April 26, 2012
Posted in Common Pet Conditions

Dandruff can be a real problem for felines of any color, but owners of black or gray cats may notice the issue even more. If your black and white, all black or gray cat is constantly covered in flecks of dead skin, there are ways in which to help. If your cat is a light color, you should still look for this uncomfortable condition.

It is important to understand what causes dandruff in order to help prevent this condition from getting severe. There are many reasons behind dandruff including a change in humidity levels or temperature. However, the issue can also be sparked by other more serious medical conditions including digestive tract issues, intestinal parasites, food allergies or poor absorption of nutrients.

You can try to remedy the flaky skin at home first by picking up pet products like a FURminator deShedding Tool For Cats which works to remove loose, dead hair that collects in your feline's undercoat. This may also help to reduce the amount of dandruff on its skin. It is also a good idea to try and bathe your cat with soothing and healing pet shampoo like Epi-Soothe Shampoo that is made up of natural oat-grain derivatives. If you try both of these methods and your cat still has dandruff and is itching more frequently, you should bring it to the vet's office.

The vet will likely run a complete physical on the feline to check for possible reasons behind the bad skin, including any visible fleas, mites or ticks. Many dogs and cats are allergic to fleas' saliva so an infestation could be a real reason for the flaky skin. If the vet finds signs of fleas, he or she will suggest you start and keep the cat on monthly flea and tick preventative pet drugs like Frontline Plus. If you have a dog in the home, the vet will likely tell you to start it on treatments like Comfortis as well, since fleas can easily jump from one host to the next.

If fleas are not the culprit, the vet may do a skin scrape to test the infected area. He or she may also perform an X-ray on the feline to check for intestinal parasites. There will be different treatment options to consider depending on what the vet finds. The vet may decide the issue is stemming from a poor diet and may recommend switching out the cat's current food for a more balanced brand like Petcurean Go! Natural Grain Free Canned Cat Food. This will help provide the cat's body with what it needs, hopefully putting an end to the dandruff. 

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