Managing Your Cat's Dry Skin

Cats can develop dry skin for many reasons - from too frequent bathing or nutritional deficiencies to diseases and allergies.

Minimising the symptoms of dry skin can be tricky if you're unsure of where to start, so here are some tips and tricks to help restore your feline's skin to its optimum condition.

5 Tips to Help With Your Kitty’s Dry Skin

Dietary supplements

Ensuring that your cat is getting a proper diet is one of the most important steps in treating their dry skin. You can take your pet to the vet and have their blood tested and checked for any nutritional deficiencies.

More often than not, cats that have this health issue are deficient in fat-soluble vitamins such as A and E. There can also be a lack of omega-3 fatty acids in your cat’s dry or wet food, which you can address by either giving pet supplements or by changing their diet entirely.

Set up a grooming routine

Not all cats have dry skin across their bodies. Most will have normal skin in some areas, with only certain regions affected by the condition.

One of the easiest ways to manage this problem would be for you to set up a schedule for brushing your cat's coat. Whether that needs to happen every day or once every 2-3 days, this routine will help spread the natural oils secreted by your cat’s tegument on the rest of their body.

As such, the likelihood of dry skin developing in some areas is going to be lower. You can try the Rufus & Coco Self Cleaning Deshedder Brush if you also want to remove some of the excess hair before using the Pet Grooming Glove to give your cat a long and thorough massage.

Make sure your living space isn’t too dry

Dry skin is more common in cats during the cold season. To protect your cat’s skin, you can invest in a good-quality humidifier and turn it on each time you notice your pet becoming a little itchy or having a dry coat and skin. You can also try to place a pot filled with water next to the radiator so that some of it turns into vapours and naturally humidifies the air in your home.

Change your cat’s shampoo

Your cat may have gotten dry skin if you tend to bathe them too often. If you didn’t know, cats rarely have to be bathed – and only unless they can’t clean their own bodies or are just too dirty.

Most cats groom their bodies well enough that you do not have to interfere at all. However, if you do want to clean your cat’s coat, you can switch to an all-natural 2 in 1 Oatmeal & Aloe Wash, which will not only cleanse your pet’s body but also moisturize their skin. This  product will leave your cat’s coat looking shiny and healthy.

Pet moisturizers

These days, there are other products that can be used for maintaining your cat’s skin health. For example, if the vet’s tests have not revealed any nutritional deficiencies and you’ve already used some of the tips we have mentioned in this post, you may need to actually moisturize your cat’s body.

Most creams and moisturizers made for people are unsafe for cats when ingested – these products rarely contain ingredients that are healthy for animals.

However, the pet moisturisers available now are made from safe ingredients such as fish oils, aloe vera, oat extracts, or coconut oil. Some even have beeswax and other such ingredients. You can always ask your vet for recommendations on the best moisturiser to use for your cat.

How Can I Tell if My Cat Has Dry Skin?

Most cats will drop small, white flakes on the ground, which will give you some clue that something is wrong with their skin.

Many pets develop dry skin because of dry air, allergies, or flea infestations. There are also other causes, such as mites and lice, hyperthyroidism, or autoimmune skin diseases.

Most of these factors lead to more severe clinical manifestations, so the cat might completely lose their fur in a specific part of their body, you might see redness or a decrease in their grooming habits, or the development of an actual skin infection.

Before trying a home remedy, we suggest that you take your cat to the animal hospital to have a proper diagnosis and ensure that your next course of action will not do more harm to your feline.