The WM Pet Connection

By Rebecca Sebek


My cat CeCe has a bad case of dandruff. Maybe that's a bit melodramatic, but she has flakes on her coat. I feel bad for her because no one, not even humans, like to have dandruff. I brush her almost every day but the dandruff comes back. Benny, my black and white cat, doesn't have a lot of dandruff like CeCe. What's a girl to do?


Both Benny and CeCe have shiny coats and are healthy cats. I use the same brush on them but Benny only has a few flakes. Perhaps it's because he's a different breed of cat than CeCe; she's short-haired tabby. However, I don't think that's the problem. She doesn't have dry skin because I checked her coat, and she hardly scratches. Maybe she's lacking a mineral or vitamin.


I've read that some cats have dandruff on the lower back and base of the tail because they have dry, flaky skin. Overweight cats can develop greasy, flaky skin. CeCe isn't overweight and her skin looks fine to me. Plus, she's not on a restricted diet. I just don't understand why she has dandruff. I thought it could be the climate -- we now live in the Midwest. But she had dandruff when we lived in the Southwest. It doesn't make sense to me.


Remedies for cat dandruff

• Switch to a cat food recommended by your veterinarian.
• Make sure a cat has fresh drinking water -- change it daily.
• Add wet food to a cat's diet. Make sure to do this gradually because a cat may not like the change.
• Give them an Omega-3 supplement or fish oil.
• Brush your cat daily with a high-quality grooming brush.
• Bath your cat with a quality cat dandruff shampoo.
  

There's parasitic skin disorder called Cheyletiella which is a mite that lives on the skin of dogs, cats, rabbits, and humans. It's known as 'walking dandruff' because the mites carry skin scales. A veterinarian can find the mites microscopically by scraping or combing the skin. Ouch! The veterinarian could apply an acetate tape to 'pull-off' the mites. I didn't see anything on CeCe; then again, I'm not a veterinarian.


Some people have used fatty acid supplements rich in Omega-3-fatty acids. It can take four to six weeks before your cat's dandruff clears up and is back to normal. You may find a few flakes on their coat but that should be it.


Maintain your cat's overall healthy by recognizing and treating dandruff. Even though it seems unsightly, your cat could have a serious health problem which shouldn't be ignored. With the proper treatment, your cat will be feeling and looking good in no time.

*Photo by Claudia Meyer, Paris_Stock Exchange

Help! My Cat Has Dandruff