Why Does My Cat Have Dandruff?
Cats can have scaling of the skin (dandruff) for a variety of reasons. Common causes of cat dander include flea hypersensitivity, cheyletiella mange, mosquito hypersensitivity, seborrhea and sunburn.
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Flea Bite Hypersensitivity
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Outdoor cats can easily pick up fleas. Fleas have more than 15 different antigens in their saliva, many of which have the potential to cause an allergic reaction in a cat. Cats who are allergic to flea bites can suffer from hair loss, skin lesions, intense itching and dandruff.
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Cheyletiella Mange
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Also known as "Walking Dandruff," cheyletiella mange is caused by little mites on the skin. These mites can cause severe dandruff, thickening of the skin, hair loss and itching.
Mosquito Bite Hypersensitivity
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Cats who are allowed outdoors may suffer from mosquito bite hypersensitivity. Mosquito bite hypersensitivity can cause hair loss, crusting or scaling of the skin, lesions, fever, and swollen foot pads.
Seborrhea
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Seborrhea is a condition that is rare but most often caused by an underlying condition such as ringworm or other parasitic infestations. Common symptoms of seborrhea include dandruff, dry or oily skin, foul odor, hair loss and scratching.
Sunburn
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White cats are especially prone to sunburn. Cats enjoy sunbathing but sunbathing can cause sunburn, especially in cats with white-tipped ears. Sunburn can cause hair loss, dandruff, hair loss and reddened skin.
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References
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- Photo Credit "Mother & child" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: tanakawho under the Creative Commons Attribution license. "Gizmo cat" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: sub_lime79 (Misty) under the Creative Commons Attribution license. "friday.get.out" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: eye of einstein (Alan L) under the Creative Commons Attribution license.
