Coat: what can I do to give my cat a beautiful coat?

When it comes to grooming, our cats are experts; they know very well how to take care of their coat. But to have a beautiful fur, our little companions also need our help, both in maintenance and in their diet. Brushing, nutrition… Find all our tips to keep your cat’s coat beautiful and to ensure their fur is softer and shinier all year round.

Did you know? The cat’s coat is made up of several types of hair. There is the guard hair or topcoat which protects the entire coat; the secondary hair or undercoat which protects the skin; the down or fluff hair which acts as thermal insulation; and finally the vibrissae, better known as whiskers, the cat’s sensory organs. Whether short, medium, long, or curly, our cats’ hairs are extremely important. They protect our furry friends from all external aggressions.

Taking care of your cat’s coat is therefore essential, especially since a quality coat is a sign of good health. A cat with greasy and dull fur or a cat losing a lot of hair may suffer from nutritional deficiencies or parasitic infections; external parasites like fleas and mites, and internal parasites such as intestinal worms, cause infections and skin lesions that contribute to the deterioration of the cat’s coat condition. For more information, feel free to check our dedicated articles (the little pink links).

Of course, if you notice that your cat’s coat is abnormal, we invite you to consult your veterinarian so they can find the cause and prescribe an appropriate treatment. Skin diseases in cats are numerous.

How to keep my cat’s coat beautiful?

Brush your cat regularly

Brushing, when done regularly, is a valuable help to the licking your cat does itself. During grooming, your little companion can remove most dead hairs from their coat, but they cannot get rid of them all with just their tiny tongue strokes. By brushing them, you help your cat get rid of all dead hairs which can not only bother them but also disrupt their skin’s ecosystem.

At Ziggy, we recommend brushing your cat at least once a week with a suitable brush to remove dead hairs, shine their coat, prevent knots and above all, avoid hairballs!

Remember that during grooming, your little cat swallows many hairs. These accumulate in their stomach and form hairballs called “trichobezoars.” When these become too large, kitty can no longer eliminate them and vomits them up. They can also cause intestinal blockage.

The Ziggy cat brush

At Ziggy, we created the cat brush we dreamed of, for long hair, short hair and/or fans of head massages (a little more on the right, rrrrr).

A double-headed brush made of ash wood from sustainably managed forests, vegan and made in France in the Oise region to brush and enhance your furry friend’s coat.

Besides brushing, can you bathe your cat?

In stores, you can see more and more shampoos or grooming products for cats. Why not, but bathing is actually only useful if your cat has been exposed to a smelly or toxic substance. Washing won’t have any effect on their coat.

Unless your cat has been used to it since a very young age, bathing can be a stressful or even traumatic event to be avoided at all costs. Stress in our little cats can have multiple health consequences: compulsive licking, eating disorders, etc. So avoid giving your pet a bath if they have never had one.

Provide your cat with quality nutrition

A healthy coat mainly depends on good nutrition, healthy and balanced. As mentioned earlier, a cat with a poor coat condition probably suffers from nutritional deficiencies. Their diet does not meet all their nutritional needs! It’s just like us: if we eat badly, our hair will be affected. Haven’t you noticed? When we eat healthy and balanced, our hair looks much better.

Several nutrients play a role in your little cat’s coat. These include proteins, essential fatty acids such as Omega 3 and 6, vitamins A, E and B group and trace elements such as copper and zinc. All these nutrients contribute to the good health of your whiskered friend’s coat. If they are not in sufficient quantity, kitty’s fur looks dull and unhealthy.

What diet to give for a beautiful coat?

A diet rich in quality proteins

In cats, skin and hair are largely made of proteins: about 90% of hair is keratin. During hair growth phases, protein needs can represent up to 30% of the cat’s protein intake!

Proteins are extremely important as they provide the 11 essential amino acids for cat health: taurine, arginine, phenylalanine, methionine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, lysine, tryptophan, threonine, and histidine. Among these, 2 are involved in coat health: methionine and isoleucine.

A deficiency in methionine (cysteine) causes hair loss, slow growth, and dull fur. This sulfur amino acid is found in eggs, fish, and meat. Isoleucine is abundant in animal tissues, especially muscles (beef, lamb, and poultry).

