Riverchaser
Memphis, TN
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She eats Purina One dry food, sometimes chicken and rice, systensive systems or mature cats. Also twice a week she gets a small container of wet Meow mix chicken and beef. I don't know for sure how old she is since we found her in the woods next to our house about 12 years ago but I don't think she is much older than that. She was so skinny she was pregnant and we didn't know it until she had two kittens. She had been shot with a bb gun and the bb is still in her. her her She doesn't look or act sick now just the dry skin. We did leave her alone for two nights while we went to see the kids and that must have been stressful for her, could that be it. She hates to travel and our kids have a mean cat that scares her so we thought she would be better off at home.
Thanks to everyone's help and concern, only another pet lover understands.
Karen
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CincyGus
Cincinnati
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Try adding a little fat and oil to the diet as mentioned above. Maybe a little fresh fish once or twice a week. Doesn't have to be anything expensive and if you have a fisherman/woman in the family, they may be able to catch you a half dozen panfish such as bluegills/crappies to put in the freezer. I filet them and then cut them into strips for the cat.
My dog and cat have the same issue from time to time. My dog eats anything so I generally add a scrambled egg and a teaspoon of peanut oil to her dry food and she thinks it's her birthday. Makes her coat shiny and her skin soft. I add the egg only because she loves them and the extra protein can't hurt her once every week or two.
The cat is not real picky either and a 2" wide by 3" slab of fresh fish every other week keeps him slick and dandruff free.
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Code2High
One hour past Nowhere, CA
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Thyroid problems are common in older cats and that needs bloodwork to rule it out. Kidneys and liver should also be checked to be sure there isn't something brewing in that area and start appropriate measures if there is.
You can also switch to a higher quality food and see if that helps, or add a supplement such as fish oil, which you can find at the pet store or online at 1800petmeds or www.omahavaccine.com or some other place like that. A third option that I really like but may be harder to locate, is a supplement called Jungle Kitty from Animal Naturals. Mine all get some because the almost sixteen year old gets it mixed into her dry food... she won't eat canned. It's got a chicken base and is a powder but with oils, a normal cat would just eat it plain, just not my oldest.
For kibble, Blue Buffalo is a food that a lot of people have good results with. I've ended up using Taste Of The Wild, which all of them like including the old one and which seems to agree with them all. It's grain free and you feed less of it... mine get two meals of 1/8th cup each twice a day, plus a serving (about an ounce) of raw meat in the morning. Less in means less out, and that's always a good thing. With one cat, the expense shouldn't be a big deal, but you need something you can buy where you are. That's how I ended up with the TOTW, I live in the middle of nowhere and the feed store carries it.
susan
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Pawz4me
North Carolina
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Riverchaser wrote:We did leave her alone for two nights while we went to see the kids and that must have been stressful for her, could that be it.
Possibly. One of my cats flakes up every time we're gone. It usually clears up in just a few days after we return. But as others have said, there are several health issues that can also have skin related symptoms.
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Starlight
Dahlonega GA
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My little dog has dry skin problems, especially her tummy - I had been adding a bit of olive oil to her dry kibbles. Then my vet suggested flax seed oil and that has been a great help.
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Riverchaser
Memphis, TN
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Do you cook the fish or is it raw. Would a can of tuna in oil work?
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pasusan
PA
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My cats get dry skin every winter. Seems to be from laying in front of the fire for hours on end. Clears up when the weather warms up and the fire is off. I have tried adding oils to their food and they won't eat it. They're the stereotypical picky eaters.
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WandaLust2
TN
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CatandJim wrote:Yes age & diet might be good to help analyze the situation but.... really I am concerned about your recent reply.
A week ago your vet said "she looked fine" and she had dandruff &/or dry flaking skin? And they "couldn't find a vein" to do blood work? I'm thinking that I would be be shopping for a new vet.
Good luck!
That's exactly what I would be doing. It took a few local vets before I found the gem I have now. There is noting "fine" about a cat with dry flaky skin. There is also a problem, something not "fine" with a vet who can't locate a cat's vein.
WandaLust. Retired. Middle TN
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WandaLust2
TN
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Starlight wrote:My little dog has dry skin problems, especially her tummy - I had been adding a bit of olive oil to her dry kibbles. Then my vet suggested flax seed oil and that has been a great help.
Since dogs are carnivores with an omnivorous bent, my old vet would suggest animal fats such as drippings from baked chicken, pork or beef. There should be no seasonings in these drippings. Or you can buy oils for pets at the large chain pet stores.
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CincyGus
Cincinnati
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Riverchaser wrote:Do you cook the fish or is it raw. Would a can of tuna in oil work?
What I give mine is just raw, just like it came out of the lake. Never tried Tuna. Pretty sure the oil in the can is not fish oil but it may not matter. Give it a try, it can't hurt. Just don't over do the oil like pouring it from the can. Doesn't take much and just the tuna sitting in itis plenty I'm sure.
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