Cat Dandruff

mellymeepmeep

I've noticed recently that along with the clumps of hair my Lily is shedding she's also leaving white flakes of dandruff all over the place, its particularly noticeable on my desk where she likes to lie at night and I'm having to wipe it down of a morning. Is there any reason for this? I haven't changed her diet she gets applaws dry kibble and applaws wet tins.

paddypaws101

I would say it is probably due to her diet, exacerbated maybe by the time of year (ie heating going on, tends to dry skin out, also a bit of shedding of summer coat ready for winter)
Applaws wet food has pretty minimal fat, and although they SAY that feeding the dry alongside balances this out, I have my doubts. Cats metabolise fat well, it is an important part of their diet and deficiency often shows up in dandruffy skin.
Will she eat other foods? You could try some chunks of raw chicken thigh with skin on, or even a small blob of duck/goose fat added to her meals daily.
personally I would look at a better brand of cat food....lots to choose from on Zooplus or the excellent
http://www.happykittycompany.co.uk/
Grooming her daily with a Zoom Groom brush will also be beneficial.

mellymeepmeep

She absolutely loves to lick plates where butter has been so I will definitely try her with some goose fat, I thought I was doing the best for her with Applaws its kind of all I can afford at the minute but I'll check out the other brands!

paddypaws101

Applaws is typical of many foods on the market....they play on what we see as healthy in a human diet....chicken white meat, no fat etc....but in fact we are paying premium prices for an inferior food. Something like Bozita tins or Animonda Carny tins from Zooplus would be much better....IF she will eat meaty pate style foods. Unfortunately they do often get addicted to the shredded type foods and then refuse other options.
You could also offer her a meal of oily fish once a week....you can get small tins of pilchards in spring water in sainsburys.

mellymeepmeep

I tried her on the Applaws pate once and it didn't get eaten so it'll have to be a steady change I'm guessing. She won't eat anything unless its in tiny little bits, I even have to crush up her biscuits. They are picky animals aren't they?!