Cat Shedding Hair And Dandruff

Be careful not to over shampoo which can dry the skin out further.

Cat shedding hair and dandruff.

Sometimes what looks like heavy dandruff on your cat isn t actually dandruff at all. Cat dandruff is a condition characterised by small white flakes of skin and usually has an underlying cause including allergies parasites and dehydration. Dandruff symptoms also include scaly dry looking skin. Cheyletiellosis is caused by an infestation of cheyletiella mites which feed on your cat s skin leading to itchy scaly skin and hair loss.

However some skin parasites particularly one called demodex and fungal infections such as ringworm can lead to. Dandruff in cats can also be triggered by both external and internal parasites. Fungal and yeast infections. Dandruff in cats may as well be a sign of a skin disorder called seborrhea where the sebaceous glands in the skin secrete too much sebum oil.

With too much sebum on the skin your cat is not able to shed dead skin cells as fast as it should. The cheyletiella mites particularly are known to cause even more damage more on that in a moment. Most of the time dandruff even when severe is not representative of a disease. Unfortunately without medical attention this condition may get worse.

A cat comb or brush can also help you diagnose dandruff if you re seeing flakes there after a grooming session. If you see any signs contact your veterinarian immediately. If your cat has thicker fur you might need to part their fur to see the flakes on their skin. The white flakes of dandruff are visible to the naked eye and not to be confused with dander which is much smaller and part of the natural skin shedding process.

You may also notice your pet engaging in excessive itching or. These two problems are frequently related so if you notice that your cat is shedding more than usual you might want to take a closer look at his coat to see if he s developed dandruff as well. External parasites such as fleas lice and mites will irritate the cat s skin resulting in an allergic reaction and therefore dandruff. Excessive shedding is one of the most common coat related problems in cats but many cats also develop dry itchy skin and dandruff.

Cat dandruff due to seborrhea tends to be seen more commonly on a cat s face back and flanks. If your cat has this type of infection he will likely have crusted lesions.