Symptoms, Causes & Natural Remedies

Just like humans, cats can get dandruff too. The health of a cat’s skin and hair follicles is directly related to their overall health, so it’s important to look at diet and lifestyle if you notice that your kitty has dandruff.

Symptoms of feline dandruff

• Flakey skin
• Dry skin
• Itchy skin
• Shedding fur with white or gray flakes

Causes of Dandruff in Cats

The 3 most common causes of feline dandruff are:

• Nutritional deficiency: Diet is the number one cause of dandruff in cats. Kitties who are fed highly processed foods (like dry food kibble) are at highest risk. Dry food leads to dry skin. This is because of the lack of moisture and live nutrients in the food. Other processed foods are also lacking omega 3 fatty acids because omegas are typically destroyed during processing. Even some fresh food diets don’t include enough omega 3 fatty acids – which can contribute to dandruff in cats.
• Under-grooming: Cats that have trouble grooming themselves will often develop dandruff as a result. This is typical in older cats, obese cats and ill cats. Cats with longer hair may also have a hard time grooming themselves completely.
• An underlying medical condition: Cats with hyperthyroidism, arthritis, diabetes, fungal infections, CKD, some forms of cancer and some autoimmune issues can also contribute to dandruff.

Natural Treatments for Cat Dandruff

If your kitty suffers from excessive dandruff, here are some helpful ways to help them resolve the issue and get their skin and coat back to health:

• Feed your cat a high quality, balanced, high protein, moisture rich diet.
• Supplement with Omega 3 Fatty Acids. We like to use Krill oil with our cats.
• Giving your cats a treat of organic, cold-pressed, unrefined, human grade coconut oil can also help with their skin. You can apply a little of this topically to dry/itchy skin areas as well.
• Brush your cat daily. Especially for long-haired kitties and those who have a harder time grooming, this can be very helpful for their skin and coat. Plus, it helps build the bond between you and your cat.
• If your cat has an underlying medical condition, we recommend partnering with an integrative or holistic veterinarian to get to the root cause – which will help your cat with the secondary issue of dandruff.