Believe it or not, cats hair grows a bit courser in the winter than during the summer. After the spring shedding period it may come in softer.
Somethings you should do, provide your cat with grease. The best way to moisturize is inside out. I would suggest a can of tuna every week (cats love the stuff) and tuna has a lot of fish oils in it.
Regular Brushing. By pulling a brush through the fur you are pulling the natural oils up from the base and through the rest of the hair - these oils act very much like conditioner does on your hair.
Static cling? Use a fabric softener sheet. A couple of strokes (daily) down the back of the cat helps to reduce the static charge. And leaves your cat smelling spring fresh too
Also dump more moisture into the air. You really don't have to buy a humidifier to do this. Fill a jar, pot, or nice little vase with water and set it over or near a vent (Hard to do if your forced air comes out of the ceiling) or you can take to simmering a pot of water on the stove for an hour or so.
We have floor vents and we have this, ugl- er, interesting vase thingy that was given as a gift. I fill it half way full of water very day and I use cinnamon sticks, cloves and other nice smelling spices in the water. I make certain to clean the vase every two days, replenishing the water when needed. If you have a gas oven with a pilot light, you can mix up water and spices and set it in the oven with the door cracked open. Evaporation will take place and will cause moisture to load up in the air.
I also change my cooking habits in the winter. Not only do I bake more, but I boil and steam more foods - all of this adds moisture to the air.
Lastly, pet the cat. Rubbing your hand down the fur will leave your oils on the fur which will soften it.
Cheers
David
