How to Help Your Cat with Persistent Dandruff Issues

Dandruff is one of those pesky issues that doesn't get a lot of attention, since it's largely just an irritation and isn't really harmful. But, when it starts to affect our fur babies, well, we can't let them suffer, can we? It's time to buckle down and fix the problem.

What is Cat Dandruff?

You probably know this, but skin is not a static thing. Every living thing that has skin is constantly shedding microscopic bits of it, individual cells that die, dry out, and flake off. You basically never notice it, since it's too small to see, until it builds up enough to be a problem. A lot of household dust? That's old dried skin (and bits of fabric from clothing and furniture, and pet hair, and your hair, and pollen, and dirt, and soot, and…), collecting over time.

Dandruff is technically a skin condition, and it can be caused by a lot of different things. Whatever the cause, it manifests as larger flakes of skin, large enough to be visible, drying and flaking away. In people, it usually comes from the scalp, but in our fur babies, it can come from all over their bodies.

Feline dandruff isn't really any different than dandruff in people, except it comes from cats. Unlike us, though, cats aren't going to be regularly showering using an anti-dandruff shampoo. They're just going to be itchy, and they'll scratch and lick at their irritated skin, while leaving flakes all over the house.

Oh, and before anyone gets too pedantic about it: "dandruff" is not just one thing, the skin flakes, rather than the disease itself. That's why there are so many different conditions that cause it.

Is Persistent Dandruff in Cats Harmful or Dangerous?

A lot of you might be wondering if dandruff is dangerous, so I wanted to cover that up front.

The answer is… it depends. Helpful, I know, sorry!

Mild dandruff, temporary dandruff, and seasonal dandruff are all pretty much harmless. They're largely cosmetic, and in some cases, your cat won't even really know or care that they have it. In other cases, it can be itchy enough to cause them to scratch and lick more than normal, but it's not likely enough to cause them to lick themselves raw.

If the dandruff is pretty severe, or it's unusually persistent, or it causes other behavioral problems, then it's something you'll want to talk to your vet about.

Dandruff in cats is never an emergency, so you don't need a trip to the emergency vet over it. But scheduling an appointment to bring them in might be important to check for underlying health issues that could be causing the dandruff in the first place.

Since cat dandruff can be a symptom of a variety of different problems, it might be important to check things like kidney and thyroid function, allergies, and parasites. Your vet will take a look, and if the cause isn't obvious, they'll probably run some tests like bloodwork, a poo test, and a skin culture to check for some of the possible causes.

What Causes Dandruff in Cats?

There are a bunch of different reasons why dandruff happens in cats. Some of them are mild and non-issues, while others are more dangerous.

Grooming Issues

There are a handful of different reasons for this, but they can all result in dandruff.

Basically, one of the main reasons dandruff happens is the build-up of dead skin, shed fur, and dirt in their undercoat. Normally, your cat will groom themselves and get rid of this long before it becomes a problem. But if they aren't grooming themselves for some reason, all that stuff can build up, cause skin irritation, and lead to dandruff.

What kinds of things cause grooming issues?

• Obesity, where they physically can't reach enough of themselves to groom properly.

• Sickness, where they're weak or tired and don't feel up to it.

• Old age, where they simply don't remember to groom, or aren't thorough about it.

• Pain in joints or the mouth, which makes it unpleasant to twist and move to groom.

In all of these cases, the lack of grooming is the actual cause of dandruff, but the underlying cause can be different and have different treatments.

Parasites

When it comes to skin issues in cats, the number one parasite that comes to mind is probably fleas. And, yeah, fleas can cause skin issues and can cause dandruff. But they can also cause something that looks like dandruff, but isn't.

It's called "flea dirt," and it's just a polite name for flea poo. It can look a lot like dandruff, but dandruff will be white or gray, while flea dirt will be brown or black.

There are also other parasites that can be responsible.

• Lice

• Ticks

• Mites

• Ringworm

In particular, one type of mite, called cheyletiella, causes something called "walking dandruff," which is highly contagious and transmissible to humans. If your cat has dandruff and you start noticing you do too, it might be time for a whole-household round of antiparasitic medications.

Allergies

One of the most common causes of dandruff in cats is allergies. Allergies to something in the air, like a cleaning product, air freshener, or pollen, can cause dermatitis. Dermatitis is skin irritation that causes dry, irritated, itchy skin.

Internal allergies can do the same thing. If you changed your cat's food or litter recently, it could be irritating them on a systemic level, and one of the main symptoms would be skin irritation that can result in dandruff.

Nutritional Problems

Another semi-common cause for dandruff is nutritional problems. This is distinct from allergies because, while it's related to food, it's not a bodily reaction to it. More likely, it's a lack of some vitamin or mineral they need to keep their skin and fur healthy. Omega-3 fatty acids are one of the big ones; if you aren't feeding your cat the right kind of diet, they can be low on Omega-3s, and that causes dry skin and brittle fur.

