Cat breeds that shed the most and least

Do all cats shed?

Yes. Hair grows, rests and falls out in cycles, and every cat with a coat loses some of it. Even breed clubs that describe a breed as low-shedding say so plainly. The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) page on the Devon Rex says that “while all cats shed, Devons certainly shed less than most”, and its Ragdoll page notes that “like all breeds of cats, Ragdoll will shed, usually with the change of seasons”.

What changes from breed to breed is how much hair there is to lose and how it is built. Three things matter most:

• Coat length. Long hair is more visible on furniture and more likely to tangle.
• Undercoat. A soft, dense layer under the longer guard hairs adds a lot of volume, and much of it comes out at once when the seasons change.
• Density. A short coat can still hold a great deal of hair if it grows thickly.

Seasons play a part too. Cornell’s Feline Health Center notes that hairballs form more often in the seasons when cats normally shed their coats, which is a good reminder that most cats have heavier and lighter months.

How do popular breeds compare?

The table below sums up 15 popular breeds. The coat details come from each breed’s CFA profile and standard, linked in the first column. The shedding column uses the CFA’s own wording where it gives one; where it doesn’t, we say so instead of guessing. The brushing column is a guide only. Where the CFA gives a frequency, we use it; where it doesn’t, the suggestion is ours, based on coat type.

Individual cats vary a lot within a breed. Diet, age, health, indoor heating and the time of year all change how much hair you find on the sofa, so treat the table as a starting point, not a promise.

Which cat breeds shed the most?

The heaviest shedders combine length or density with a full undercoat.

Exotic and Persian. The CFA calls Exotics “heavier (mostly seasonal) shedders” and says that in shedding season a bath may be needed to remove the built-up undercoat. The Exotic is a shorter-haired cousin of the Persian, and its coat has a thick undercoat that makes it stand off from the body. For the Persian itself, the CFA describes a coat that is “long and thick, standing off from the body” and says owning one “calls for a serious commitment to regular grooming, and also to regular vacuuming”.

Maine Coon. The CFA describes a heavy, shaggy coat, shorter on the shoulders and longer on the stomach and back legs. Breeders recommend combing two or three times a week to control shedding, prevent hairballs and stop mats, and the CFA adds that sessions need not take longer than five or ten minutes. Cornell’s Feline Health Center names Persians and Maine Coons as long-haired breeds that may be at greater risk for hairballs.

Siberian cat shedding. The Siberian has a triple coat with a tight undercoat that the CFA says is thicker in cold weather. The coat is “noticeably thicker in the colder months, and shorter and less dense in the summer”, which means a lot of hair has to go somewhere when the weather warms. The CFA notes that coats vary enormously; some Siberians need weekly sessions to prevent mats.

Norwegian Forest Cat. Its standard describes a dense undercoat under long, water-resistant guard hairs, with the undercoat at full development in winter. The CFA says the coat is generally tangle-free compared with other long-haired breeds, but expect a big change in spring, when the winter coat gives way to a lighter one.

Dense shorthairs. Short does not always mean low-shedding. The CFA says the British Shorthair coat “contains more hairs per square inch than any other breed” and that “it would be unrealistic not to expect some shedding”. The Russian Blue has a short double coat that stands out from the body because of its density.

Which cat breeds shed the least?

The lightest shedders have short, fine coats and little or no undercoat.

Cornish Rex and Devon Rex. The CFA says the Cornish Rex coat is “completely free of guard hairs” and that the breed is “prone to only minimal shedding”; regular combing is not needed. The Devon Rex has only sparse, short guard hairs and, in the CFA’s words, sheds less than most cats. Both coats are fragile, so heavy brushing does more harm than good.

Sphynx. The closest thing to a non-shedding cat, though not truly hairless: the CFA says short hair is usually present on the nose, ears and tail, and that the amount can change with the seasons and hormones. The trade-off is skin care. The breed has very oily skin that needs regular bathing.

Burmese. The CFA describes a very short, fine, glossy coat that “sheds minimally” and suggests a rubber brush once a week to remove dead hair.

Bengal cat shedding. The CFA says the Bengal coat “does not shed heavily, especially in comparison to other shorthair breeds”, and recommends a weekly session with a soft-bristled brush.

Siamese cat shedding. The Siamese has a short, fine coat that lies close to the body, but the CFA is direct: “Siamese do shed”. The good news is that grooming is easy. The CFA suggests wetting your hands and stroking the coat until your hands are dry, which lifts out dead hair; a rubber brush works too.

Ragdoll cat shedding. The Ragdoll is a long-haired cat that sheds less than you might expect. The CFA says its semi-long coat is mostly guard hairs without a significant undercoat, and that “the absence of the thick, dense, insulating undercoats results in reduced shedding and matting”. A steel comb once or twice a week is usually enough.

Is there a non-shedding cat?

No cat with fur is non-shedding. The Sphynx comes closest because it has so little hair, and the Rex breeds shed lightly. If you are looking because of allergies, be careful: low shedding is not the same as low allergen. The CFA’s Sphynx page puts it plainly: a freshly bathed Sphynx is unlikely to cause severe symptoms, but “this does not add up to a low-allergen cat”. If allergies are the concern, spend time with the breed before you commit, and talk to your doctor.

Does a single coat shed less?

Often, yes, at least in volume. The undercoat is the part that comes out in clumps during seasonal changes, so a coat with a minimal undercoat leaves less fluff behind. The Ragdoll is the clearest example: the CFA links its reduced shedding directly to the lack of a thick undercoat.

But coat structure is only part of the picture. A single-layer coat can still be very dense, like the British Shorthair, whose standard says it is not double coated, yet the CFA still expects shedding. And a short coat without an undercoat, like the Siamese, still drops hair all year. Length, density and undercoat together decide how much hair you will see.

How do you keep shedding under control at home?

You can’t stop a cat from shedding, but you can catch the hair before it lands on the sofa.

• Brush to the coat, not the calendar. Use the table as a starting point and add sessions in spring and autumn, when many cats lose more hair.
• Use the right tool. A steel comb suits long coats like the Persian and Maine Coon; a rubber brush or damp hands suit short, fine coats. Fragile Rex coats need only a light touch.
• Keep sessions short. A few minutes, stopping while your cat is still relaxed, works better than one long session.
• Watch for hairballs. Cornell’s Feline Health Center recommends getting into the habit of brushing and combing daily, especially for long-haired cats. Call your vet if your cat retches without bringing anything up, or stops eating.

If your cat loses more hair than its breed would suggest, or you see bald patches, read our guide on a 10-minute shedding-season routine and check with your vet. For long or double coats, our guide on grooming vacuums for long and double coats explains what works on thick fur. Some owners of heavy shedders use a grooming vacuum to pull loose hair into a container as they brush. If your cat is wary of noise, start with introducing a grooming vacuum to a nervous cat.