Dandruff-anything else to try?

[JBalways2000]

My boys get a fairly decent diet of Arden Grange sensitive fish and potato dry food with one wet meal of high life tuna or high life pouch a day. their furs are all nice and shiney but they all seem to suffer with dandruff I got some salmon oil to try a few months back after reading that this seems to be a miracle worker for dandruff and makes the coat shiney etc but our lot refused to have it! odd kitties not wanting 100% salmon oil

I just wondered if anyone could recommend anything else we could try? obviously its not an urgent or serious health problem and certainly doesnt seem to bother the boys and they dont scratch or anything(though AJ does get a little scabby above the eyes sometimes ) but wouldnt hurt to try and get rid of the dandruff problem!

[angieh]

I just had a quick Google on feline dandruff and, if you really don't want to cause panic in the ranks by changing their diet - you could gradually try increasing the wet food. Another suggestion I came across was to increase moisture in the air with a humidifier. Sad about the salmon oil - that seems one of the best things to try. My dear old Merlin wouldn't have it either!

[JBalways2000]

Yes i was really hoping they would like the salmon oil after reading such good things about it. my lot are too spoilt and too fussy!

I dont think they would complain too much about getting more wet food though

[Tink]

i second the wet cat food idea
also, have you tried other types of fish oil? sometimes they don't like salmon but like the plain fish oil capsules or even cod liver oil...there's even sardine oil

[moonstone]

My Hetty suffers from this although my vet just said that it,s dry skin (same thing really i suppose) I brush her several times a day to get rid of it as she is disabled and has trouble washing herself i,s now almost gone and she loves being brushed so problem cured

[Elaine]

I'd also suggest putting them onto a wet food only diet, especially where there are indications of unrinary tract disorders.
Dandruff can be associated with dehydration, I dont mean to infer that the dehydration would need fluid therapy or anything as severe as that. A humidifier may help but a wet food diet should definately help.
Be very careful when supplementing a cat with fish oils as there have not been enough studies done on cats and essential fatty acids to discount that you may do soome serious damage by overdosing them with vitamins which are already present in their foods already.
The two main types of essential fatty acids are omega3 and omega6. Modern diets tend to contain more omega6 because it is cheaper and more stable but this may crreate a potentially harmful imbalance.
Cod liver oil should be avoided because it contains too much vitamin A and D.
If fish oils are given, extra vitamin E is needed to avoid a painful condition called Steatitis.
So I guess the thing is not to supplement unless under veterinary supervision.

[Tink]

you've jogged my memory on the cod liver oil. i remembered that i decided to avoid using it but couldn't remember why.
also forgot about the vitamin E. i used to do it when kuan yin was a kitten but it's been so long i forgot about having that as well.

[dandysmom]

I was going to suggest tuna or sardine oil, but after reading Elaine's post, decided to use it just as an occasional treat. Ms. Picky won't touch salmon oil.

[angieh]

I seem to remember Yola saying that she gives her boys salmon once a week for their omega3. Perhaps a weekly treat of salmon flesh may be enough ............... ? If in doubt I suppose it's best to leave well alone. See, our cats who wouldn't take salmon oil probably knew or know something we didn't or don't!! ???

[Danielle0211]

I use yumega as its not too fishy Bhindi won't touch anything fishy!