Those tiny white specks on your cat's lush fur look terrible. But dandruff in cats is more than a cosmetic problem. While the most common cause of dry, flaky skin is a poor diet, dandruff in older cats can also be a sign of serious illness. Obese cats who are unable to groom themselves thoroughly often develop dandruff, too. Understanding the causes of dandruff will help you prevent it in your cat.
-
Dry Food, Dry Skin
-
Cats' bodies are designed to get most of the moisture they need with their food, not a bowl of water. Adding wet food to your cat's daily diet will improve hydration and help prevent dry skin and dandruff.
Not Enough Fat
-
Cats need omega-3 fatty acids to produce new skin cells. But these essential building blocks of healthy skin are missing or unavailable in sufficient quantities in many commercial cat foods. Adding wild salmon or fish oil to your cats' food will give them the omega-3's they need for healthy skin. Buy the gel caps and use a push pin to prick a hole in the capsules so you can pour the oil over your cats' food.
Tuna is also rich in omega-3's, but feed it in moderation.
Fat Cat
-
It's difficult for obese cats to groom themselves, causing matted fur and dandruff. Your fat cat will slim down and be able to groom himself again if you gradually transition him to all-wet food diet.
Chronic Health Problems
-
Diabetes and heart and kidney disease are common in aging cats, and all can cause dry skin and dandruff. Dandruff can also be a sign of a liver imbalance.
If your cat was treated with radio iodine for hyperthyroidism and develops greasy fur and dandruff, suspect hypothyroidism. Although hypothyroidism is rare in cats, just under five percent of cats who have the radio iodine treatment become hypothyroid, according to the veterinarians at Southpaws Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Center in Fairfax, Va.
Food Allergies
-
Food allergies can make cats itch so much they scratch incessantly. While anti-itch shampoos and sprays provide relief, they rob the skin of its essential oils. Eliminating the allergen from your cat's diet could end the itching and make sprays and shampoos unnecessary. Some common allergens are corn, wheat gluten and other grains, and artificial colorings and preservatives. Beef and seafood, too, are common allergens in cats.
Walking Dandruff
-
Cheyletiellosis is a skin disease caused by cheyletiella mites. It's often called "walking dandruff" because when you look at an infested cat, the "dandruff" appears to be moving. Cheyletiellosis is contagious and can quickly spread to all of the cats, dogs and humans in the household. Treatment options include an injection of ivermectin or applying such topical flea control products as Revolution, Advantage or Frontline. Getting rid of the mites with a topical flea product usually requires at least two applications one month apart.
-