What is Scaly Skin?
Treating scaly skin is not just about finding out the underlying cause, but also alleviating itchiness associated with the condition to help make your cat comfortable.
Cats may have scaly skin for a number of reasons, some of which are minor, such as naturally dry skin. Scaly skin often looks like dandruff, but can also consist of larger flakes that can be seen through your cat’s fur. If you notice your cat excessively licking or scratching certain areas of his body, check to see if you spot any signs of scaly skin.
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Symptoms of Scaly Skin in Cats
Cat owners are often unaware of their cat’s skin problems because cats tend to groom themselves on a regular basis, so excessive licking may not seem unusual. But, it’s important for cat owners to make an effort to look for scaly skin symptoms, including:
- Small or large flakes of skin
- Itchiness
- Hair loss
- Thinning fur
- Red, irritated skin
Causes of Scaly Skin in Cats
Scaly skin is a sign of an underlying health condition. Although it can be caused by something as minor as dry skin in the winter, there are other more serious health conditions that could be affecting your cat. Some of these causes include:
- Cheyletiella mange, caused by mites
- Demodectic mange
- Allergies, especially flea allergies
- Ringworm
- Seborrhea, or an excessive production of sebum
- Sunburn
- Yeast infections on the skin
- Autoimmune disorders
- Inadequate grooming due to e.g. joint pain or dental disease
Diagnosis of Scaly Skin in Cats
A vet will be able to spot scaly skin through a simple physical examination of the cat’s fur and skin, however in order to treat it, the underlying cause must be diagnosed. Be sure to give your vet detailed information on when the symptoms began, and what behaviors your cat has exhibited. If your cat has been diagnosed with any other health conditions in the past, be sure to bring this to your vet’s attention as well. Because scaly skin can be caused by allergies, tell your vet if you have recently changed your cat’s diet or something in their environment such as their bedding.
First, a vet may perform a complete blood count test and urinalysis to get a better picture of the cat’s overall health. Blood tests can also show if there is a serious cause of the scaly skin, such as an autoimmune disorder.
Skin scrapings, which test for mites under the skin, are usually done. A small sample of hair may also be taken and examined under a microscope to determine if there are excessive amounts of sebum on the hair follicle. A culture may be taken to check for fungal and bacterial infections.
A vet may also do a thorough physical examination to check you cat for fleas. Scaly skin can often be a sign of an allergic reaction to fleas, so if any are found, this could be the cause.
Treatment of Scaly Skin in Cats
Once a diagnosis has been made, the vet will discuss treatment options with you. If the cause is related to fleas, ringworm or mites, medication will be prescribed to combat the pests. The vet may also prescribe steroids or antihistamines to help alleviate the cat’s itchiness and skin inflammation.
Cats will be prescribed antifungals or antibiotics if the cause is a yeast or bacterial infection. These are usually given orally, however some topical treatments may be required, depending on the condition of your cat’s skin.
Seborrhea is treated with special shampoos designed to control the production of sebum. Your vet may wash your cat in the office for you, and then ask you to continue using the shampoo at home.
If the vet believes your cat has scaly skin because of an allergy, he may suggest allergy testing to determine what your cat is allergic to. Once you find out, you will need to reduce or eliminate your cat’s exposure to the allergen to help your cat heal and prevent further issues.
To treat autoimmune disorders, your vet will prescribe medication that suppresses the immune system and allows your cat’s body to recover. If the cause of the scaly skin is cancer, which is rare, your cat may need to undergo chemotherapy or radiation treatment.
Ensure your cat is grooming adequately and brush their coat through every day. Consider starting skin supplements and a skin supportive diet containing omega 3 fatty acids and biotin.
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Recovery of Scaly Skin in Cats
Recovery will depend on the cause of the scaly skin. If the scaly skin was caused by fleas or mites, you will need to administer medication to your cat on a monthly basis to prevent the issue from recurring.
Bacterial and fungal infections will usually clear up after you have given your cat the full course of medication. To prevent these infections from coming back, your vet may recommend you use special shampoos to keep your cat’s skin clear and healthy. Not every cat will tolerate being shampooed.
Scaly skin caused by allergies will usually clear up once the cat is no longer exposed to the allergen. However, if it’s impossible to completely eliminate the allergen from your home, talk to your vet about whether you can use medication to alleviate symptoms. Immunotherapy may be an option for some though can be expensive.
Regardless of the cause, be sure to speak with your vet about an grooming routine. Most cats needs to be brushed regularly. In general, bathing is not advised but may be needed to treat certain medical conditions.
Scaly skin can be expensive to treat. If you suspect your cat is at risk of developing scaly skin, start searching for pet insurance today. Wag!’s pet insurance comparison tool lets you compare plans from leading companies like PetPlan and Embrace. Find the “pawfect” plan for your pet in just a few clicks!
Scaly Skin Average Cost
From 558 quotes ranging from $200 - $500
Average Cost
$250
Top
Scaly Skin Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
Feline
3 months
19 found this helpful
19 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Scaly Skin
she's got dry skin and when it comes off so does her hair what does this mean
Sept. 28, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
19 Recommendations
Thank you for your question.
