How to treat my cat's dandruff - the best tips

There are many people who have dandruff, and it is good to know how to treat it . But, did you know that cats can also have dandruff? Feline dandruff comes out because the cat's skin is affected, this dead skin falling in the form of scales or small specks that can be seen in the fur. These little white spots come out, especially when you caress the cat, scratch it or when he does it himself. It can be caused by different reasons such as scabies, fleas, poor living conditions or because your skin is dry for other reasons. From, to help you take good care of your cat, we tell you what are the most common causes and how to treat your cat's dandruff .

Causes of dandruff in cats

Before starting to treat dandruff to a cat it is necessary to have some notion about the possible causes, since without detecting which is in each case the origin the treatment may be incomplete and the affected animal will not be cured. So, these are the main causes of dandruff in cats :

Fleas, mites and fungi

External parasites such as ticks, fleas, a large variety of mites and fungi can cause skin problems that result in peeling skin, ie in dandruff. Two well-known conditions are scabies, caused by mites, and ringworm, caused by fungi. Some of these parasites also feed on dead skin, but the cat's own scratching makes dandruff very visible.

Allergies

Cats have allergies like us and other animals, so those that occur on the skin cause dermatitis, scaling, irritation and even injuries, due to constant scratching. One of the most common allergies that produces these symptoms is the allergy to flea bite in cats. Discover here all about How to know if my cat is allergic to fleas.

Cutaneous infections

When there are scratching injuries, which may have been due to one of the causes mentioned above, it is easy to become infected. Thus, a secondary infection in the skin, whether by bacteria, fungi, etc., produces a series of symptoms such as bad odor, secretion with blood and pus, scabs and desquamation or dandruff, among others.

Obesity

Both overweight and feline obesity make it difficult for the cat to move and make it lie longer on certain parts of the body which, in addition, it may be difficult for it to arrive and thus the scaling and other skin and fur problems appear.

Inadequate diet

An inadequate diet can not only lead to problems of excess weight, mentioned above, but can lead to lack of important nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals necessary for the cat's skin to be in good condition. If these nutrients fail, dandruff is one of the symptoms, but the skin will also be dehydrated and more signs of a damaged dermis and coat will appear.

Dry skin and dermatitis

The different types of dermatitis and dry skin also have desquamation and some possible causes are poor diet, poor hygiene or use an inappropriate shampoo, which can dry out the skin or even produce irritations and allergies.

Stress

The cats that are especially sensitive to stress immediately have physical symptoms and one of the most common are skin problems. So much because the skin is not hydrated or nourished well, because the organism is altered, as because the animal itself releases accumulated energy and anxiety by scratching and scratching objects from the environment, appears the desquamation by stress.

Next, we will explain the best ways to treat this problem, detailing the answer to your question about how to remove the dandruff from my cat, both with hygiene tips, as treatment and improvement of their diet.

Treatment of dandruff in cats caused by diseases

In the cases in which the veterinarian diagnoses that the symptom of the dandruff is due to a disease, it will be totally necessary to follow the treatment that indicates us . If the cat has mites it is vital to treat scabies and not only dandruff, because if it does not disappear and, moreover, the skin peeling is not the worst symptom or effect in the organism of this type of diseases, which they require immediate attention from a specialist.

Thus, the same happens with certain types of dermatitis, obesity, allergies, infections, stress and conditions such as ringworm. The origin of the problem must be treated and, in this way, the cat's dandruff is eliminated .

Brushing and hygiene of the cat to remove dandruff

To remove scabies from your cat, a bath is essential to remove the largest parts of peeling skin and make it daily brushed . Although you will see that every time you brush more dead skin, brushing is necessary because it helps to reactivate the microcirculation of the skin, helping to regenerate it, while at the same time treating the cause of origin. Therefore, with bathing and brushing we will remove the dandruff and we will help that little by little it does not form any more.

It is necessary to emphasize that you should not bathe your cat with normal shampoo, but that you have to use special shampoo for cats, better that it is a soft one, for skins with dermatitis, irritated or for small kittens.

Improve your cat's diet to treat dandruff

For an animal's skin and hair to be healthy it is necessary to have adequate nutrition and hydration . So, in case your cat does not follow a suitable diet for him and / or does not drink enough fresh water, it is possible that the fur loses shine, falls more and that flakes of dead skin appear.

For these parts of the feline body to be healthy it is necessary to provide the vitamins, minerals and oils and fatty acids you need. We recommend that the veterinarian give you a guideline of nutrition or diet for your cat if you usually have skin and hair problems. For example, oatmeal can be a great ally to treat skin problems like this, try adding a tablespoon daily in your homemade food well mixed.

To eliminate your cat's dandruff, make sure you have fresh, clean water and add a little olive oil and blue fish to your omega 3 and other fatty acids, such as tuna.

Home remedies to treat dandruff in cats

Below, we show you what are the best natural remedies to remove dandruff from cats :

Oats in the bathroom and food

As we mentioned before, oats are a cereal that deeply nourishes and cleans the dermis and, in addition, it is very calming. Therefore, you can add a little to your diet, but keep in mind that domestic cats are carnivorous animals so it is not convenient for a lot of vegetables or reduce animal protein. Therefore, we can get a faster effect if we apply directly on the skin, externally, and the easiest is to make a bath of warm water with bran or oat flakes, as well as using oatmeal shampoo. Use it twice a week until your hairy is better.

Omega 3

If your pet has skin and coat problems usually, you can choose to supplement your food with the liquid contained in the omega 3 capsules. That is, puncture one and pour its contents into your bowl once a day. Another option, highly recommended when the skin is very affected and there is a lot of peeling, is to open several capsules to use the Omega 3 oil to massage the skin and let it absorb to the maximum before washing the animal well. Aside, it is convenient to increase foods rich in this nutrient in your diet.

aloe vera

You can buy the gel or extract it from the leaves or leaves of the plant. Apply this massage gel on the most affected parts of your hairy partner's body and let the skin absorb it completely, before washing the remains that remain. This remedy brings great hydration to the skin and is a very powerful natural regenerator, which eliminates several of the possible problems that cause dandruff. Discover in this other article more Benefits of aloe vera for cats.