Long haired and shedding...A LOT

Hello. I have posted this already as a reply to someone elses thread. that was not a very good place to post this since it is a "new" post verses a reply...so if you have already read this, please disreguard....Thanks!


I have a few questions. first...I love animals. I have had cats off and on for years. My best pet ever was Leo, a beautiful grey persian! I got him when he was 4 months old and he died just before turning 15. He was my friend! I loved him very much! I am saying this because my questions may be taken wrong. I want you to see I am a cat lover at heart...
Okay, we have 2 lizzards, 2 gerbils, 4 hampsters, 2 hermit crabs, 2 bosten terrier dogs, one short haired cat i had bottle fed from the age of 2 days old. She is now 2 years old....And no shedding hair. I like that part.... Yesterday my husband went to buy crickets for the lizzards, and bought a cat....He had been brought in a few hours earlier. His owner was an elderly lady who had died. he is about a year and a half old. He was very scared, of course. Well, this is the biggest cat I have ever seen! He is all white..and looooong hair. Did I say Loooong?!? And thick. You breath towards this cat and he sheds. he is still hidding in my laundry room. We go back and talk to him, we have sat and tried to pet him, but right now, we are just waiting on him to feel comfortable. Relaxed. Now when I had my persian, he dropped clumpes, very rarly did I see strands of hair. I have hair right now on my key pad from Max (the new cats name). He is in a room two rooms away!
Okay, now I have written a small book, may questions.
Could he be shedding badly because of nerves? We also have 4 kiddos, and this cat has been given to my 9 year old daughter who has been wanting her own cat for 2 years! She loves him already. We have told her that she needs to brush him every morning as part of her morning routine. (I am sure that will not always happen... ....) I understand that with a long haired cat we will always see some hair, but will this cut most out? Most of the shedding I mean. He sheds the fine, long hair that floats in the air. I LOVE pets, but HATE hair mess. Iknow, I knwo...they go together. We have, after Leo, been careful to select pets that do not shed much. But this poor kitty needed to get out of the pet store.
He looks a bit like the Turkish Angora that Kattengek shows in the pics.
Is there anything...omega oils...that I could give him? That would help with shedding and hair balls? I am assuming that with hair like that, we are going to see hair ball concerns. And, last thing, is there a certain food that can help?
We just got him last night. Even though he is scared and still "hidding"...he seems such a neat disposition. I was petting him earlier, and even though he was shaking, he started to purr. He is just so beautiful....*clears throat*...I mean Handsome!

Cats drop hair when they are stressed.
Bless you for taking in this displaced gentleman.
I'm sure he is probably also still grieving for his lost 'mom'.
Do not push yourselves on him, let him come to you on his own terms, he's been through a lot.
I don't think I would let the kids interact too much with him until he is a bit more comfortable.

He needs a vet check up.
If he is healthy (stress also makes them sick), and on a quality diet, the shedding should go back to normal amounts once he's comfortable.

I know my cats shed huge amounts when they go to the vet. It is amazing, the table, me, the vet tech, and the vet end up covered with hair. I know stress can cause instantaneous huge amounts of shedding.

Hey guys...thanks. Last night was...hummm...
Max desided at like 11:30 he would get curious. Like I said I have another cat...and also 2 dogs......We had some barking and hissig, but then everything went okay. IAt first Max was timmid, but then he stood tall like...hey I belong here too...back off! It was funny.
Ya, I hear you about the kids and Max. (I have a 7 yr. old and 5 yr. old boys...they cant go near Max right now...LOL) Although we have allowed Abigail (my nine yr. old daughter) to go back with him and pet him, talk to him. She is a very gentle little girl. When Max was wondering around last night, he went to her bed and sniffed and sniffed at her. I thought he was going to just jump up and lay with her. I think he is very fond of Abby. She has helped make him feel very loved.
Thanks again....Today is better. And yes, I agree...he needs to explore, at his pace. And I know he will.

what food are you feeding??? check to see if it has at least 3% linoleic /omega 6 if it doesnt I suggest finding one that does... you can add oils to food I use olive cause it is balenced omega 3 6 9

Also, if you get the vet check up in sooner rather then later, you won't have to go thru the stress and everything twice. That is just my opinion though, I don't know. I would hate for him to get all relaxed and happy and trusting you and then you take him to the vet and he freaks out all over again. Then again, once he gets to trust you, he may not be that way. But with another cat in the house too, he really should be tested and just checked out by a vet. Vaccinated if necessary. Doesn't need to be done every year. Those vaccines last a few years. Plus I hope you will be keeping him indoors cuz then it really isn't a big concern. Is he neutered? Another important thing too.

Food is a big deal with highly shedding cats. Remember though it probably is greatly increased since he is so nervous and new and everything. It is important he is fed a high quality food (not one from a grocery store) and you will have to search around or ask for others advice on specific brands for long hair/healthy fur, etc. I THINK Royal Canin has a long hair formula, I could be wrong but I saw a brand of food at PetSmart that had one specially for long haired cats and I can't remember for sure which it was.

Thanks guys, great advice! Yes, he has been neutered, he is up on his shots...he is a very healthy young man...
We live just outside of town on a very busy road, plus we have a small woods behind us, so he can not be outside, at all. The shedding is all but stopped. Abigail (the 9 year old) has been brushing him. He loves it! Just stretches a purrs.....Max (the cat) sleeps with her all night, at the foot of her bed. Abigail is in second heaven!
We had done Iams for Leo (he was my persian) because of the low ash. If this cat is a Turkish angora, and the more I look the more I think he is, he will have to keep on a good diet. We have found true that pure breeds of any type...dogs...cats...need a better diet. The mixes, muts if you will, can eat anything...LOL!
Max is doing great. I really thank you guys for all your info and help. Leo, the persian, just didnt shed like this, so did not understand...I think it was stress. Now Max has taken over the beds, and under the beds as cats will do, and feels at home....This does NOT make Bell happy (the other cat) I guess they will need to come to terms on their own on this one...