Cat Dandruff?

[miese Katze]

Dandruff, is that how you spell it?

Anyways, despite Amelie's request not to talk about her hindquarters in public (she is a lady after all), I need to ask for some information. She has what seems to be dandruff on her bum, by the base of her tail. It does not seem to annoy/affect her in anyway, but I was just wondering if there is anything I could do to get rid of it? Is bathing the only option (Amelie hates that)?

[Craftlady]

Brushing them will help the dandruff. Specially in the winter months when the house tends to get dryer because of the heat their skin/fur gets dryer thus the flakes.
Also, since our gang is on a better food their fur is shinner and we dont have the dandruff problem (natural oils in food).

[kuhio98]

Craftlady is correct. The same thing worked for us.
Cammie had awful dandruff when we adopted her from the shelter. We didn't bathe her but brushed her very gently every day to get all the dead skin off. Once she adapted to her new food (Science Diet) her dandruff disappeared. At first we bought Nutranugget because it's the food they use at the shelter. We thought it would help her relax if she had familiar food. She wouldn't touch the stuff. Her coat used to be rough and dull but now it is glossy. Some of that could have been due to the stress at the shelter.

[catlover4ever]

Yup, brushing will help. I use several different tools on Mystic who has the most dandruff of all 5 of mine. I use a kitty comb (for fleas actually), a kitty brush, and a shedding tool. Here are pictures of what I use. I have found the shedding tool to be the best in helping with the dandruff.

http://a1272.g.akamai.net/7/1272/1121/20040102201948/www.drsfostersmith.com/images/products/large/p_7648_catslicker.jpg

http://a1272.g.akamai.net/7/1272/1121/20040102201958/www.drsfostersmith.com/images/products/large/p_2827.jpg

The one on a handle that loops back around is what I find to work the best.

[miese Katze]

Thank you all very much! I've started to brush her more frequently, which looks to be helping, or at least I can't see the dandruff then afterwards.

Thanks again for the advice.

[AmberLee]

It does seem to be the more ... voluptuous, zaftig, ummm ... rounder cats that tend to have this trouble too. Apparently the slimmer cats have an easier time grooming themselves back there and we humans don't see the dandruff as much.

Livvy, my dimpled darling (dumplinged darling?), had a bit of a problem when she came to me -- she'd been used to a cheaper brand of cat food. The vet recommended a vitamin mineral supplement for her food that would add essential oils faster. Unfortunately she hated the stuff. (And it was expensive, too, which added to my irritation with the whole thing...)

[Julie Grove]

Ah! This must be what Lucy has on her back - I presume?? It is not near her little botty but on her back towards the base of her tail. I have certainly noticed this recently in the colder weather so maybe her skin is dry.

Any opinions on Evening Primrose oil or Cod liver oil to treat this?

[RedHedd]

My vet suggested adding Flaxseed oil to Mitzi's food for this condition. The food I'm feeding her has a good balance of oils and her fur condition is getting better, although she still is a bit, er, um .... zaftig. :)

[slick]

Speckles gets a vitamin E capsule squeezed into her food once a week and that seems to help her "problem".