Cat Shedding Hair And Dandruff

Sometimes what looks like heavy dandruff on your cat isn t actually dandruff at all.

Cat shedding hair and dandruff.

You may also notice your pet engaging in excessive itching or. Most of the time dandruff even when severe is not representative of a disease. Cat dandruff is a condition characterised by small white flakes of skin and usually has an underlying cause including allergies parasites and dehydration. Unfortunately without medical attention this condition may get worse.

However some skin parasites particularly one called demodex and fungal infections such as ringworm can lead to. Fungal and yeast infections. If your cat has thicker fur you might need to part their fur to see the flakes on their skin. With too much sebum on the skin your cat is not able to shed dead skin cells as fast as it should.

External parasites such as fleas lice and mites will irritate the cat s skin resulting in an allergic reaction and therefore dandruff. Dandruff symptoms also include scaly dry looking skin. A cat comb or brush can also help you diagnose dandruff if you re seeing flakes there after a grooming session. Dandruff in cats can also be triggered by both external and internal parasites.

These two problems are frequently related so if you notice that your cat is shedding more than usual you might want to take a closer look at his coat to see if he s developed dandruff as well. If you see any signs contact your veterinarian immediately. Cheyletiellosis is caused by an infestation of cheyletiella mites which feed on your cat s skin leading to itchy scaly skin and hair loss. Dandruff in cats may as well be a sign of a skin disorder called seborrhea where the sebaceous glands in the skin secrete too much sebum oil.

Cat dandruff due to seborrhea tends to be seen more commonly on a cat s face back and flanks. If your cat has this type of infection he will likely have crusted lesions. Be careful not to over shampoo which can dry the skin out further. The white flakes of dandruff are visible to the naked eye and not to be confused with dander which is much smaller and part of the natural skin shedding process.

Lavallee ringworm can infect your cat s hairs and cause hair loss. A condition known as cheyletiellosis commonly referred to as walking dandruff is caused by a type of mite.