Mary Allen
Does your cat have dandruff? Watch out! The white dots in the fur are not only unattractive. They can also be a sign of serious illnesses.
Almost everyone will experience dandruff at some point in their lives. For us humans, they are primarily an aesthetic problem: annoying, but harmless. Most people know that there is usually a deficiency behind increased dandruff formation. This is combated with shampoos, conditioners or an appropriate diet.
In cats, too, dandruff is harmless in most cases. But sometimes the annoying white flakes are a sign that something is wrong. There may also be a health problem behind it. If you want to help your cat, you need to know what’s behind it.
How do cats develop dandruff?
The sebaceous glands in the lower layers of the skin of mammals ensure that the skin remains supple. Sebum is a fatty secretion secreted by glands that spreads evenly over the surface of the skin. These glands are also responsible for making the hair greasy and repelling water.
The fur of mammals such as cats and the plumage of birds is more effective and protects against heat loss. If the sebaceous glands are not doing their job, the skin dries out faster. The dying skin cells on the epidermis are shed and become visible as scales in various places.
How do you recognize dandruff on cats?
The white dots in your pet’s hair are nothing more than detached skin particles. They are usually small, flaky, and light-colored. You’re most likely to notice them when grooming your cat’s back or the base of its tail. Sometimes the ear region is also severely affected.
If the dandruff infestation is very noticeable, itching and frequent scratching can cause whole crusts of dandruff to form on the skin’s surface. They are quick and easy to spot in dark-haired and especially black cats. In the case of light-haired cats, on the other hand, they are mostly only noticed when they are brushed. If you carefully brush your pet’s fur against the grain from time to time, you will notice the scales trickling out more quickly.
Check to see if your cat suffers from dandruff only in certain areas or all over. Depending on the “predilection site” you can determine whether it is a systematic cause or whether parasites are to blame for dandruff. Medicine understands this unwieldy term as a body region that typically reacts first to an illness or an infestation by germs.
If all of the cat’s skin is flaky, you can assume other causes than just the ears or base of the tail being flaky. The treatment is correspondingly different.
What other symptoms can occur?
Dandruff in cats is always just a symptom and never a disease. If they are an indication of health problems, they very rarely come along alone. You can almost always see other signs if you watch your cat carefully. These can be:
- hair loss,
- itching leading to scratching, redness, hair loss and scabbing,
- dull fur,
- crusting,
- bald patches on fur,
- tiredness and lack of interest,
- thickened patches of skin.
Why does the cat have scales?
If the cat has dandruff, this is harmless in most cases. Observe your animal for a few days and find out whether the scales are multiplying or not and whether the cat is suffering from it. Scratching is always an indication that the animal is not feeling well and that its health may be impaired.
There are various reasons why the sebaceous glands no longer do their job. As mentioned, most of these are harmless. In the next few paragraphs, you’ll learn all about the everyday reasons behind dandruff. We also list the more serious causes of cat dandruff that are also health related.
Everyday Reasons
Cats change their fur twice a year. A denser coat with a lot of undercoat gives way to a lighter coat and vice versa. During this time there is more dandruff formation. The metabolism of cats is particularly challenged during this time. After all, growing a new skin takes a lot of energy and is really tough.
Another common reason for excessive shedding of the skin is when cats spend a lot of time near and on the stove or radiator. For many animals, these places are among the favorite spots of cats in winter. However, this dry heat also dries out cats’ epidermis, leading to more dandruff than usual.
Maybe your four-legged friend simply has drier skin than other cats because of their genes. If you can rule out other reasons or diseases as the cause, help your cat with a little linseed oil as a weekly addition to the meals.
Diseases
If the dandruff is persistent and lasts more than a few days, you can assume an illness is behind it. This means both diseases of the organism and infestation by parasites.
Fungi, fleas and mites put a lot of strain on the skin of our house cats. It dries up and starts to flake.
Illnesses such as diabetes or an overactive thyroid are among the illnesses in our cats that most often lead to dandruff. They cannot be diagnosed by laypersons and cannot be eliminated even with the best care.
If your dog has dandruff infestation for a long time, be sure to see your vet. He can get to the bottom of the problem with skin swabs and a blood count, initiate treatment and usually quickly restore your cat’s health.
Allergies and improper diet
Even if your cat does not get optimal nutrition, it can develop dandruff. She may be suffering from a lack of nutrients, or she may be partially allergic to some of the ingredients in the feed. Both can affect health.
A change in diet by changing the feed often helps. In any case, the important thing is the high quality and the right balance of ingredients. Cats need a high proportion of animal protein in their food even more than dogs do.
While dandruff doesn’t pose an immediate threat to cats, try to figure out why it’s happening. If you don’t have the necessary knowledge yourself, by all means consult your veterinarian.
The cat has scales: what helps?
You can eliminate many causes of dandruff in cats without the help of a veterinarian. For others, your cat will need medication. For this very reason, you need to be sure what the cause of the white dots in your house cat’s fur is.
Changes in feed
Many cats cannot tolerate the industrially produced food with sugar, coloring and preservatives. Therefore, when feeding your velvet paw, pay attention to natural ingredients in the food. If you don’t find the composition you want, start barfing (raw meat nutrition). With BARF, however, you must regularly add nutritional supplements (vitamins and minerals).
A change of feed with regular addition of special oils or eggs often makes a big difference. The house tiger’s fur becomes shiny and scale-free again. But be careful: A change of feed should not take place all at once. Gradually mix the new food into the old one. Slowly increase the proportion of the new food and watch your house tiger closely!
Combating the parasites
If a parasite infestation is responsible for the dandruff, you must give your animal medication against it. Externally administered home remedies no longer help here, even with the best care. Important: You must also treat all animals living in your household. If you come into contact with the animal (brushing, stroking), you must disinfect your hands and the brushes and combs used for grooming before using them again.
If your cat suffers from severe itching, antiparasitic shampoos and lotions as additional therapy often and quickly help.
Treatment of the diseases
The only way to help your cat with illnesses affecting the entire body, such as diabetes, is with medication. In addition, there are relieving creams or spot-on medications for daily care that relieve the itching that occurs. They give the skin moisture and suppleness. Be sure to discuss this with your veterinarian.
When is cat dandruff a case for the vet?
In two cases you should not wait and visit your veterinarian:
- Your cat obviously suffers from itching, so that it scratches itself constantly or already bald, red or irritated patches of skin are visible. No care whatsoever seems to work.
- Your cat’s fur has been shedding conspicuously for more than a week or two, so that it can no longer be explained by a change of coat or dry indoor air.
Your vet will systematically follow a plan to determine the cause of the dandruff. First, he examines the cat in general and rules out any health problems. He will then ask you about your measures against any parasites that may be present.
With a scalpel, he can remove skin cells from the epidermis and examine them for parasites such as fungi or mites. Some veterinarians also make a so-called imprint with adhesive tape, which they then examine under the microscope for parasites, their nits and larvae.
Prevent dandruff in cats
Depending on why your cat had dandruff in the past, you can prevent it for the future.
First and foremost, you can do this with species-appropriate, healthy, non-toxic and natural food.
When you brush or comb your house tiger, pay attention to whether the shedding is short-lived or long-lasting. It is particularly important for an outdoor cat to carry out regular checks for mite or fungal infestation.
Some veterinarians recommend using spot-on preparations as a preventive measure, as we know them against tick infestation. In this way you can protect your darling from mites and fungi and prevent dandruff.