I know someone who’s grandma apparently VACUUMS her cats - with the attachment - to keep them from shedding.

As appealing as this may sound, my cat is having none of it. (We actually tried it, for the sake of science.) Dealing with a a constant onslaught of cat hair is no light matter, though - especially when a good share of your clothes are black. Simple cleaning tips don’t do it - this requires actual equipment.

Get a Roomba. They cost about $200-$300, but it’s sooooooooooooooooooooo worth it. I can turn it on when I leave for work every morning, and it vacuums while I’m gone. I’ve never had cleaner floors. It picks up the dust and cat-hair while its still on the floor, before it all gathers into the corners into giant dust-bunnies. It doesn’t replace periodic deep-cleaning, of course, but it definitely keeps the general level of cat-hair down.

Get a FURminatorIt’s an expensive brush (retails for about $30), but the fine-toothed combs remove the thick undercoat, without damaging the topcoat (which they do in a brush-out at the groomers). Considering that a bath and a brush-out at the groomer costs about $50, this brush pays for itself pretty quickly. When I first got one, I brushed my cat obsessively until I discovered she was developing bald patches… poor kitty. (They’ve grown back now, don’t worry.) Seriously,though, it takes off easily 4-5 times as much hair as my regular cat brush.

Give the cat a bath. I know, my cat hates it too. And she has her claws, which doesn’t help anything. Her hair is so long, though, that she has trouble keeping up with it herself, and all of that hair basically just picks up whatever dirt is already on my floors (she’s like a swiffer). I trim her claws a day or two before the bath, put on something with long sleeves, then launch a surprise attack. I trap her in the bathroom, and draw a lukewarm bath. I put a towel on the floor of the tub, so she doesn’t slip and freak out more, and gently spray her down with the handheld sprayer. If I keep my hand on the back of her neck (where mommy cats pick up their kittens), she stays relatively calm. Lather up once with some cat shampoo, spray her down, and then shut off the water. By then her spirit is broken, and she’s just happy to be alive, so she’s pretty patient while I dry her off with towel, and then with a blow-dryer on the cool setting.

The whole bathing a cat thing isn’t for the faint of heart, however. Depending upon how much trouble you and your cat are willing to put up with, a trip to the groomers may be a very worthwhile investment.