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My cat Chrestomanci is flaky. I don’t mean that he isn’t reliable or backs out on obligations (though I’m sure that too – he is a cat, after all), but that he has a dandruff problem. He’s had it ever since I’ve known him, even back when he was still just one of the cats kept by the rescue for which I volunteer.
I’ve never been too concerned about Chresti’s dandruff, though I guess it’s a little gross. When I took him to the vet in February I asked about it, more out of curiosity than out of concern. At first the vet assured me that the weather had been really dry lately, so I shouldn’t be surprised to see some flakes on my pets. Once I told her that Chresti’s always had this issue, however, she recommended that I switch him to a moister, grain-free food.
I did that, though I ended up keeping the cats on the more expensive grain-free food for other reasons. Chrestomanci’s been eating that food for almost three months and he’s still just as flaky as always. I’m not really worried about his health, given that the vet didn’t seem to be, but I thought I’d look into some reasons why Chresti had this problem.
All of my findings were specific to cats, but I imagine they’re applicable to dogs or any other furry pets as well. I know I’m going to sound like a broken record, but our pets’ health is paramount so I’ll mention it again: there is a small chance that persistent dandruff can mean a more serious health problem for your cat, signifying parasites or skin diseases.
However, if your vet isn’t too concerned about your cat’s dandruff then don’t worry about it. Mine wasn’t, and they’d even given Chresti a blood test that came back fine so I know we’re not facing a real problem. Instead, I can shift my focus to other possibilities.
The first thing is to check that your cat is drinking enough water. I know that can be tricky: do we hide a camera by the water bowl and record how often and how much our cat drinks? The quick test is to feel your cat’s gums: if they’re sticky, then your cat isn’t getting enough water.
No sticky gums means to move onto the next item on the list. Have you given your cat a bath recently? If the cat’s skin isn’t accustomed to being bathed and it relied the oils it usually develops, it might take some time until the skin adjusts to baths. Try shampoo for sensitive skin. Also make sure that you’ve completely rinsed your cat’s fur; unwashed shampoo could dry out your cat’s skin.
Another possibility is one that occurs with humans too: sunburn. Although cats have more natural protection against the sun than humans do, they can still get burned if they spend too much time relaxing in direct sunlight. If your pet sleeps in sunbeams around the house a lot but doesn’t go outside, rule it out: the contact needs to be direct and constant.
The last major option on the list is also the one I think explains Chrestomanci’s problem: weight issues. If your cat is overweight it might not be able to groom itself properly, which leads to the skin drying out. Chrestomanci’s dandruff is all centered along the high ridge of his spine, where his fur is oilier and always sticks up a bit. I’ll bet he just can’t reach that area, and as he continues to lose weight his condition will improve.
Related Articles:
Ask a Pets Blogger: Helping Pets with Flaky Skin
Diagnosing Litter Box Problems
Salmonella Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul
When Your Cat Eats Furniture Foam
*(This image by Jessica Merz is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.)
