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My cat has dry and flaky skin. I brush him regularly and feed him good food. He bathes himself, but still has a small problem. what can I do to treat this?
Dandruff or flaky skin is usualy points to problems with the diet (not that the food isn,t good but it isn't the right kind for your cat) or health condition (like dry skin caused by allergies). To find out what is causing the dandruff you'll have to go step by step.
The best place to start is by the food. You can try changing to a brand recommended by veterinarians to insure quality food. You can also add omega-3 supplements to your cats daily diet. Dry skin can also be related to the water intake of your cat so insure that he has enough fresh water at all times and if needed ad a bit of wet food to his dry food to compensate. Humidity is a key factor is healthy skin so if your cat lives in a dry house you could also try a humidifier to help insure a healthy level of water in the air (move him away every once in a while from fireplaces and sunlight to reduce humidity loss).
Next, make sure there aren't any parasites, ticks, fleas or underlying health problems (such as diabetes). Some of these guys can be seen by the naked eye others will need a trip to the vet. So start with the easy ones like fleas and make sure his coat is clean. Also make sure you haven't changed anything in his environment that could cause his dandruff like cleaning products in the carpets or floors, maybe a new piece of furniture, all these could give him skin allergies or rash.
Last but not least, you can try anti-dandruff cat shampoo. This might help control the problem but won't get at the source. Also, if you cat is anything like my cat, you'd rather stick a fork in your eye then bathe him. Good luck!
Zorbot summed it up quite nicely. I just wanted to add, my cat got that with the cold. I just gave her a bath. I like to use baby shampoo. Seems to work quite nicely.
