How can I help moisturize my cat's coat?

Question

My cat is a little over six years old now, and she has started to get a lot of dry, flaky skin on her behind (bum-druff, as I call it). I heard that adding a bit of olive oil to a cat's food can help with their skin and fur. Anyone know if this is indeed true, or has other advice for this? She has gorgeous, soft fur and I would like to help her keep it that way as she grows old!

Thanks!

Answer 1

i have a cat with the same problem, i also heard about the olive oil and i was doing it for a while, it didn't help though, i also tried the raw egg trick, that actually worked and now i give him like 1 or 2 raw eggs a week. i give it to my dog too because she itches real bad from dry skin.

Answer 2

No, please do not use any kind of cooking oils.  You can buy coat moisturizing products at your local PetCo or PetSmart.  I use Paul Mitchell Moisturizing spray from my hair stylist and it works great (though it's a lot more expensive than the pet store).  It is pet-safe, and in fact Paul Mitchell is starting a line of pet products.  Cooking oil can cause health issues when the cat cleans himself - not to mention it'll get oil residue all over your carpet, and anywhere else your cat lays and can attract bugs.

Use pet-approved products only - leave home remedies in the dust unless your vet approves them first.

Answer 3

Both omega 3 oils and wet food will help.

Poppy had very bad dandruff and switching to an all canned diet helped clear that up.  I also give her a squirt of fish oil twice per day.

I believe you *could* use olive oil but I think fish oil is better.

Fish oil:

Only Natural Pet Icelandic Salmon Oil (pump) (http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/products/O...

Good for hairballs, good for skin and coat.

Selection: You typically won't use human fish oils - at least not the ones in liquid form - because they have added citrus flavors to many of them. You don't want to use cod liver oil - at least not on a very regular basis - because it has too much vitamin a. Plain old fish oil or salmon oil is best. I prefer it in liquid form as opposed to capsules for ease of dispensing. You want it to say that they've done everything possible to remove mercury. I prefer one with the fewest additives, especially not rosemary. Or propyllgallate.

For ease of use, I prefer to buy it in liquid form in a squeeze bottle or pump.

Dosage: I give a squirt every day. It's not measured but probably comes to somewhere around 1/4 tsp.

Answer 4

I have never heard about olive oil, and you should research that before you give it to your cat. However, fish oil like in tuna is good for cats' coats and isn't bad in small amounts. There are also cat treats and supplements for making a cat's fur silkier.

Answer 5

Your cats diet will reflect on her overall appearance. Have you changed food lately? And what kind of food have you been feeding? It is important to feed her a high quality diet - high protein, low carb and grain free if possible. Problems with the skin and fur are never just cosmetic. Symptoms such as hair loss, thinning fur, dullness, dry flaky skin, excessive scratching, thickened skin, infections, and odors can often be traced back to either a shortage or an excess of a specific nutrient. In fact, there is no more visible indicator of problems with your cat’s overall health than problems with the skin and fur. Your cat's hairy coat is composed almost entirely of protein. If your pet's diet doesn't contain sufficient amounts of certain proteins, the fur literally may fly, since it could fall out. The fur may also become dry, weak and brittle. The right nutrients in the right proportions are indispensable to keeping your cat healthy.

  

Answer 6

I just had the same issue with my cat. The vet said to brush him every day, because the natural oils from the skin will moisturize and the cat will have less dandruff. He also suggested hairball remedy, because of the petroleum in it. Another product he suggested is called, Linatone, which is an odd smelling oil  that you put on the cat's food. It helps with excess shedding and skin condition.