Floppycats
For most cats, you don’t need to shave them and you shouldn’t. Shaving a cat isn’t inherently cruel but cats don’t need to be shaved when all is going well, and their fur is a natural insulator that regulates their body temperature.
However, I’m not completely against shaving your cat. Many readers feel strongly that Ragdolls should not be shaved. However, I do believe there are times that it is more favorable for the cat and the owner to have a kitty shaved.
Simply, you don’t stop your ragdoll from shedding. It’s important and natural for your cat to shed. What you want to be doing is finding out how to stop your cat shedding all over your home, and for that you want to keep up that brushing routine.
If you’ve tried everything to brush out the matted fur with no success, and you can’t comfortably trim the affected areas, then shaving is less cruel than leaving the matted fur to develop further and cause major health issues.
Yes, if you need to shave your cat and they’re an indoor cat they will be OK. You shouldn’t need to shave your indoor cat, unless matted fur is becoming impossible to manage through other means.
It’s possible for your cat’s fur to change color when it grows back after being shaved. Over time, your cat will normally revert back to their original color, but the initial regrowth could be a different color as suddenly your cat’s body is a lot cooler, which affects the shade of the fur.