zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,873
|
Post by zibazinski on Mar 31, 2013 7:11:35 GMT -5
Can a cat have dandruff? If so, what to do about it?
|
|
bookkeeper
Well-Known Member
Joined: Mar 30, 2012 13:40:42 GMT -5
Posts: 1,723
|
Post by bookkeeper on Mar 31, 2013 7:34:04 GMT -5
Dander on a cat is sign of dry skin. I have tackled this problem by giving the cat a bath with a mild pet soap. Next, you need to address his feed. If you are feeding dry food, you need to find a different dry food with more fat content. I have fed my cat 1/2 can of tuna or other canned catfoood per day for at least a week to help get rid of the dander. Lastly, grooming the cat by brushing his fur will help loosen those dead skin cells so they fall off where you want them instead of on your couch. Dander goes hand in hand with spring shedding. My cat has it too. The bath will get rid of it. The increase in fat in kitty's diet will keep it gone.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Jun 29, 2024 5:06:04 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2013 7:46:25 GMT -5
throw the cat in the washing machine with some head and shoulders in it. press the on switch. problem solved ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/wink.png)
|
|
mmhmm
Administrator
It's a great pity the right of free speech isn't based on the obligation to say something sensible.
Joined: Dec 25, 2010 18:13:34 GMT -5
Posts: 31,770
Today's Mood: Saddened by Events
Location: Memory Lane
Favorite Drink: Water
|
Post by mmhmm on Mar 31, 2013 7:46:45 GMT -5
How old is your cat, zib, and is the dandruff a new thing, or has the cat always had dandruff?
|
|
swamp
Community Leader
Don't be a fool. Call me!
Joined: Dec 19, 2010 16:03:22 GMT -5
Posts: 45,411
|
Post by swamp on Mar 31, 2013 8:26:30 GMT -5
I've had dogs with dandruff. I didn't do anything about it.
|
|
Cass
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 0:43:29 GMT -5
Posts: 2,451
|
Post by Cass on Mar 31, 2013 8:50:56 GMT -5
My vet recommended fish oil for my dogs dry skin.
|
|
Tennesseer
Member Emeritus
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 21:58:42 GMT -5
Posts: 63,836
|
Post by Tennesseer on Mar 31, 2013 8:59:47 GMT -5
Zibzanski-as cats get on into their late years, self-grooming of the whole body becomes less. My oldest cat will be 17. He has a tough time grooming parts of his body. The fur gets matted and the dander appears under that. Brushing him in those areas really brings up the dander.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Jun 29, 2024 5:06:04 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2013 9:14:43 GMT -5
My dog has dandruff . . . it's dry skin. Cocker spaniels are known for it. We wash with a moisturizing shampoo.
|
|
zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,873
|
Post by zibazinski on Mar 31, 2013 12:10:42 GMT -5
She's 13. I suppose I've noticed it before but never thought much of it. She's kinda fat so grooming may be harder for her. Ill give her a bath and some wet food, thanks.
|
|
kittensaver
Junior Associate
We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love. - Mother Teresa
Joined: Nov 22, 2011 16:16:36 GMT -5
Posts: 7,983
|
Post by kittensaver on Mar 31, 2013 12:27:55 GMT -5
She's 13. I suppose I've noticed it before but never thought much of it. She's kinda fat so grooming may be harder for her. Ill give her a bath and some wet food, thanks. Just giving her wet food may not do the trick. She probably needs more "good fats" in her diet, and she may or may not get enough just from switching from dry to canned. If you start giving her canned food, add some fish oil.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Jun 29, 2024 5:06:04 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2013 13:04:15 GMT -5
My cat and I take the same fish oil pills from Costco. She thinks it's a treat and no longer has much of a dandruff problem. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/wink.png)
|
|
zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,873
|
Post by zibazinski on Mar 31, 2013 14:53:42 GMT -5
I also take those fish oil pills from Costco. Do you give your cat one a day?
