Kitty dandruff - another cat skin thread!

[FireGoddess]

I just noticed my little old lady Chloe has some cat dandruff on her rump. In doing some reading I see that overweight or older cats can have trouble grooming back there (she falls into the latter category at 12 years old), or that it could also be several other factors like food, water intake, environment, etc.

It''s not winter yet and she''s not hanging around any fireplaces, so that''s off my list, though the air is dry here so lack of humidity could be a factor. In saying that, I keep getting static electricity when petting my other kitty so dry air could definitely be a factor, as well as age.

I brush her every night so even if she can''t groom herself back there, I am doing it for her, somewhat.

She drinks a lot of water and has access to wet food, so I don''t think it''s a food or hydration thing.

Has anyone experienced this and had success in treating it? I''ve seen this in the past with my parents'' black cat, but I think they just left it alone. The bath thing is out - that experience would be far more traumatizing to her than the flaky skin, which doesn''t seem to bother her at all. What about topical treatments or supplements or oils or something?!?!

 

[katamari]

I have had two cats get dander. One was from weight issues and the other is, according to the vet, not as flexible as cats should be and has trouble cleaning. In both cases, I was told that not being able to remove body oil was the issue. I wouldn''t, then, try any oil. There is waterless bath product that looks like baby powder and I would try that first. I also think you might rethink the bath. We have to give our cats baths (the non-flexible one and his brother) and they are much more okay with it than I ever expected they would be. We do plug in a Feliway dispenser in the bathroom a few hours before the bath. They don''t particularly enjoy it, but they do cooperate. Good luck!

 

[Diva0413]

I have an older cat (he''s 14 as of last month) and a bit of a fatty (I think he''s at least 20 pounds last I weighed him), and he''s just developed the same problem. The texture of his fur isn''t what it used to be. It''s a bit dry and he''s got some dander agreeably in the areas where he can''t reach. I was going to take him to the vet this week to see what his doctor says. I assume there''s something over the counter for this, but I want to take him just as a precaution.

 

[FireGoddess]

Thanks for your replies!!!

If you end up taking your kitty to the vet, please let me know what s/he says - I''d love to know!

Re: the bath...let''s just say she peed herself at the vet once and they didn''t clean her up

and so I had to do it when I got her home....and I came out of it wetter than she did and clawed up something fierce. She was pretty terrified, on top her her normal insane fear.

 

[AmberGretchen]

FG - the little black kitty that my DH and I rescued a couple of years back and who now lives with my mom had/has this problem. Our vet did actually suggest oil - a fish oil supplement, to be added to his food, and it actually seemed to help.

The one we got was prescription (but not super expensive), so maybe worth asking your vet about it?