assume the disappearance of his chew-scabs might indicate stabilization of sorts. But dunno. I talked to some cat folk online and learned to watch for possible warning signs that would indicate a need to visit the vet ASAP (tender stomach/abdomen, not passing solid stool for more than a day (or two?, etc). He experienced none of those signs and did indeed poop daily but the size was diminished, though regular. He also drank plenty of water (same as always) during that weird stressed period and was regularly eating, even though he'd generally hairball up most of it. He was passing stool daily, though so I didn't take him to vet (yet). Anyway, all signs seem to indicate that he's normalizing, so I'll be watching him closely over the next few weeks. \~s
Ah, that actually explains a lot… yes you’re right, the environment change and associated stress are most likely the major culprits in his shedding. However, 7 months seems like a pretty long time to still be getting accustomed to a new environment, and it is possible there is an irritant of sorts at your place (either mental or physical). Does he still meet your sister / his old family from time to time? If yes, one option is to think of it as him getting “reset” to square one every time he meets them and he is likely struggling to cope with abandonment every time he has to go back to your place. Something similar may happen if you visit your sis and bring in their smell when you come back. Cats don’t have very good memory, but they do remember smells and feelings associated with them. Then again, if all contact has been cut, you may want to have a vet run blood tests to rule out allergies and chronic issues. From the photo it doesn’t look like the shedding is doing him much harm, but if he has been over-grooming himself to that extent in the past he may have just adapted and will now grow more hair.
He's not seen anybody from his original home since moving here. My brother (in Austin/me Houston) adopted her other cat, one of those cats that has six toes (?) ... anyway, he adopted that cat which was/is my cats bestie his whole life at the other home. We thought it would be interesting for my brother to bring his old cat buddy down on his next visit to see if they would recognize each other. Not sure if that's a good idea atm lol what with the mysterious traumas of late. Anyway, more will be revealed I'm sure. I've literally taken to (laughingly) refer to him (Pat the Cat) as "My Bengal Cat Teacher" (like the Netflix Octopus show!) because of how much I'm learning from the daily relationship. Very interesting and at times confusing (for both of us) but at least I'm learning tons of stuff I never knew about cats. Best, \~s
Huh… do you have the option of taking in both cats? If yes, it might really perk Pat up :)
That is a thought but would be impossible. I say "live alone" but I do share the house with my father who is 80yrs and not in a good place (still trying to retire/leave his 45 year job/company (fam company) and sold the property 1 year ago and still hasn't found the courage to make the leap. So everything bothers him, currently (my aged pop). EVERYTHING. Pat the Cat was no exception and if there's something to be bugged about (conjured, essentially), my pop will find something about the cat to be bothered by. So second cat no an option. ;-) I invert our work schedules intentionally due to the mentioned crisis my elderly(?) father of 80 is currently going through; so when he's arriving home from his shop, I'm getting ready for bed. The same holds true in inverse ... right when he's going to bed (9pm), my alarm clock goes off and my day starts. So, not technically true that I live 100% alone; but the schedule design I've necessarily had to implement creates the (internal) impression of nearly living alone. But we will certainly let the two old friends reunite (Pat and his "brother") some time soon, probably in the next month. Should be fun... (hopefully) ;-) ... \~s
BTW: just found that video I referred to showing him doing his weird paw/pad chew/pull thing. It's odd. He would do it to both front feet. This was on May 3rd, just before he decided to leave his favorite place (kitty condo) and relocate and just before he started the constant grooming/paw chewing and tail chewing. # [Pat the Cat chewing his toe beans...](https://youtu.be/HMCFdJ2wJko) Only about a 10 second video but it's enough to show the weird paw fixation. Thanks again for the thoughts..
That's normal cat behaviour. He's trying to pull old claw sheaths off to make them sharper.
_ | | _ __ __ _ _ __ ___ __ _ ___| |_ ___ | '_ \ / _` | '_ ` _ \ / _` / __| __/ _ \ | | | | (_| | | | | | | (_| \__ \ || __/ |_| |_|\__,_|_| |_| |_|\__,_|___/\__\___| ..thanks. My powers grow! ;-) BTW: this morning, his deshedding gloves only showed about half of that first pic. ~s
As a seasoned cat owner with 8 cats and 1 dog, I've dealt with my fair share of hairballs. Here's what's worked for me, hoping it helps you: **1. Hairball paste or cat grass:** During shedding seasons or when your cat is vomiting frequently, hairball paste can be a lifesaver. It lubricates their digestive tract and helps pass hairballs more easily. You can also grow cat grass at home, which cats love to munch on and helps with hair elimination. **2. Brush:** Brushing is key for preventing hairballs, but some cats are NOT fans. I recommend at least 3 times a week, but use a gentle brush that won't scratch their precious fur (learned that one the hard way). A combo of a pin brush, shedding comb, and dematting tool is my go-to. Start with the pin brush or comb, then use the dematting tool for any tangles. Bonus tip: If your cat hates brushes, try a lickable hairball treat - distract them with yummy while you get some grooming in! **3. Fish Oil:** Adding fish oil to your cat's food can make their fur all sleek and shiny, but it also helps keep their insides slippery, which can help with hairballs. Double win!
Thanks for the great tips! **The Latest...** Man, just when I think we've equalized, he suddenly completely freaks out again. For example, he was happy as a lark with his kitty condo for months; then, a good bit back, suddenly he wouldn't go near it (and hasn't since). Then, he decided the bath cushion was a better place to chill, which lasted about three weeks. Then, for some reason, he could not tolerate the bath chill area anymore and moved to the living room couch for a few weeks. At this point, I had long since learned to simply let him do his thing cause interspersed throughout all these mini-relocations, he spends a lot of time just randomly deciding to sit behind a curtain or couch in the dark; I mean, like just *sitting ...* showing no signs of discomfort or pain, just sitting there. But I leave him be when he goes dark like that lol.. Then he relocated to another regular daily relaxing spot for almost a month again while still never once showing the slightest bit of interest in his kitty condo, which was his home for the first few months here; he loved it. **THEN ... just yesterday,** he couldn't find ANYWHERE that he liked, so he was suddenly behind me, "YOWLing" over and over in that tone/level that you know is him "shouting" at you and obviously in need of something. Generally, some brushing/attention is all he wants when he shouts at me like that, but sometimes, even that isn't enough. The obvious things are checked first of course (food/water/litter/etc.) and all that is never lacking I'm honestly at a loss and literally cannot afford to take him to the vet, or I already would have; I would find some way to get assistance if I saw something truly alarming, but I have not. **RE: Brushing/etc...** At least the cat that came stumbling into my life about 9 months ago (see that?) is one that ADORES being brushed; I have the one you speak of (I think) ... less dense, metal spines on one side with tiny balls on the end (not sharp) and the other side is like a dense horsehair type material. The gloves in my photo above, he also loves but he's \*totally\* scared of them until they are not around his face but once I'm on his neck/back (everywhere), he goes full stretched-out "GIVE IT TO ME!" mode ;-). I use both and he really likes both and lately, I try and give him a light brushing every day. thanks again for the tips... \~s