Or Register for FREE!


Welcome to our Cat Forums!
Welcome to our CatForums!
You are seeing this message because you are viewing our cat forums as a guest.

You can continue to browse our many cat related areas as a guest but you are more than welcome to register and join our friendly community of Cat Lovers! ... And for free!

Doing so will also remove this message and some of the ads, such as the one on the left.

Please click here to register.

Reply

New Member
 
Cats owned: 3 mixed breed cats
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Liverpool, UK
Posts: 3
31-03-2010, 08:58 PM   #1

Cat Dandruff???


Hi, i recently noticed that my cat has really bad flakey dandruff at the base of her back near to her tail.. on closer inspection there were a large amount of black bits (looks like flea eggs) even thou the cat was recently treated with frontline all her skin around this area had thick flakes of skin and some small cuts with fresh blood on them. my cat wont let anyone touch this area of her back and often either bites herself or who ever is touching her when you get close to the area... I searched the rest of her and there are no other eggs nor fleas... not sure if this is related but she has had some behavioural problems in the past few months of poo-ing and wee-ing in places other than her litter tray especially on towels if left lying round?

any help would be appreciated



Reply With Quote


Kay's Avatar
Kay Kay is offline
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: 19 Persians, 2 Oriental SHs
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Anglesey, Wales
Posts: 4,419
31-03-2010, 09:06 PM   #2

Re: Cat Dandruff???


Just because you can't see the fleas doesn't mean they aren't there. The black bits are flea dirt. Have you sprayed your home with a household flea spray like Acclaim or Stay Kill? If you don't do this then any eggs that are around the home will hatch out and the fleas will once agin attack your cat. The bleeding is due to her gnawing at the irratation set up by flea bites. The white flakes are probably due to an allergic reaction to the fleas. Along with the Frontline you can also use Capstar which is a tablet that kills 100% of the adult fleas on your cat with in 24 hours. It starts illing within 20 mins.



Reply With Quote


angieh's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: Magnificent moggies
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Hampshire, UK
Posts: 21,718
31-03-2010, 09:11 PM   #3

Re: Cat Dandruff???


Can I just say about Capstar - it works very well, but only kills the adult fleas as Kay says, not the larvae or eggs. It can also be quite distressing to watch your cat whilst it is working, if you aren't prepared.

In some areas of the country Frontline no longer works. My vet now recommends Advantage or Stronghold spot on. I would ask your vet and also, as Kay says, use a good household flea spray too.

Good luck getting rid of the little b*****s.



Reply With Quote


New Member
 
Cats owned: 3 mixed breed cats
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Liverpool, UK
Posts: 3
31-03-2010, 09:11 PM   #4

Re: Cat Dandruff???


I dont think it is fleas, or at least I hope not.. I am going to treat both the cats and the house again this weekend... its just strange that its only in one area on one of my cats like a large oval shape on the base of her spine. i cant help but think those flea dirt pieces are trapped within the flakey skin from before I last treated them... I'm more worried about the condition of her skin, the scabs have healed but she is still very freaked out about anyone touching that part of her back even when you stroke her from head to tail... when you get to the base of her spine she either bites or licks what ever is in front of her or turns and bites and licks herself?

I'm baffled?



Reply With Quote


Kay's Avatar
Kay Kay is offline
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: 19 Persians, 2 Oriental SHs
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Anglesey, Wales
Posts: 4,419
31-03-2010, 09:25 PM   #5

Re: Cat Dandruff???


She could have an allergic reation to the Frontline. Angel a reaction to it and kept gnawing and biting herself. My vet gave her a steriod jab and it cleared up. I use program suspension now.

My vet told me the reason Frontline is not working as well as it used to is because the chemicals are now being used in wider circles primarily agricultural and because of this a level of ammunity on the part of the fleas is developing.



Reply With Quote


New Member
 
Cats owned: 3 mixed breed cats
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Liverpool, UK
Posts: 3
31-03-2010, 09:30 PM   #6

Re: Cat Dandruff???


Thanks Kay that might be more likely cause I have been using frontline on her since she was a kitten... I will try a different flea treatment from the vet tomorrow see if that makes her any better...

I have heard that giving her wet food and shampooing the cat may also help (from other sites) and I doubt I would get out alive if i bathed her and she isnt keen on wet foods? but will defo give another flea treatment ago... anyone have any good suggestions for good flea treatment... not to sure about the Capstar if it is distressing to watch the cat... I'm a big wimp when it comes to cats in pain



Reply With Quote


Kay's Avatar
Kay Kay is offline
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: 19 Persians, 2 Oriental SHs
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Anglesey, Wales
Posts: 4,419
31-03-2010, 09:38 PM   #7

Re: Cat Dandruff???


Stronghold or Advocate are excellent. Capstar isn't to be used on its on but alongside these other treatments as it only kills the adult fleas. The cat just goes a bit mad for about half an hour after been given the Capstar. They just itch madly as it starts to work but that soon wears off, the cat isn't in pain.

Shampooing may easy the itching and would possibly get rid of some of the flakes but if you didn't rinse thoroughly then you would end up with dried soap flakes in the coat as well.



Reply With Quote


angieh's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: Magnificent moggies
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Hampshire, UK
Posts: 21,718
31-03-2010, 09:39 PM   #8

Re: Cat Dandruff???


Yes, the Capstar doesn't hurt the cat, but the fleas wriggle about madly as they die and it itches (or so I believe)!



Reply With Quote


Kay's Avatar
Kay Kay is offline
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: 19 Persians, 2 Oriental SHs
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Anglesey, Wales
Posts: 4,419
31-03-2010, 09:44 PM   #9

Re: Cat Dandruff???


Quote:
Originally Posted by angieh
Yes, the Capstar doesn't hurt the cat, but the fleas wriggle about madly as they die and it itches (or so I believe)!
You mean you've never tried it, Angie???



Reply With Quote


angieh's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: Magnificent moggies
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Hampshire, UK
Posts: 21,718
31-03-2010, 10:03 PM   #10

Re: Cat Dandruff???




Not personally, no! But I had to use it once on Merlin. I'd taken him to the vet twice and knew he had fleas, but the vet didn't find any on him - dark coated cat, so I had to take my own action. Got rid of the fleas with Capstar, Acclaim and those sticky lint rollers.



Reply With Quote

Reply