Why does my black cat suddenly have large dandruff flakes? What to do?

Cats can develop scaling of their skin or dandruff for a number of reasons, which can be the result of a host of reasons. Some of these can include parasitic infections (including lice or mites), fungal infections, allergies, hormonal disorders, or nutritional imbalances, among many others. The only way to definitively diagnose the cause of dry skin is by starting with a trip to the veterinarian. After a physical exam, diagnostic testing may be needed depending on a cat’s concurrent clinical signs. These tests may include skin cytology, skin scrapes, fungal cultures or blood tests. In some cases, a simple diet change to a high quality balanced diet may remedy the problem.

Diabetic cats often have a sort of greasy fur quality with dandruff. Once he is well regulated on insulin this should improve. I do not think you have to worry. And I wish you lots of success. The injections are not so hard to give (I give my kitty his injection while he eats...he does not even notice it)

Hi, and thanks for your question. This could be due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Sometimes cats don't groom as well with age because they have some arthritis pain that makes it harder to reach around and groom. Sometimes they just aren't as concerned or interested in grooming when they get older. Use a bathing wipe and gently brush her every few days to help her out. Cosequin is a supplement that may help her if she has some arthritis and may also help her skin and coat. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/cat/cat-health-and-wellness/cat-vitamins-and-supplements/cosequin-joint-health-plus-boswellia-cat-supplement Thanks for asking PetCoach!

Hello, to help dandruff, make sure you are feeding Batman the best quality food you can afford. A little dandruff can be very normal, so as long as he is not especially itchy, I would not be too concerned. If he is itchy, then have him checked over to make sure this is not a mite infestation. Not running outside is a tough one. Once he has spent some time outdoors, it is difficult to convince them to stay indoors. Perhaps you can build a small enclosure that he can spend time outdoors without going too far & getting into trouble. Make sure no food is ever left on the counters. If water does not bother him, then try an empty aluminum soda can with a penny within. The noise should startle him & hopefully keep him off. Take care.

I suggest you use essential 6 supplement topically (it is spot-on) and an oral supplement like Wellactin. https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198944_HomeDelivery.pml?productId=119092 https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198944_HomeDelivery.pml?productId=101959 Cats do not take to bathing well. What you can do is use a leave on mousse that is for seborrhea (dandruff). You can use it twice a week until the dandruff decreases and then you can go to once a week. https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198944_HomeDelivery.pml?productId=117952

Hi there, a good food recommendation for Theo and Furby is Royal Canin intense beauty - Its a High quality cat food, very tasty and good for the skin And coat. I also would suggest gentle brushing once daily to stimulate the loose hair and dandruff to come off. If their coat is very greasy, you may need to bathe them, if they are not fans of water, you could do a wash cloth bath instead of soaking them. Some cats can't groom themselves if they are overweight, so you can check their weight with your vet when they next have a routine exam.