Skip to Content

Cat Dandruff Remedies To Soothe Your Cat’s Flaky Skin

Do you notice your cat scratching a lot? Does it look like their skin is dry? Dandruff is an irritating condition that can cause your cat to scratch and scratch without relief. Though something as simple as dry skin may not seem like an issue, your cat’s dry skin can result in major discomfort for your feline friend if left untreated. Luckily, there are easy cat dandruff remedies to soothe your cat’s itchy and flaky skin.

In this article, we’ll dive into what causes dandruff in cats, how to choose the best cat dandruff solution, and which products we trust to get rid of cat dandruff for good!

The Best Remedies For Dandruff In Cats

Cat dandruff is fairly common, but don’t fret just yet. Cat dandruff is treatable at home with a natural remedy. Most often, you can treat cat dandruff with a few adjustments to your cat’s lifestyle. Sometimes the solution is simple. Your cat might need a bath, or they need to hydrate their skin by getting enough water intake from their diet.

With that said, let’s dive into some of the options we trust to cure your cat’s dandruff for good! We will break it down into a couple of different categories to help cat owners find the solution that works best for their cats.

Safe Home Remedies For Cat Dandruff

You don’t always have to rely on store-bought shampoos to treat dandruff in your cat. With so many owners looking for a natural home remedy for their cat, cat owners and professionals alike have found safe home remedies to cure your cat’s dry skin.

cat brush cat dandruff

Increase Water Intake

Sometimes our cats just don’t drink enough water. One of the most effective ways to increase their water intake is by boosting their interest in the water bowl. An easy way to do this is by investing in a cat drinking fountain. Cat drinking fountains mimic the actions of a sink, offering flowing water for your cat to sip. Since our cats have a primal instinct that makes them run to flowing water, your cat is sure to step up their drinking game.

Another way to increase their water intake is by switching them to wet food. Since wet food contains a larger amount of water than dry kibble, this is an easy and tasty way to help your cat stay hydrated.

Daily Brushing

Daily brushing can boost your cat’s skin and coat health drastically. Since brushing your cat’s fur can stimulate blood flow and remove unwanted dirt and debris, this makes for healthier skin overall. This is also extremely helpful for older or overweight cats that are not grooming themselves like they used to.

Use A Humidifier

If you fear that a dry environment in your home is the cause of your cat’s dandruff, you can invest in a humidifier to introduce extra moisture into your home. By placing a humidifier in the room your cat spends the most time in, this can give their skin the extra hydration it needs to cure their feline dandruff.

Supplement Their Diet

If you fear that your cat’s diet does not contain enough of the omega fatty acids they need, you can always offer them a supplement that is created for dry skin. Luckily, there are many cat treats and chews that are made specifically with coat health in mind, and these chews often benefit their joints as well. Just be sure to chat with your vet about any new products before you offer them to your cat.

Monthly Baths

Sometimes the best cat dandruff relief is through a soothing monthly bath. A monthly cat bath with a shampoo that has hydrating properties can cure your cat’s dandruff, and offer them relief from their irritated skin. In order to help you find the best shampoo for your cat, we’ve listed a couple of our favorites below.

Store-Bought Cat Dandruff Remedies

Earthbath Aloe & Oatmeal Cat/Dog Shampoo

Earthbath is a wonderful and natural shampoo that can offer cat dandruff relief. With a light smell and added ingredients that target skin health, your cat’s dry skin will find the hydration it needs. This shampoo includes soothing ingredients such as oatmeal, aloe, coconut oil, and is free of any harmful scents or dyes. Bathing your cat with this hydrating shampoo once a month can offer the dandruff cure they need!

Paws and Pals Argan Shampoo

Paws and Pals is another shampoo that is known to cure dandruff in cats and dogs of all ages. With being sensitive enough to use in kittens, you can rest assured that it will offer your cat much-needed relief for their dry skin. This natural shampoo includes ingredients such as aloe, oatmeal, argan, essential oils, coconut oil, and more. A monthly bath with this calming shampoo can offer the dandruff remedy you were looking for.

