Home Remedy for Dry Skin in Cats

Dry skin is a problem in a lot of pets, particularly cats, and is often a result of an incomplete diet. As such, the most simple home remedy for dry skin in cats will involve replacing things that are missing in your cat’s diet and particularly those ingredients that are known for helping with dry skin.

Generally these ingredients are the same for cats as they are for humans. The moisture in our skin comes from fatty acids and oils and that is no different in cats than it is in humans, and just like humans, cats can benefit from supplementing their diet with Omega 3 Fatty Acid or Cod Liver Oil. These will also have other benefits for your pets – helping their joints, allegedly improving their cognitive ability, and even protecting their cells from damage due to the antioxidants in most oils. This then in turn can prevent cancer and even slow ageing.

If you happen to have supplements for cod liver oil around the house then, this can make a great home remedy for dry skin in cats. If you do not, then you can fortunately find oil and fatty acids in a range of other foods and fortunately particularly in a certain favourite of most cats – tuna. Perhaps the most simple home remedy for dry skin in cats then is to simply feed them more tuna; they’ll thank you in the short term and in the long term. Meanwhile, check that the cat food you are feeding them currently has a good content of oils and fatty acids by looking at the ingredients on the back. If your cat food does not include some kind of oil, then you should look into changing it. At the same time you should vary your cat’s food from brand to brand, as this way you will get a wider variety of different ingredients in their diet.

As well as oil and fatty acids you should also be looking for vitamins and minerals in your cat food. For example you will need vitamin E, D and A to help your pet’s skin, meaning that anything containing these vitamins can be a home remedy for dry skin in cats. Again then, ensure that your cat food contains these vitamins and also look to supplement your cat’s diet with other sources as a home remedy for dry skin in cats.

Again like humans, the condition of a cat’s skin is not only affected by their diet, but also by their lifestyle and their health behaviours. Humans with dry skin for example are recommended to use a moisturising cream in order to rejuvenate their complexion and give their skin the moisture they might otherwise be lacking. Unfortunately a cat is unable to use a moisturising cream, not only because of their fur which would get in the way, but also because of the sheer amount of surface area you would have to cover. For cats then the alternative is to use a specially designed shampoo when bathing them that will supply moisture as well as washing away dirt and germs. It might even be the case that the shampoo is what’s causing the irritation to your cat’s skin. Ask your vet what a good shampoo would be for dry skin in cats.

Another potential cause of dry skin in cats is infestation/parasite, which could mean something like fleas. These spread by jumping from pet to pet, and sometimes surviving in carpet. Often they tend to be attracted in particular to dry and damaged skin, but then will usually exacerbate this problem, meaning that they need to be removed before you can help your cat’s skin return to normal. To do this you will need a fine comb, along with a specialised shampoo and then use these to give your cat regular baths. Look for the fleas as well as the smaller white eggs closer to the skin which can hatch to create more fleas even if you have managed to remove all of the adults. Also make sure you vacuum the area and all of your cat’s bedding thoroughly in order to ensure that they don’t get re-infested.

If after changing your cat’s diet, looking for fleas, and using a specialised shampoo you find that your cat is still struggling with dry skin, then take them to a vet as soon as possible.

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Comments 6
  1. My daughters cats skin is very dry and their fur isn't shiny and sheds terrible. They are only inside kitties and are 5 and 8 yrs old. I appreciate the information.

  2. You do not state what percentage of oil should be in the cat's food. Also, you say a form of cod liver oil, but do not give examples or a description. One more thing, you should NEVER vary your cat's food from brand to brand. This can cause more problems than just dry skin.

  3. My cat Angel has tiny sores on her and I think it could be an allergy to something. It isn't fleas cause I've checked her thoroughly. So now I have another cat and he does not have this issue that Angel has. So what could be going on and should I still treat her for fleas like the vet said?

  4. I have 4 cats that have lovely shiny coats, but one gets dry flakes on rare occasions they are all inside cats since birth and have been declawed. We do take to the vet for shots and for emergencies but do not feel her dry skin is serious enough as she becomes more stressed than the other cats with her trips to the vets.

    This article does not address the issue of a single cat having dry skin.

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