Is there a breed that does not shed? Or sheds minimally??

Hello: I have never owned a cat but my husband and I are thinking of buying a kitten. One big concern I have is shedding. Is there a breed that does not shed or sheds less than others?? Thanks!!

Doubt it. And dont buy into the doodle dog myths either. If it has hair, it will shed. Look at your own hair brush lately? We hair producing mammals shed constantly.

Oh I suppose you could go hairless breeds but be prepared for some work.

A Peterbald or Sphynx would work. You can also sometimes find them in rescue or adopt a retired breeder if you are interested in a cat that is a few years old.

There are a lot of good breeders out there too, you just need to do your homework, maybe visit a few cat shows and meet a Sphynx in person.

As far as upkeep, I bath mine every two to three weeks and clean their ears every 7-10 days.

The only cats that don't shed or shed very little are the rexes - Cornish, Devon, Selkirk. The Sphynx is hairless, so of course doesn't shed.

But some cautions. If you are getting those breeds because of allergies you still may be allergic to them. There is no such animal that is hypoallergenic - even the sphynx because most people are allergic to the saliva.

Cornish only have the undercoat and barely shed any hair. The Devon and Selkirk have some outer hairs so they will shed more then a Cornish.

My understanding is that it is the dander and saliva that causes the allergies - not the hair itself.

Ragdolls apparently don't shed a lot (if what I've been told is true) if shedding is a concern.

You are right - its the dander and/or the saliva. So the sphynx still may cause a reaction if its the saliva.

I am not allergic to cats; however, I was at a show and got to pet a friend's sphynx (NOT for me ) - and I had a reaction to touching it. Washed off my hands and was ok. Never before had I any reaction in handling a cat.

I have two DSH cats that don't seem to shed too much. I brush them daily, feed them high quality food, & give them regular baths. That seems to cut down on any issues of hair flying everywhere. There is still hair on everything in the house. I like to think of it as their little "trademark".

I find mine shed very minimally thanks to a high quality diet. The healthier the coat, the less they seem to shed. IMO

I have a moggie with the same coat type as a Birman (soft fuzzy undercoat, no outter coat), she sheds about half as much as my shorthairs, and about a quarter as much as my longhair.

Diet and environment are huge factors in shed amounts and overall skin and coat quality.

You could always get them used to being vacuumed. Bijou loves to be vacuumed (with the central vac since it is much more quiet than the beater bar vacuum).

the sphynx doesn't shed because it has no hair

Originally Posted by Yosemite

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Ragdolls apparently don't shed a lot (if what I've been told is true) if shedding is a concern.

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Ragdolls don't shed as much as other breeds, but during spring they do a major shed of the winter coat. At other times, however, the shedding is minimal compared than other long and short hair breeds. Although, the Ragdoll is considered a long hair, their coats are more of a medium length. If shedding is a big concern, I am not sure if a Ragdoll would be the best choice. I would think what has been suggested with the sphynx or the rexes would be best for a extemely minimal or non shedding breed.

I find our ragdoll sheds quite a bit, more than our NFC

I have a ragdoll/ragamuffin mix and she never sheds I swear. I rarely brush her and when I do almost no hair comes off. One time she got a few knots above her tail and I had to shave her in that spot. That was the only incident I ever had with her. She is 3.

I have a cornish rex which is a breed that does not have the outer coat of fur but just the undercoat. The texture of his coat is very soft. Sort of like velvet. My husband feel in love with his coat right off. That is why we got him initially. He doesn't shed anywhere near what my other three do. As a matter of fact I have never seen any of his hairs around. I am sure they are there but maybe lost with the others hair. The other thing I love about Zander is he is extremely affectionate ( a trait of the breed) There isn't a lap he doesn't love to sit in. And since the lack of outer hair makes him a little chilly he loves to snuggle. He is also a very active and intelligent cat which makes him a joy to watch and interact with. The Cornish Rex also has a very distinctive look which my husband liked. The description on the Cat Fanciers Association fit him to a tee if you are comparing breed and looking on that website. They also have pictures of the Cornish Rex. My husband and I are just so in love with this little guy. So are everyone who came over to greet him when we first got him. He is very social and fearless. Good luck on your research and may I commend you on finding a breed that would suit you.

Tricia Conley

The only time I *ever* see my bengal or savannah shed is when they are stressed (car ride). Our tabby cat sheds just a little. Bengals aren't supposed to shed much but its hard to determine as we do a raw diet and that makes a huge impact on whether the cat sheds or not.