That picture looks very suspiciously like ringworm, although it is difficult to say without actually seeing her. It would be best to have her seen by your veterinarian, as they can give her medication to help make her skin and hair healthy again.
I hope that all goes well for her!
Oct. 5, 2020
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Schnauzer
Three Years
2 found this helpful
2 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Redness In Fur Around Eyes.
Red fur under eyes, caking in corner of eyes.
Sept. 28, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
2 Recommendations
Thank you for your question.
What you describe may be an infection, or a dry eye problem, or irritation. If it is not getting better, it would be best to have your dog seen by a veterinarian, as they can look at your dog, see what might be going on, and get treatment for them.
I hope that all goes well for your dog.
Oct. 5, 2020
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Tabby
Thirteen Weeks
5 found this helpful
5 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Hairless Patch With Scaby/ Scaly Skin.
I want to know what may be causing her tail to do this
Aug. 2, 2020
Answered by Dr. Sara O. DVM
5 Recommendations
Hello, there are many reasons that her tail may be doing this. This may be ringworm causing this. It would be best to see your vet. They can start your cat on medication to treat the hair loss.
Aug. 2, 2020
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Orange tabby
Squeaks
1 Year
4 found this helpful
4 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Hair Loss
Flakey Skin
Dry Cracked Skin
My cat has a round bald spot on the back of his neck. It's cracked and dry looking. Kinda flakey. It developed after I got him fixed and started treatment for ear mites. He's an indoor cat. He isn't around any other cats at all. If it was ringworm someone in my family would have gotten it by now I would think.
Sept. 12, 2018
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Long hair calico
Beauty
20 Years
2 found this helpful
2 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Dandruff And Scaly Patch
Recently I went on vacation for a few weeks when I returned my cat had matted hair about 6 pretty big ones it took almost a week to get them brushed out and bathed her a few times with cat moisturizing and conditioning shampoo now it has been a few weeks later a I just found a dry scaly patch on her spine when I touch it or brush around it dandruff looking flaks come out of her fur it doesn't seem like it is bothering her she loves being petted and brushed and bathed sense I have read they stop bathing there self when they get older which I have noticed her not really doing it anymore so I have been doing it for her but now I am worried about her skin is there anything I can do for her? She is a full time indoor kitty..
Aug. 27, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
2 Recommendations
It is possible that Beauty has some residual issues with her hair matting, and it may just take time. If there are not other lesions, you may be fine to continue to groom he and monitor that spot. If the area is spreading, it would be a good idea to have her examined by a veterinarian to make sure that there is not a bigger problem.
Aug. 28, 2018
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Domestic shorthair
Stray cat
1 Year
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Itching
Crusty Patches And Balding
Hi. There is a stray cat that lives in my neighborhood that tried to adopt himself to my home several months ago. After shooing him away several times I didn’t see him anymore, until the other day. Now the cat is merely a shadow of what he used to be. Skin and bones, thinning hair, bald patches with sores, and white crust covering his head. Well, feeling so sad for him I Started feeding him. I am very concerned for my own two cats though, by not knowing what is wrong with him. My cats are indoor and outdoor and this stray has been hanging around my front door. I’m not sure what to do to fix this cat since I can not afford to take it to my vet. And I don’t want to call the pound because I’m afraid they’ll just put him down. Any suggestions on what I can do will be greatly appreciated.
tabby
Puppycat
5 Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Extremely Dry Skin
Hard Or Tough Skin
Can'T See Eyes
Possible Swollen Tongue
I have rescued a light ginger adult male tabby with severely dry, leathery skin on his head and a little bit of his scruff and neck area. I literally cry every time I touch him; his skin is so hard I can't pet him normally. His tongue looks unusually large, as though it's swollen. Also, I can't see his eyes. He eats well and also drinks a lot of water. He seems to like when I put diatomaceous earth on his head, which is unusual to me because none of my other cats have ever liked it when I've put it on them. Can someone give me an idea of what this is and what I can do to alleviate the condition? I had to guess his age because I couldn't submit this otherwise.
Maine Coon
Loki
10 Months
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My cat has been to multiple vets. He is 10 mos old. He is constantly grooming himself. He has practically lost all of his fur, he looks like he has mange or mites bc of the black flakiness everywhere on his body especially his chest and arms. We have tested for everything, fungi, bacteria, parasites, allergies. All have come back negative. Have even checked his organs and they are all healthy. But he looks like he has been living on the street with no nutrition even though he eats perfectly fine and we have him on a science diet to rule out food allergy. The two vets I have gone to have no clue what’s wrong with him but he will not stop itching and he has multiple sores from hotspots. I have to put him in a cone but I know he is constantly itching so I feel like it’s cruel but he will make himself bleed. I just want it to go away and it’s been going on for 3 months with no results. Can anyone help???
Scaly Skin Average Cost
From 558 quotes ranging from $200 - $500
Average Cost
$250
Get a free pet insurance quote in less than 60 seconds!
Easily compare quotes from the most trusted pet insurance companies in the United States.