|
|
zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,873
|
Post by zibazinski on Mar 31, 2013 15:35:22 GMT -5
Great, she wouldn't drink it but the cat without dandruff just lapped it up like it was liquid gold. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/sad.png)
|
|
kittensaver
Junior Associate
We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love. - Mother Teresa
Joined: Nov 22, 2011 16:16:36 GMT -5
Posts: 7,983
|
Post by kittensaver on Mar 31, 2013 15:38:02 GMT -5
Great, she wouldn't drink it but the cat without dandruff just lapped it up like it was liquid gold. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/sad.png) Well LOL it IS liquid gold! Try mixing it into her food. Sound like you have a dry food addict ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/sad.png) . I had one too, and it took quite a while to - ah - "convince" him to eat healthier. He finally did, and in a few months dropped down to an appropriate weight.
|
|
zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,873
|
Post by zibazinski on Mar 31, 2013 15:41:59 GMT -5
The food is dry and shared with 2 other cats besides her. Is there a canned cat food I could give her, she'd eat that. I hate to make her fatter but that dandruff is just gross.
|
|
zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,873
|
Post by zibazinski on Mar 31, 2013 15:42:33 GMT -5
She does like tuna water. I could get tuna in oil. I'd hate that for me but would do it for her.
|
|
zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,873
|
Post by zibazinski on Mar 31, 2013 15:42:55 GMT -5
Maybe I could mix the fish oil in tuna water?
|
|
kittensaver
Junior Associate
We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love. - Mother Teresa
Joined: Nov 22, 2011 16:16:36 GMT -5
Posts: 7,983
|
Post by kittensaver on Mar 31, 2013 16:09:26 GMT -5
Maybe for her sake you need to put everyone on canned food only for a while? Some cats are fine "free feeding" on dry food because they can self regulate their portions - and some get fat and uncomfortable (can't groom themselves, have trouble jumping) and have skin and other problems.
I was dry feeding my cats IAMS because I was told it was a "premium" food, and after one of them died way too young of liver failure (during the China melamine scandal), I moved to canned Wellness. Yes, it's more work having to stop what you're doing and feed everyone two structured meals a day rather than just putting dry food out and letting them help themselves, but for me it was ultimately worth it. Everyone slimmed down, my "porker" slimmed down A LOT, and their coats got thicker and shinier (we never had dandruff problems, though).
Good luck and keep trying different approaches, one will work soon!
|
|
kittensaver
Junior Associate
We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love. - Mother Teresa
Joined: Nov 22, 2011 16:16:36 GMT -5
Posts: 7,983
|
Post by kittensaver on Mar 31, 2013 16:13:20 GMT -5
Tuna is okay as an every-once-in-a-while treat (and it may be a good incentive to get some fish oil down her!), but a diet too high in fish can cause urinary tract and other problems.
Contrary to what many people think, fish is NOT a part of a cat's natural diet. In nature, cats eat small rodents. In nature, there is only one wild cat (from China) that hunts fish.
|
|
Tennesseer
Member Emeritus
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 21:58:42 GMT -5
Posts: 63,836
|
Post by Tennesseer on Mar 31, 2013 16:16:46 GMT -5
|
|
bookkeeper
Well-Known Member
Joined: Mar 30, 2012 13:40:42 GMT -5
Posts: 1,723
|
Post by bookkeeper on Mar 31, 2013 16:18:28 GMT -5
We've had luck with hartz dog shampoo, tuna in oil and friskies pate with chicken, fish and cheese.
|
|
Tennesseer
Member Emeritus
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 21:58:42 GMT -5
Posts: 63,836
|
Post by Tennesseer on Mar 31, 2013 16:19:58 GMT -5
|
|
zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,873
|
Post by zibazinski on Mar 31, 2013 17:18:40 GMT -5
Thanks. There's a petco 12 miles from me for those dandruff wipes and ill check Petsmart for the spray. Much better than giving her more food. Plus, it won't makes the others unhappy to see her getting something yummy they aren't.
|
|
mmhmm
Administrator
It's a great pity the right of free speech isn't based on the obligation to say something sensible.
