Dry skin on cats
Michelle Kovacs
I have two cats, one short hair and one long hair. The one with long hair
gets dry, flakey skin on her back, anywhere from the back of her neck to
her tail. It doesn't seem to bother her except when you touch the area,
then she kind of flinches or gets a "chill", but will won't bite at me so
I don't think she's hurting, just uncomfortable. I brush her with a hard
wire brush daily and she eats dry cat food (Purina O.N.E). Please give me
some suggestions as to what might be causing the problem and what I can do
to help!!! E-mail directly to kova...@nd.edu. Thank you very much!!!!!!
Deby Gerrard
This may be a flea bite allergy that you cat has developed. My cat is prone
to this and will get dry skin on her back, but she also loses a bit of fur.
Getting rid of the fleas will sort out the problem.
It may also be simply dry skin - my skin gets drier at winter.
Also you said that you brush her with a hard wire brush - that makes me
cringe. I am imagining this long wire brush that my mum used to use on the
stone fireplace to get rid of marks!
Perhaps you should try a softer brush or comb?
I would also take your cat to the vets as s/he will be able to diagnose the
problem and possible recommend a better food. I am not familiar with
Purina One - not available in the UK. But my cat's coats have improved with
Iams.
--
To email me please remove the last two letters from my address
Michelle Kovacs <kova...@nd.edu> wrote in article
<kovacs.7-180...@kovacs.engineering.nd.edu>...
Coad & Scott
Michelle Kovacs wrote:
>
> I have two cats, one short hair and one long hair. The one with long hair
> gets dry, flakey skin on her back, anywhere from the back of her neck to
> her tail. It doesn't seem to bother her except when you touch the area,
> then she kind of flinches or gets a "chill", but will won't bite at me so
> I don't think she's hurting, just uncomfortable. I brush her with a hard
> wire brush daily and she eats dry cat food (Purina O.N.E). Please give me
> some suggestions as to what might be causing the problem and what I can do
> to help!!!
Are you by any chance using Advantage for flea control? A side-effect
of this is flaky skin on the neck and back. My Lionel, however, another
longhair, had a bit of trouble with dry skin before I used the
Advantage.
Some suggestions: Switch to a better food, preferably one of the premium
ones -- it really *does* make a difference. I've been feeding Science
Diet Senior Formula, and I can recommend it highly, but I've also heard
good things about Iams. Try giving her an oil-based vitamine supple-
ment containing fatty acids -- there are a number of these on the
market,
and any of the large pet-supply houses should offer at least one. Then
don't use flea or human shampoos when bathing -- I use a colloidal oat-
meal shampoo on Lionel, and I believe it has helped. There's also a
product called "Shed-Away Wipes," which are towels saturated with a
moisturizing formula, intended to reduce shedding; they work as well
to help mild dry skin. And finally, try combing her out, rather than
brushing with the abrasive brush. Poor Lionel has gotten so ticklish
now and then, that I've used a hard rubber comb rather than the metal
flea comb I usually use -- and it does seem to help.
One thing you should consider is if the problem is a symptom of some
underlying condition. In Lionel's case, it's a matter of allergies,
to fleas, some pollens, and mildew. Food allergies can also produce
the dry-skin effect, so you might want to try switching to a lamb-
and-rice formula, and seeing if her skin improves.
Stacy Scott
Evon Aldrich
Please check out my web page page... There is something to help your pets.
Juice Plus for humans and Juice Plus for cats and dogs....
Thans For your letter.
Evon Aldrich
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