Cat Dry Skin Remedy

Many cats develop dry skin during winter months, while a few cats suffer from dry skin throughout the year. Besides the irritation dry skin causes your feline, dry skin increases the amount of dander produced by your pet. Your cat's fur will loose its gloss and fullness when the pet has dry skin. You will also notice flakes beneath the fur in some cats. From grooming to nutrition, there are several treatments you can provide to help alleviate the symptoms and soothe your cat's dry skin.

  1. Grooming

    • Cats do not need to be bathed unless they have grease or another similar substance on their coats. Cats take care of bathing on their own. Bathing your cat will only traumatize the pet and make its dry skin worse. Combing your cat's fur more often will help to remove dander and loose hair, both of which will be more copious with dry skin. Brushing your cat also encourages circulation and will help to treat her dry skin.

    Nutrition

    • The quality of your cat's diet will be reflected in its coat and skin. Feed your cat a high quality diet to improve dry skin and to ensure that it has a healthy coat. Look at the label on your cat food. If corn is one of the first three ingredients listed, you should switch to a higher quality food. Corn is filler in cat food and too much filler leads to poor nutrition, which may contribute to skin conditions and poor coat condition.

    Supplements

    • Supplementing your cat's food with liquid vitamin E may help to alleviate dry skin. Empty a 400 IU vitamin E capsule onto your cat's food once a week. Adding an eighth of a teaspoon of fish oil to the food each day, or a tablespoon of olive oil a few times a week, can also help to alleviate dry skin in cats. Adding omega fatty acids to your cat's diet may also be helpful.

    Environment

    • It may be that the conditions inside your house, especially in the winter when the furnace or electric heat is running, are the main contributors to your cat's dry skin. Adding a humidifier to the room where the cat sleeps may help to provide some moisture for its skin. You can also try putting your pet in a steamy bathroom after you've taken a shower. The humidity may provide some temporary relief.

    Veterinarian

    • Your cat may have something more serious than dry skin if it exhibits certain symptoms in addition to the dry skin. If its skin becomes red or has bumps or rashes, if there are any open sores or hair loss, you should take the cat to a veterinarian. Dull, dry hair that easily comes out or if the cat is constantly licking its fur or rubbing its face, it may have a more serious condition and should see a veterinarian.