Are you the one finding solution for your cat dandruff, but all in vain? Well, humans aren’t the only one who faces the dandruff problem. These little white flakes have not spared even the cute little cats. Cats might develop these dead, dried-out skin cells due to very basic reasons like an allergy to a particular food.
Interestingly, even sunburn can cause dandruff in cats. However, if your cat is facing such a problem, you must pay attention to her diet as well. It is so because of the lack of omega 3 fatty acid in the diet might result in dandruff problems in cats.
Furthermore, a dry environment or simply seasonal changes might play a crucial role in the same. If there is a loss of moisture or natural oils in a high amount in a cat’s skin, it might lead her to develop dandruff on her body very soon.
Apart from this, it could also be a skin disease! Dandruff, when combined with skin redness and loss of hair is called ‘walking dandruff’. Actually, in this case, it’s mange generated by Cheyletiella mite. Besides, some skin parasites and fungal infections can also lead to dandruff problems in cats.
Where do they occur? As we all know that cats have hair all over their bodies, dandruff can cover their back, head, and areas closer to the tail. If you find your cat scratching her body most of the time, you have to get alert quickly, as this could be the sign of dandruff, which would affect not only cat but also you.
How would it affect you? The dandruff cat shed contains a protein that causes allergies in humans. If you are sensitive or allergic, you need to take immediate steps to get rid of cat dandruff before it starts to spread around your house.
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What Causes Cat Dandruff
Here are a few factors which play a crucial role in generating dandruff in cats. Look at them carefully:
- These little white flakes which cats shred could be due to parasite infection. In addition, during hot summers, a cat’s skin gets overexposed to the scorching heat leading to its drying and, therefore, shredding.
- Dandruff can be due to ‘obesity’ in cats too. Cats self-groom themselves by licking their skin and hence get rid of dirt and parasites easily. However, some plumpy cats might find it difficult to reach areas like the lower back and base of a tail, leaving them uncleaned and hence making these areas flaky.
- Beware, this factor might shock you. So, the third factor leading to cat dandruff is cat dandruff shampoo itself! Well, cats produce oils naturally in their skin, which due to over bathing of cats, leads to excessive dryness in their skins. Moreover, even if a little amount of shampoo is left behind unrinsed, it might transform itself into white specks of dandruff, which would finally shred off.
If your cat accidentally develops dandruff, then there are certain points to be taken care of. It is to be agreed that medications do have a lot of advantages, but without eliminating the root cause, the problem might resurface again. Therefore, there are a lot of things to be looked at. Some important points are mentioned below:
Top 8 Skincare Tips For Your Cat
Are you too worried about the dandruff problem in your cat? Want to know how to get rid of this? Here are some tips to keep the skin of your cat healthy and beautiful. Keeping these pointers in mind would not only keep flakes at bay but would also help your cat get rid of scratching and itching. Is it something you were searching for days? So gear up; we have some important pointers for you. Let’s look at them at a glance:
1. Immediate Grooming and Attention
Is your area surrounded by dry air? Do you dry your cat’s hair regularly with a hairdryer? If yes, then you should immediately stop it. It is so because, due to lack of humidity and excessive dryness around the cats, they develop dry skin, which eventually flakes off. For similar reasons, subsequently, cats’ hair turns brittle and dry. It is the time when your cat requires immediate grooming and attention by your side.
2. Don’t Take Your Cat Out In The Heat
As it can be clearly seen that excessive heat leads to dandruff problems in cats. Therefore, care should be taken that you do not let your cat roam outside when it’s sunny. Even if you feel like taking your cat for a walk, make sure that it’s late afternoon or the time when the sun’s heat is to its minimum.
3. Topical Medications
Ensure that your cat is comfortable with the topical medications, which would help your cat restore comfort and get rid of itching. With the help of topical medications, your cat would scratch less and therefore there would be fewer chances of development of skin sores.
4. Give Your Cat A Brush Off
As discussed before, cats clean themselves by licking, however, there are some areas which couldn’t be groomed easily by them. In order to make sure that each and every area of her body is free from flakes, it is necessary to give them regular brushing.
It is the simplest step any owner can take to fight against cat dandruff. Brushing not only helps to avoid loose hair and flakes but also aids cats in evenly distributing their natural oil in their entire coat. It should be noted that cats with long hair should be brushed on daily basis and those with short hair should be brushed at least three times a week.
5. Give Your Cat A Bath
This might sound terrifying because it is like braving a bath for her. Cats might not enjoy bathing, and you may also hurt yourself in this process. However, to keep dandruff at bay, it is important to bathe them with an antidandruff shampoo, specifically made for cats.
Don’t forget to add a conditioner to moisturize your cat’s skin. In addition, it should also be taken care that not even a small amount of shampoo is left unrinsed, or else it might turn into flakes afterward. What if your cat would give an unbearable scream to avoid bathing? in that case, just take a damp towel and wipe it around her body. Simple no?
6. Supplement Her Skin
Just like humans, healthy skin in cats is a result of healthy food. Essential supplements when added in cat’s food, make her healthy, strong, and glowing. Along with essential oils, supplements like omega 3 fatty acids should be part of her regular diet.
These things together would keep her skin enriching and shiny. Besides, more of a liquid diet should also be given to her. Most importantly, pay attention that your cat is drinking enough water. Hydrated cat has a healthier, glowing, and beautiful skin.
7. No Dryness Around
It is acceptable that the weather outside your home is beyond your control. However, the temperature and humidity in your house can be surely moderated. In this regard, make sure that your house has more humidity and less dryness. If your cat is exposed to the dry air for longer periods then she can develop dandruff quickly, spreading it around your house. A humidifier can be helpful in this case for you.
8. Moisturizing Your Cat
During dry winters and extreme heat, there is unbearable dryness around. Even humidifiers are not so impressive at these times. So what should be done in this case? Well, some cat moisturizers can help you out, surely, in this problem.
Are there moisturizers for cats? Absolutely! Why not? Some moisturizers, specifically made for cats, are easily available in the market. During the extreme type of climates, a cat moisturizer massage can surely help your cat to keep dandruff at bay and flaunt her shiny hair.
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Conclusion
Akin to your adamant human dandruff, cat dandruff is also unwavering. It can be a serious disorder; however, most of the time it is not something to be worried a lot about. If you find your furry suffering from this problem, don’t panic and immediately take her to the vet. It should be taken care of that the medicines prescribed by the veterinarian should be taken carefully in the instructed manner.
To make sure that your cat doesn’t develop it again after getting rid of it, just search for the root cause behind this problem and try to rectify it with the best possible solutions. The reasons could be as simple as climate change to very grave problems like serious disorders.
Even if the dandruff problem is, mostly, not a serious disorder, and even if it were, it is not acceptable for the owner to ignore it. Cat owners should understand that even a small discomfort faced by their cats ought to be addressed and hence shouldn’t be pushed under the carpet. Last but not the least, give your cat your love and attention, your ignorance might convert a pea-size problem into a giant one.
