My cats, Lily and Oliver, usually have a little bit of dandruff right near their rump. As long as I brush them regularly, I don't normally see this and their skin is never red, itchy or scaly. However, your kitty's dry skin could have a significant meaning, and there are ways to treat it naturally.

There are a few causes for dry skin in cats. Sometimes it's due to lack of proper nutrients such as Omega-3 Fatty Acids or an infection. A more simple cause is bathing your cat too much. If you determine what type of skin condition your cat has, it will enable you to treat it quickly and easily.

* Scale is a cat skin condition, which produces dandruff and it's caused by low keratin levels.
* Seborrha occurs when the skin is greasy, but you can treat it with a shampoo that contains sulfur or salicylic acid.
* Epidermal collarette is patches of dry skin, which usually appear in circles. An infection called staphylococcal pyoderma causes this condition.
* Exfoliation is when your cat sheds skin more than it should.
* Hyperkeratosis is when your cat's skin becomes thick.
* Comedone is a condition that occurs at the base of the cat's hair follicle. This could be indicative of an endocrine system issue.
* Follicular cast is when a dry section of skin forms around each hair follicle, and lack of keratin can cause this.

With some of these cat skin conditions, you might be able to see results by changing your cat's diet. A quality diet that contains all of the essential nutrients is important for cat's skin and hair health. Another easy solution is shampoo therapy. Your cat might just need a shampoo with an aloe and oatmeal base to calm itchy, dry skin or one with salicylic acid to control oily skin.

If the simple home remedies above don't work, you can opt for herbal remedies. You can use horsetail (equisetum arvense), dandelion (taraxacum officinalis), spirulina (arthrospira platenis), focus vesiculosis or kalium sulphate. It's possible to find all of these ingredients in one product. Each one of these herbs contains different sources of vitamins and minerals, which can improve the skin and help maintain a healthy balance.

While it's cost effective to treat your cat's dry skin condition at home, don't neglect to take your cat to its veterinarian if you don't see an improvement within a few days. The problem might be one of the more serious conditions discussed above.

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