Reducing Dandruff on "plump" feral

[kittychick]

Yes..she came to us plump. And yes....it's hard to call her feral, since she'll eat food from anyone's hand (we're working on getting her homed). So I'd like her to look as sharp and clean as possible as I introduce her to possible homes - - -  but she seems to have dandruff head to tail, all year round. Her skin does not appear red or itchy, she's been flea treated, but the dandruff just keeps coming! She's been "plump" since she and her group showed up (and we fixed them) ---and the dandruff doesn't seem to be weather/heat dependent.  Otherwise she keeps herself very clean (I realize reaching her 'rump' is probably an issue due to her weight - but her dandruff extends up to her head).

Any suggestions on additives to food? She's the only one in the gang of 5 with dandruff (and also the only overweight one), Any suggestions appreciated (I could probably pill her- but would rather not find out if I can or can't!).

 

[ondine]

We have a cat - a former feral - with dandruff.  He's plump, too, and doesn't groom very well.  The vet suggested a blood test to make sure he doesn't have diabetes.,

I am in the process of saving money for that - it's about $250.  In the meantime, I have found that he really, really loves to be brushed.  It makes a tremendous difference in the way he looks but I think it also makes him feel better.  He does not like to be petted -  a ten second head scratch is usually all he allows.  But he will sit for five minutes, allowing me to brush him.  That might be worth a try.

 

[roguethecat]

I have the same problem with Oberon. He isn't plump, but well-shaped gorgeousness, all black where you can see the dandruff quite well. It's not a food additive issue since he eats raw, and mostly whole prey including chicks full of egg-yolk.

What does help against the dandruff is him taking a shower with anti-itchy-cat shampoo (of course he doesn't like it, but worth a try with your girl if you can handle her). What might help would be eating more omega-3 oils, but he just hates them. You could try mixing some omega-3 salmon oil into your girl's food (just puncturing one of those capsules), or even sprinkling her fur so she has to lick it off (I tried that method with Oberon but stopped since he hated it so much). Krill oil is said to be better in omega-3's than salmon oil, but also more expensive.

Unfortunately, any canned food with salmon or mackerel doesn't have omega-3s since they get destroyed in the canning process.

 

[msaimee]

A few months ago, three of my cats came down with dry, flaky clumps of fur. I was able to use a flea comb and a regular cat comb to comb through it. If you groom your kitty every day for the next few weeks, that should help a lot--it will remove dead skin and stimulate the body oils. I also switched to a brand of food that doesn't have any fillers or by-products--a PetSmart brand, "Simply Nourish Chicken and Turkey," which is more reasonably priced than many of the others.  Three of my cats will eat the new food, two won't. But I've already seen an improvement in their fur and skin. The problem with switching from a commercial brand to a high quality brand is that not all cats will tolerate the change, even if done gradually. Perhaps you could supplement your cat's diet by giving him more canned food, with some water added--hydration definitely helps! More hydration and frequent grooming will definitely help the dandruff issue.

 

[kittychick]

Thanks @MsAimee  , @roguethecat  , and @Ondine  ----I have been brushing and flea combing her on an almost daily basis (she's definitely getting further and further from the "feral" category - - hopefully we can find her a home soon - which will be easier if she's not covered in flakes!). She's not matted at all - which is good - but after brushing now for months, it doesn't seem to be making  a dent in the dandruff. 

As far as the food - I have to admit the five outdoor ferals in our colony don't eat the highest quality (they eat Friskies canned twice a day, with Friskies dry out for free feeding during the day, supplemented by fresh chicken and turkey periodically). I wish we could feed a better quality food - but  we had to make the decision to feed them a less expensive food, as we already have to feed our 4 indoor prescription food. It came down to feeding the "outside gang" (or TNR guys) a little "lesser food" so that we can continue to feed them and still feed ourselves.  I wish it were different - but money sadly is an issue. 

Interesting about the salmon oil - I'd bought a can of salmon and was going to pour oil into their soft this morning - but after reading @roguethecat  's  info - sounds like the beneficial nutrients wouldn't be there in the canned salmon. 

And I have to admit - I laughed out loud about getting Sookie in a shower  She's become much less feral and pretty handleable - she can be brushed, combed, ears cleaned, and even picked up (for a bit). But I think showering her might be pushing the line a little too far for her comfort zone at this point - but something to keep in  my back pocket for later!

I'll keep brushing - maybe brushing more deeply to stimulate the oil glands more. And I'll also add water to the canned - we do that for one of our indoor kitties with dry skin - can't believe I didn't think of that. I'm also going to look into the Omega 3 oils and Krill oils. Thanks SOOO much for everyone's help - I'll keep brushing!

 

[msaimee]

You can purchase omega 3 fish oil supplements and give it to your cat in a syringe. I did this with one cat, but he ended up smelling like a big cod--really, it was like having a giant fish sitting on my lap--so I opted just to keep grooming him, lol. It's great that you're able to care so much for all of your cats. Regarding cat food quality--two of my cats that I gave commercial brand dry food (Purina Pro Plan) have lived quite long--one passed at 16, and the other is still alive at 16--so for the majority of cats, any cat food that has all the essential vitamins and minerals will suffice. I had to start using some better quality food now because two of my cats have started to become obese, I'm assuming because of all the fillers, and another was throwing up because of food allergies. But we can only do what our budget allows.    

 

[kittychick]

@MsAimee   Thanks for not berating me on feeding them crappy food  We had two of our inside group of six die last year - - and they would ONLY eat the crappy, Kit and Caboodle type food. And Phoebe lived to be almost 20 and Ally lived to be 19. So I keep telling myself if that's all I can do for these guys- it certainly didn't harm Phoebe or Ally!!!

I am going to try the oils - - best places to find Omega 3 fish supplements or the salmon oil (that's not the oil packed in with canned salmon)? 

Thanks SO much as always!

 

[roguethecat]

don't worry about the food if you cannot change it. The Rogue had the best I could offer and still died before his third birthday of a heart defect, while my neighbor's hugely neglected cat lived on crappy food to 22 years.

Just make sure they always have water.

Best for Omega-3 supplements would be capsules from Amazon. Capsules because if in liquid form, it gets bad very quickly, so you only use what you need. Bonus, you can always take them yourself if the cats don't need them anymore