Note that a phenylalanine deficiency can cause "reddening" in black cats. Learn more in our article: Why my black cat’s fur reddens.

A deficiency in methionine (cysteine) notably causes hair loss, slow growth, and dull coat. This sulfur-containing amino acid is found in eggs, fish, and meat. As for isoleucine, it is abundant in animal tissues, especially in muscles (beef, lamb, and poultry).

Please note that a deficiency in phenylalanine can cause "reddening" in black cats. Learn more in our article: why my black cat's fur reddens.

Besides these amino acids, proteins are also sources of vitamin A. Also called retinol, this vitamin plays a fundamental role in vision, especially in adapting to darkness, but also participates in many other functions such as cell growth and tissue renewal (skin). It is found only in animal tissues (offal (liver), meat, fish, and eggs).

Finally, they are sources of copper and zinc. A copper deficiency can cause coat discoloration, dull and rough hair, and a zinc deficiency can cause scaling.

For a beautiful and shiny coat, it is therefore essential to provide your cat with protein-rich food.

Beware: not all pâtés and kibbles are equal!

Some industrial pâtés and kibbles for cats may have a high protein content, but these proteins are not always of good quality. Often, instead of muscle meat, you find reconstituted meat, animal meal, or mechanically separated meat (MSM). Obtained after deboning, MSM may contain bone, cartilage, or marrow residues. Yum, yum, yum…

With little nutritional value, these proteins may also impact your kitty's health. When consuming these proteins, its metabolism will not use all of them. The amino acids deemed unnecessary will be eliminated through urine. Your little cat’s kidneys will be more stressed, which can develop into chronic kidney disease over time. Besides bad fur, kitty could suffer kidney problems 😿

How to know if the proteins used are of good quality?

If you want to know more, feel free to read our article about proteins in your cat's diet. We explain everything so you can choose the best food for your little companion.

At Ziggy, no secrets. We show full transparency on all our products. Quality comes first; our recipes, formulated by Dr. Géraldine Blanchard, DVM, contain no MSM, no animal meal, and no reconstituted meat. In our cat foods, we use only muscle meat and high-quality offal rich in nutrients (amino acids, vitamin A, trace elements).

A diet rich in fatty acids

Boost your Omega 3 intake with our Ziggy Care Omega Boost

For an even silkier coat, we developed Omega Boost, a fish oil for cats, to add on your cat’s kibbles and/or pâté. It is rich in high-quality Omega 3 EPA & DHA, from small cold-water fish (sardines, mackerel, anchovies) and algae.

Thanks to its high EPA & DHA content, Omega Boost helps improve coat quality and beauty and supports healthy, protective skin. EPA & DHA help reduce the production and release of inflammatory stimulators. As precursors of specific prostaglandins, they help improve dry skin and dandruff, enhancing your cat’s coat.

A bit of brewer’s yeast

You’re not dreaming, brewer’s yeast is beneficial for your little cat’s coat. And for good reason: it is very rich in B vitamins, especially vitamin B3 (niacin). As mentioned earlier in this article, B vitamins play a role in your cat’s coat. And brewer’s yeast contains the most!

Vitamin B3 actively contributes to its health and quality. It helps your kitty have a shiny, non-greasy, non-dull coat. And good news: besides providing softness and shine, niacin supports proper digestive function. Happy coat and happy intestines! What more could you ask for?

Oh, we almost forgot: brewer’s yeast is also rich in vitamin B1 (thiamine). This vitamin supports the proper functioning of your cat’s body and concentrates in the heart, kidneys, liver, and brain.

Vitamin B3 is found in brewer’s yeast but also in meat and especially offal. Vitamin B1 can also be found in offal, egg yolk, and meat (chicken, pork). But again, watch ingredient quality!

For more information, check out our article on the benefits of brewer’s yeast for your cat.

At Ziggy, our products contain brewer’s yeast as well as high-quality offal to ensure our cats receive a sufficient and balanced intake of B vitamins. 💛

You understand now: a good diet is essential for your cat to have a beautiful coat. And many other things too. If you have questions, feel free to contact us. We will answer all your questions. Meanwhile, let’s brush our cats and offer them a delicious Ziggy pâté. 😽