The Cat has Dandruff: causes and treatments


 The term “dandruff” refers to the shedding of skin cells from under the fur of an animal.

All cats lose skin cells naturally, and these cells are usually washed off during bathing or, in the case of cats, naturally come out of the coat.


Dandruff in Cats

Dandruff in cats is found  on the scalp and gives the impression that the skin is flaking off. However, the white spots we can see are actually dead cells that are building up.

Seeing a strange trail of dandruff on the surface of your cat’s fur usually shouldn’t be a cause for concern.

But if your cat’s coat becomes dull, the cause could be excessive skin dandruff which absorbs the natural oils present in the fur, thus losing its natural luster, the fur can in fact feel shaggy to the touch.

An indicator of problem dandruff occurs when we find a significant amount of dandruff on the surface of the fur, or inside the teeth of a brush or comb used for grooming.

Dandruff is much easier to spot on dark colored cats than on light colored cats.


Causes of dandruff in cats

Like humans, cats also have sebaceous glands that produce sebum. A thin layer of sebum covers every hair and skin, forming a thin protective film.

When we notice dandruff in a cat’s coat, we usually see exfoliated flakes of old “dead” skin cells mixed with sebum.

Dandruff is a sign of changes in the body that are always negative.

Therefore, dandruff cannot be considered the norm, although theoretically it does not bring any inconvenience to the pet.

It is not very easy to understand why your cat’s glands are producing more sebum than normal but some causes could be:

dry air; lack of care; incorrect or excessive care; unsanitary conditions; parasites, fungi.

disease of the gastrointestinal system; hormonal disorders; allergic reactions; fatigue, stress; lack / excess of vitamins or minerals; reaction to drugs (including those against parasites); wrong feeding.

in addition there are different types of dandruff: Depending on the individual characteristics and the seborrhea causes, dandruff can be dry or oily.

Dry dandruff in cats is spread across the coat like white “flour”, these smaller scales easily separate from the skin and coat.

Oily dandruff can be thick or liquid. If the cat has dandruff on the back, behind the ears and at the base of the tail, and the hairs stick together, the coat appears oily, heavy and wet. And this is called oily or liquid dandruff.


Remedies for cat dandruff

If it is not chronic diseases, the treatment of dandruff in cats is to change the diet (less fatty foods, no sweets) and hygiene.

There are many effective anti-dandruff shampoos, but you should choose a particular one with your vet after examining the animal and determining the type of seborrhea.

In addition to shampoo, homeopathic remedies can be used: rinse the mantle and skin with the decoction of burdock root or calendula flowers, nettle, sea buckthorn berries, coltsfoot and flagroot, or with aloe vera.


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