Conference misery::feline_v1

	Some cats are very allergic to fish oil, so I wouldn't put cod liver
oil on him. Now that Otis is shaved, he might be able to clean himself better
and the problem might clear up on its own. You can try bathing him with a
cat shampoo, but only once a month. His natural oils should be able to
take care of the problem with time.

Regards,
Carol

    A supplement, like Linatone or Mirra Coat, may also help.  You can mix
    them up into Otis's wet food.  Mirra Coat is a bit better than
    Linatone.
    

	Eggs also do the trick - although don't feed them too many.

	Mine have 1 soft-boiled egg a week between them, they love it, it does
	their coat wonders, and they no-longer have dandruff.

	Heather

    Re: no jumping
    
    He probably just feels really strange.  I bet he goes back to normal
    behavior in a few days.  I mean, imagine if you suddenly turned
    semi-bald....
    

    It's amazing to see the change in Otis.  He definately knows he looks
    different and is a little more cautious about greeting people.  Like I
    said, he hid under the table and I had to coax him - as well as praise
    him - for him to come out to me!
    
    What I cannot get over too is how TALL he is - his legs are so long.
    He looks more like a dog now - than a cat.
    
    I am going to try the soft boiled egg (once a week) and see if that
    helps his dandruff situation.  Seeing as his hair will be growing back
    in - it might as well be the nice and shiny jet-black coat that I know
    he could have.
    
    Thanks
    
    M
    

    
    My kitties love egg yolks!  If I ever have a recipe that calls for 
    egg whites, there is never any question about what gets done with 
    the yolks. They like them raw (bleah)!
    
    LaDonna

    Re: .6
    
    I know there is a problem with salmonella and raw eggs.  Might this
    affect your cats?
    

    Hi Marilyn....
    
    I brought my 3 to the vet, and he told me to split a can of tuna,
    packed in oil, once a week, and this should take care of the dandruff.
    Plus they LOVE the tuna and eat it right up....
    
    Take care
    Gloria
    

    As well as adding oil to the diet, there are medicated shampoos that
    help control it as well.  One of mine who is all black gets the flakes
    at the base of her tail and it drives me nuts - the more you brush and
    comb the more she looks like salt and pepper.  I got a medicated
    shampoo at the Vets and it's really helped.
    
    Giudi +3

    Only give your cats tuna in oil under a vet's advise and supervision.
    Tuna in oil can lead to an illness called Steatitis.  
    
    Jo

    I had a Siamese who got addicted (by accident) to tuna and developed
    the disease that .10 mentioned.  (Sorry, I forgot your name)  So,
    I don't think I'll get him hooked on that diet.
    
    Otis's dandruff seems is the same as .9 - black cat, flakes on his hind
    end by the base of his tale.
    
    Going home and trying the soft boiled egg - but probably won't see any
    results from that for about a week or so.
    
    His personality is picking up - now he thinks he's really *cute*!
    Actually I think he LOVED the attention!
    
    Marilyn
    
    P.S.  Hi Gloria...
    

    Marilyn,
    
    I have a cat with an allergy that manifests itself by causing her skin
    problems.  Dandruff is just one of them.  Anyway, I give her frequent
    baths in Sebulux shampoo (available at the vets office, specially for
    skin problems), and groom her regularly.  The grooming helps to
    distribute the natural oils in her fur and really helps the dry skin
    problem and the itching.  Plus, she loves the extra attention. :^)
    
    Jo

    Jo:
    
    The Sebulex is what my vet gave me for Pippin - the dandruff was
    actually part of a skin problem (now I cannot spell this - but sounds
    like)= Millinary Excemia.  She is very sensitive to flea saliva/bites
    and if she picks one up the "dandruff" is the result.
    
    I found that using a flea comb gets rid of alot of the flakes, more
    than a brush will - and yes they love the extra attention - to the
    point where she'll go talk to the box that has the grooming things in
    it.
    
    Giudi

    RE: .7 and salmonella in eggs
    
    Yes, there was a big 'to do' in the UK a year or so ago about
    salmonella being found in eggs.  It has died down since then and 
    very little heard about it since although it is still recommended 
    that eggs be cooked hard for those considered to be high risk (very
    young, very old, or pregnant).  I have given up soft cooked eggs since
    I have been pregnant but intend to go back to them once the sprog
    arrives.  It is my view that the risk of a healthy person contracting
    salmonella poisoning from eggs is very low. Probably lower that the 
    risk of my having an accident driving to work in Reading; and I still
    drive to work!
    
    As for the cats. They are all very healthy and only get yolks rarely
    and I feel this cuts the risk considerably. I doubt they would eat hard
    cooked yolks.  Life is a crap shoot and one is constantly weighing up 
    the odds and deciding whether the risks are worth taking.  This is one
    I don't lose sleep over.
    
    LaDonna

    Looked up Steatitis in the Cornell Book last night.  It is also called
    Yellow Fat Disease.  It is linked with Vitamin E deficiency and the
    book specifically mentioned not feeding cats red meat tuna.  It didn't
    say red meat tuna in oil, so I assume that any red meat tuna could put
    your cat at risk if he/she ate a significant amount.  
    
    Jo

re: cats eating hard-boiled egg yolks...mine would be happy to demonstrate
the process to any and all who might be interested...I've learned to NOT
leave my hardboiled eggs where a furry paw can get to them.  The cats have
learned that those things contain GOOD STUFF and they are quite willing to
break into the egg, eat the yolk and leave white and shell ALL OVER THE CARPET.

	Well,

	I eat soft boiled eggs myself, I wouldn't give them to the moggies if
	I thought there was a problem.

	If you listen to the press, and all the "scares", you wouldn't be 
	able to eat anything.

	Pate, chilled foods, cheese, eggs, water, crisps, anything with fat,
	anything with sugar, anything with E401 (not sure of the no., but the 
	yellow food dye which is in just about everything), anything 
	microwaved, beef from the UK (the brain desease thing) Beef from the US
	(hormone treated), wine from x( I forget where, but it had antifreeze
	in it), Pure orange juice (it's made up of "washings" from the peal and
	pith) anything NOT organically grown (all those chemicals), shellfish
	(just in case the water wasn't clean)...................etc etc....

	Soft boiled eggs are still on the recipe for myself and the moggies.

	Let us know how the tuna and/or eggs work.

	Heather

    One simple thing to try is rubbing some Nivea cream into the skin.  I
    do this for my female, and it helps with the dandruff.  The vet doesn't
    see a problem because Nivea is such a pure product.
    
    Regards,