Alternative DIY shampoo: You can also check out our recipe for homemade shampoo for cats if you’re keen on making your own!

black cat itchy skin cat dandruff

What Exactly Is Dandruff In Cats?

Now let’s discuss the details behind your cat’s flaky skin. What and why do cats get dandruff anyway?

Dandruff in cats is a skin condition that is characterized by dry and flaky skin. Dandruff will often appear as white flakes throughout your cat’s fur, often accompanied by frequent itching. While dandruff is considered a condition in itself, it’s often the result of something else that is affecting your cat’s skin.

Whether your cat is lacking fatty acids in their diet, experiencing dehydration, or suffering from fleas or other irritating conditions; dandruff in cats is often a symptom of a bigger issue. In order to get to the bottom of your cat’s dry skin, let’s discuss some of the causes behind cat dandruff.

What Causes Dandruff In Cats?

Your cat’s dandruff is often a clue that something is impacting their skin or overall health. While the effects of cat dandruff can certainly range in severity, it’s important to be aware of all the possible causes to make sure your feline friend is as comfortable as possible in their own skin.

Some of the most common causes of cat dandruff and flaky skin include:

Improper Diet: Diet impacts just about everything in our feline friend’s lives, especially their skin. Your cat’s skin requires adequate hydration and omega fatty acids to remain as healthy as possible, meaning a lack of either can result in feline dandruff. Since omega fatty acids act as a lubricant for the skin and joints, it’s important to make sure your cat’s diet has plenty to offer. Fatty acids can come in the form of fish oil, animal fats, flaxseed, and more.

Dehydration: Dehydration is a common cause of dandruff in cats. Just as our skin will begin to feel dry and flaky when we are not drinking a recommended amount of water each day, the same is true for our cats.

External Parasites: External parasites such as fleas and ticks can cause great discomfort for our furry friends. With the constant need to itch and pull at their skin, this can cause the skin to become dry and irritated. This is especially common in cats that have access to the outdoors.

Skin conditions: Similar to humans, cats can suffer from an array of skin conditions that can cause the skin to flake. Cats can experience external parasites, bacterial infections, fungal infections, autoimmune diseases, and more. Each of these issues can result in itchy dandruff for your feline friend.

Allergies: Environmental allergies and food allergies are a common cause behind cat dandruff. Since allergies of all kinds will often cause itching, this will result in additional skin irritation due to the constant need to scratch. Dandruff from allergies is often accompanied by redness of the skin, hair loss, patches of irritation, and other changes in the skin and coat.

Medical Conditions: There are many medical conditions that can affect the skin in cats. Since so many body processes can be impacted by other diseases, it makes perfect sense that the skin can be affected as well. Some common diseases that can cause cat dandruff include feline diabetes, hyperthyroidism, lymphoma, and more.

Anxiety: Anxiety can result in many changes in our feline companions. Since severe anxiety in cats can cause them to groom excessively, this can cause a cat’s skin to become extremely dry as a result.

Cat Dandruff Or Something More?

So how do you know if your cat’s dandruff is pointing to something more serious than dry skin? Though most of the time our cat’s dandruff can be resolved with simple intervention or diet changes, there are situations that require a bit more care.

Some signs that your cat’s dandruff is something more serious includes:

  • Itching to the point of sores or severe irritation
  • Extreme discomfort or constant scratching
  • Other physical changes such as fur loss, weight change, etc.
  • Dandruff accompanied by changes in their behavior such as lack of appetite, lethargy, excessive thirst, vomiting, etc.
  • Evidence that your cat is suffering from anxiety

Though cat dandruff is usually just a nuisance that can be easily addressed, it’s important to keep the above symptoms in mind so you can act quickly if needed. If your cat’s dandruff will not resolve or is accompanied by any of the symptoms above, it’s time to visit your veterinarian.

Dandruff in cats is a nuisance they shouldn’t have to suffer through. Be sure to review the tips we’ve listed above to help your feline friend, and your cat’s dandruff will be banished for good!

Like it? Pin it!

cat dandruff remedies to treat cat dandruff and soothe itchy cat skin | thefluffykitty.com