Our cat is snowing [cat dandruff all up ins]

tapeslinger

So the cat who lives in the shop where I work is having srs bsnss dandruff problems and I am trying to figure out how best to control or manage her dry skin. She has sleek black fur and so her dandruff is really really noticeable. We have exceedingly dry air in the shop (even in the summer) and we actually need to keep it that way, because we deal in plaster, resin, and other materials that are averse to moisture.

please note: for a bevy of reasons, this cat is not able to be bathed, which I completely understand sounds dumb as hell. For related reasons, a humidifier is also not possible or practical. Google is not helping much, and since I know there are lots of cat-people in these parts I thought I would look for a specific recommendation.

So since the first normal solutions are not ideal, I am looking for suggestions of supplements to food (recently she switched to an all-wet diet which we were hoping would help), grooming ideas (she gets brushins' daily because she sheds like whoa, but if there is something I could do more betterer I will totally try it) or topical applications (last resort)

Tl;dr: can't bathe super flaky dandruff cat, what other things can I do to mitigate cat snow?

Figgy

Go to the pet store and buy a bottle of fish oil. Put 3-4 drops in her food every day. It will restore some moisture to her skin/fur. It may help.

Nylonathetep

Obligatory Pics if thread is regarding pets plz!

Esh

They make pet wipes which are like baby wipes. They do wonders. Just give the cat a rub down with one or two . What are you feeding the cat?

Casual Eddy

our dog has dandruff and we think a small amount of olive oil helps.

JaysonFour

Brushing the cat's fur may also help, too.

WildEEP

A lot of combing to begin with - get a Furminator. Those things are awesome.
They look like adult sex toys, but they rock at getting tons of hair off the cat with no pain.

Once combed, you're going to want to pet them on a regular basis. Like..every hour to hour and 1/2. Just a few strokes a the minimum..or if they start to really enjoy it, give them a longer rub down.

Between the cats own natural care instincts, and the oils in your hands, the problem should go away.

Enc

Seconding the furminator, it essentially is a brush that looks like a flat bar of metal with some grooves on it, and it effectively strips all of the lose, shedding undercoat that normal brushes miss. In about 10 minutes of furminator brushing you will likely have about four to five huge handfuls of fur and your cat will be noticeably lighter in color and, probably, noticeably happier. Do not use the furminator on a wet cat, ever.

For the dandruff, while you can't bathe the cat in the traditional sense, there are foaming cat shampoos that require no rinse. Simply spray on your hands then ruffle into the cats fur and your dandruff problem will likely be solved.

Likely, the shop's materials are what is causing the problem. Lots of powdered, dusty things can cause some serious skin problems if left in the cat's coat long enough, so be sure to find some way to clean the cats fur (even if only once a month or less). I'd actually recommend having everyone at the shop who likes the cat pitch in a few bucks for a professional cleaning and grooming every 6 months, especially if the cat is well liked and has as considerable problems as you mention. Usually, professional groomers will finish with a hot oil treatment which should solve your problem for a very considerable amount of time.

tapeslinger

Oh hey! Thanks for all the ideas, gang!

Fish oil was my first thought as well, Figgy. Olive oil might be an option as well --eddy, do you mean added to food? (I assume so)
Esh, she is getting Fancy Feast or some such Costco thing-- I don't get a vote on the food since the boss buys it. I had never heard of the wipes or the foaming shampoo things, I will have to look into it since my feeling is we need a "now" solution to get her clean and then a maintenance plan.

The Furminator looks awesome, WildEEP & Enc, we have a regular cat brush and it basically doesn't get into her undercoat deep enough. She gets a ton of petting here since she is a shop cat and she loves to beg for pettings from random clients. (part of why the dandruff thing is a thing, I want her to not look a mess in general.))

we have had another cat here before, but she didn't have the same dryness issues because I think her skin was oilier or something. In any case, thanks much gang! Obligatory cat pics will have to wait until I am not stuck posting from my phone.