snow storm

[Jaqui]

I washed my cat and now she has really bad dandruff. I'm sure it's probably uncomfortable for her, or at least itchy. Plus I'm allergic to cats, so it's making my allergies flare up a bit. Is there anything I can do? I considered just rinsing her with water again, but I think that might make it worse. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thx.

[Traci]

In the immediate sense, try getting a spray-on conditioner for cats at your local pet shop or your vet clinic (preferrably your vet, you can't always trust pet store products for safety). Hy-lyte might be one option (from your vet). In the future, choose a conditioning cat shampoo (again, one that is safe and does NOT contain essential oils or tea tree oil, both toxic to cats)

Also ask your vet about adding EFA's to your cat's food, i.e., Linatone, you can simply pour it over food or mix it with canned food.

No matter how desperate you might get, please never use human products on your cat, they are too strong for kitty's sensitive skin. Ask your vet for products he recommends, and those that are safe for cats. Lastly, rule out any health conditions that might be preventing her from normal grooming habits, especially overweight issues.

[Sun & Star's Mom]

I've often wondered about this subject...bathing cats. My last cat (Buddy) was an indoor cat and in his 17 years I never bathed him. My 2 current "sons" now, age 3, have never had a "real" bath either. I bought those "Cat-Bath-Wipes" once, which sounded OK from the label, but haven't seen them on the shelves for a while.
So...do cat's NEED bathes if they are strictly indoors, and don't get into anything?

[Traci]

Generally no, cats don't need bathing since they are impeccable groomers.

However, people with allergies will often bathe their cats to keep down the dander from the saliva that settles on the cats skin and coat. Other allergy sufferers seem to get by on allergy injections or other allergy meds from their physicians.

[Jaqui]

My one cat has long fine hair and is having some extreme static. Will the conditioner also help with this? I like to bathe my cats every 3 months due to my allergies. Could this be bad for their skin at all?

[Traci]

Again, it depends on the product you're using. The linatone may help the fur maintain a more lustrous condition, and since EFA's are added, skin condition may be improved.

Frequent bathing could actually induce dander, or interfere with the condition or luster of the coat. Some kitties are very sensitive to some products, so for that reason I suggested a conditioning cat shampoo or a spray-on conditioner, but would rather you consult your vet on the safest products (the techs and groomers can recommend from their best experiences)

As for the static, this can result from dry air in the home, low humidity. Might consider an air humidifier. (also check your furnace filters to make sure they might need replaced)