Joined: Dec 25, 2010 18:13:34 GMT -5
Posts: 31,770
Today's Mood: Saddened by Events
Location: Memory Lane
Favorite Drink: Water
|
Post by mmhmm on Mar 31, 2013 17:20:58 GMT -5
She's 13. I suppose I've noticed it before but never thought much of it. She's kinda fat so grooming may be harder for her. Ill give her a bath and some wet food, thanks. Also, zib, I'd take her to the veterinarian for a blood work-up. At 13, she may have diabetes. It's not unusual in cats, and if a cat is diabetic, they often have dandruff.
|
|
zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,873
|
Post by zibazinski on Mar 31, 2013 17:23:04 GMT -5
Oh, dear. Its so hard to get blood from her. Her legs are very skinny, like Siamese cats, and getting blood from them is cruel so I don't let anyone do it anymore. They hurt her and still can't get blood. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/sad.png)
|
|
weltschmerz
Community Leader
Joined: Jul 25, 2011 13:37:39 GMT -5
Posts: 38,962
|
Post by weltschmerz on Apr 2, 2013 16:04:03 GMT -5
You can add a touch of oil or egg yolk to the food. I don't like dry food for cats. Many cats are notorious for not drinking enough, and end up with UTIs or kidney failure.
|
|
zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,873
|
Post by zibazinski on Apr 2, 2013 22:36:16 GMT -5
That's why I have two bowls of water. One downstairs by their food bowl and the other upstairs and very convenient and the cats do drink it. I fill it every day and they love it. Lazy things. If they had to go downstairs to drink, they wouldn't. The water by their food is rarely touched. I think it evaporates before they actually drink it all. I added some stuff I bought at Petsmart to their food. The dandruff cat didn't like it straight so I added it to their dry food. They are begrudgingly eating their food. I also bought some shampoo stuff that you spray into their coat, comb through, and then rub off. Maybe that will help. Then I asked if Petsmart washed cats and they do. I'm thinking for summer again, ill have them shaved. I used to once or twice a year when I lived in Florida. They liked it. Yes, they looked funny but it wasn't like they were in beauty contests so it didn't matter. Made their grooming and shedding much better.
|
|
Peace Of Mind
Senior Associate
[font color="#8f2520"]~ Drinks Well With Others ~[/font]
Joined: Dec 17, 2010 16:53:02 GMT -5
Posts: 15,554
Location: Paradise
|
Post by Peace Of Mind on Apr 2, 2013 22:48:34 GMT -5
I have a cat with dandruff and she is over weight. She eats both wet and dry. She was a starving stray that we found and she has food issues but I have 3 older cats that are grazers and need to keep food out so she'll just continue to be in kitty hog heaven. I don't want to keep her locked up.
What helps her dandruff is lots of combing and brushing. She loves it and it seems to help a lot. Funny thing - I find people dandruff disgusting but kitty dandruff doesn't bother me that much.
|
|
mmhmm
Administrator
It's a great pity the right of free speech isn't based on the obligation to say something sensible.
Joined: Dec 25, 2010 18:13:34 GMT -5
Posts: 31,770
Today's Mood: Saddened by Events
Location: Memory Lane
Favorite Drink: Water
|
Post by mmhmm on Apr 2, 2013 22:51:57 GMT -5
Try the shampoo, Zib, and please keep us posted. It can't hurt to see if the shampoo and adding some oil to her food will work. If she does, by chance, have diabetes, it's not going to become critical in a matter of a week, or so. It's a chronic condition, so you've got a bit of time to try stuff.
|
|
zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,873
|
Post by zibazinski on Apr 3, 2013 10:06:53 GMT -5
I hope I don't have to give her shots. I had a friend who could never go on vacation because of a diabetic cat.
|
|