Dandruff

[marypetlover]

My 18 year old short haired has really bad dander, we've tried a lot of natural options but can't seem to help her skin. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[margd]

 
My 18 year old short haired has really bad dander, we've tried a lot of natural options but can't seem to help her skin. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

 I've had two kitties with bad dandruff.   I didn't address the problem with the first kitty as I didn't know what to do.  Now I have a better idea in treating my cat, Paul.  I've found that his dandruff practically disappeared after two weeks of daily brushing.  He loves being brushed which makes it easy; my first cat, Wesley, hated it which is another reason why his dandruff remained. 

There is also evidence that adding Omega 3 fatty acids to a cat's food helps reduce dandruff and keeps coats shiny and silky.  I bought this product which had a lot of good reviews on amazon but I can't personally attest to its effectiveness because Paul's dandruff got better with the brushing and because he turned his nose up whenever I added it to his food.

The subject of dandruff has come up many times over the years so you may find the following threads useful.  Basically, the suggestions boil down to daily grooming; changing diets, and adding supplements like Omega 3 fatty acids to their food. These are just a few threads to start you off with.  Try searching "Dandruff" and many more will pop up.

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/271340/dandruff

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/66634/dandruff

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/169182/dandruff

Good luck in getting rid of it.  I know what it's like to have a cat walking around covered with flakes.  Not pleasant!

 

[marypetlover]

Thanks! Super helpful information, she really hates being brushed and with her being 18 I pretty much give into her with everything. I will definitely try the diet things.

 

[marypetlover]

I decided to try moisturizing her with coconut oil daily its really been helping! She likes to lick it off but I heard it is good for their teeth too so it works!

 

[margd]

 
I decided to try moisturizing her with coconut oil daily its really been helping! She likes to lick it off but I heard it is good for their teeth too so it works!

Thanks for letting us know about that.  In searching our old threads, I found one that discusses pros and cons of using coconut oil, both topically and orally.   There are some warnings about using a substance so high in saturated fats while other posters find nothing wrong with using it.   http://www.thecatsite.com/t/246528/anyone-else-use-coconut-oil  The thread is rather old but still has a lot of good information in it.    

I haven't found anything about it being good for teeth and have to admit that I've never heard that before.  It would be so great if it actually functions that way!

I'm glad you've found a solution and really appreciate you letting us know how everything is working out.

 

[marypetlover]

Thanks for point out the post, I'll definitely check it out! I actually use it for my own teeth, just to keep everything fresh in there haha and I've had firends who use it for their animals who say it helps with bad breath. My kitty has a bad dental growth on her jaw so nothing helps her breath, we just love her through the bad breath.

 

[DeannaF]

Oh yes coconut oil is great for teeth brushing, on the hair.. so many great benefits!