In some cases, if there's something causing dehydration, the lack of moisture can also cause dry skin. Paying attention to your cat's water intake (and output) can be another important health indicator to watch.

Underlying Health Problems

Some systemic health conditions can also cause skin problems. The most common of these is hyperthyroidism, which means there's a problem with your cat's thyroid gland. Other organ issues can cause similar skin problems, including kidney disease, pancreatitis, and diabetes.

There are also some skin conditions that are classified as autoimmune diseases. These are basically the feline equivalents of psoriasis and eczema, as well as some rare diseases like pemphigus.

The scariest one is, of course, the Big C. Certain cancers (thyroid, skin) can have dandruff as a symptom. Before you leap to the worst conclusion, though, the chances of dandruff being a sign of cancer are a lot lower than dandruff being a sign of one of the dozen other problems on this list.

Environmental Conditions

Saving the "best" for last on this one. One of the most common reasons why cats can develop dandruff is just that it's really dry. You know how in the winter, the air is pretty dry, and you end up with your own itchy skin, or frizzy hair, or static build-up on your clothes that zaps you when you touch a doorknob?

Dry air affects your feline friend as well, and one of the main ways they might feel it is with dry skin. When it's dry enough out, they can develop dandruff. If you notice that their dandruff is particularly persistent in the winter, but not really a bother most of the rest of the year, that's a good indication you're looking at environmental dandruff.

Treating Persistent Cat Dandruff

You probably already have a decent idea of how to handle cat dandruff just from reading the list above, right?

The first step is to figure out, if you can, why it's happening. Sometimes it's obvious, like humidity. Sometimes you can easily tie it back to a change in food, or a change in a household cleaning product you use. You might even check things like local pollen counts and air quality levels, in case those are irritants causing it.

For other problems, you'll want a close look. Check for signs of parasites or skin irritation. Feel for lumps and look for sores. Anything like that will need a medication from your vet, but they'll generally clear up once you get the meds working.

Some of the more common ways to handle cat dandruff can include:

• Change their food. Look for something rich in proteins and omega-3s for a healthy coat.

• Watch their water. If they aren't drinking much, consider a fountain instead of a bowl.

• Get into the routine of brushing them. Especially if your cat can't groom themselves well, brushing out their undercoat can help a lot.

• Get a humidifier for the household for the dry months. Keeping a decent level of humidity in the air will be more pleasant for everyone.

Depending on what your vet suggests, you might end up with a medication to feed them or a medicated shampoo you'll need to use. Shampoos can be annoying, especially if your cat really hates the bath, but they really do help.

You might also be given a skin cream or lotion to use. These can be tricky. Just rubbing them over your cat will leave them greasy and unpleasant. The best way to apply it is a slow and careful parting of the fur, where you rub it directly into their skin. A couple of strips down the back can do the job, and their grooming (and your brushing) will help spread it out. Always follow vet instructions, too.

Persistent Feline Dandruff FAQs

I wanted to wrap things up here with a few common questions I've seen about feline dandruff.

Is dandruff the same as dander?

Nope! Dander is the microscopic skin particles that are shed all the time, the same as what I talked about in the intro. Dandruff is larger and more visible.

You've probably heard of dander in the context of pet allergies. People are usually allergic to pet dander because of a protein from cat saliva, not from the skin itself. Dandruff won't be any more allergenic to you; it's just more visible.

How long can a cat have dandruff before you call it persistent?

It really depends. Some cats get dandruff for a few days or a few weeks at a time before it clears up. Some will develop it at the start of winter, and it will stick around until spring.

The key is: if it's new, or if it lasting as long as it has is new, ring it up to your vet. Otherwise, if you've already figured out what causes it and know it's mostly harmless or treatable, don't worry too much about it. It's always changes we're concerned about as pet parents, after all.

I gave my cat a bath but the dandruff is worse! Help!

Did you use a medicated shampoo? If not, talk to your vet about what to get, and try that.

The trouble with bathing your cat is that you usually don't need to, and the cause of dandruff is usually something a bath isn't going to fix. In fact, a bath can strip away the natural oils on their skin and can leave a residue from the soap or shampoo you use, which can cause more irritation. If you aren't careful, you can do more harm than good that way.

If you're going to give your cat a bath for a reason other than that they got into something they shouldn't have, make sure you have a cat-focused shampoo for it, and try not to further irritate their skin.

So there you have it! Dandruff can be irritating and annoying to deal with, but most of the time, it's not dangerous, so you and your furry child can handle it with ease. Do you have any other questions? Let me know!