Small matting in fur

Hello fellow friends of felines.

I've noticed the last 2 weeks or so, Roxy is getting small matting in the fur on her back. I've combed out some of them, but she's getting more. She also has a bit of dandruff back there too. Could this just be because of the hot weather??

I can't really give her baths any more, since we moved last year from the shower with glass doors, we only have a curtain now...which after the first try giving her a bath in the new place, I found didn't work AT ALL.

I've been combing out the matting with a normal fine tooth comb. She's ok with it until she actually sees the comb.

I'd like to keep her well groomed, ect. I'm also hoping to hear that matting isn't a sign of any physical illness or something. *fingers crossed*

What do you feed her? Sometimes food can contribute to the dry skin and fur issues.

Do you have a sink large enough to bathe your her in? If not, you could get a rubbermaid container that's large enough and use that to bathe her in - just set it in your shower.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

What do you feed her? Sometimes food can contribute to the dry skin and fur issues.

Do you have a sink large enough to bathe your her in? If not, you could get a rubbermaid container that's large enough and use that to bathe her in - just set it in your shower.

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I feed her both dry & wet food. She gets half a can wet at noon, then a bit of dry at 5 PM & midnight. It's the same amount & schedule every day. I haven't switched brands or anything.

I'm not sure she'd let me do that. Then again, I could try. It usually seemed as though she didn't mind water, she just didn't like being "trapped" in a small place. I'll have to try & see if she tears my arms off or not.

Thanks for the help strange_wings!

^But which brand do you feed her? A lot of the members here know quite a bit about nutrition and should be able to tell you if the food could be a possible cause.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

^But which brand do you feed her? A lot of the members here know quite a bit about nutrition and should be able to tell you if the food could be a possible cause.

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I just feed her a generic Wal-Mart brand. Special Kitty. It's always been that brand for the wet, & was changed to that brand for dry about 4 months ago. She's had no problems until now with the matting.

BTW, I just tried to "sponge bathe" her, which she didn't seem to be too bothered by. She only let me do it for a short time, then hid under the table. I'll have to see if I can get any further with that.

Originally Posted by Angi

I just feed her a generic Wal-Mart brand. Special Kitty. It's always been that brand for the wet, & was changed to that brand for dry about 4 months ago. She's had no problems until now with the matting.

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So you changed the dry to this brand 4 months ago - that may be the problem. There are better quality foods out there that won't cost you any more. Sharky is our resident expert and should be along soon to perhaps give you some suggestions on a better quality food.

Originally Posted by Yosemite

So you changed the dry to this brand 4 months ago - that may be the problem. There are better quality foods out there that won't cost you any more. Sharky is our resident expert and should be along soon to perhaps give you some suggestions on a better quality food.

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Even if it was that long ago? Hmmm...

Well, if I could find a better brand that wouldn't cost more, it'd be great.

At the very least - have you seen Wal-mart's brand called Maxximum Nutrition? It costs a little more, but if Wal-mart is all you have near to shop from (ie, no Petsmart or Petco) it's better then the Special Kitty. Iams and Purina One would also be a step up and have no dyes added to the food.

What it sounds like is that she may not be getting enough omega fatty acids. This can lead to dryer skin and coat.

If you have Petsmart and Petco, then there's plenty of other brands. One thing that people do is feed a higher quality dry and a slightly lower quality wet - like Friskies (pick through the types, some are better then others). I do this now because I can't afford $20+ in gas or shipping.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

At the very least - have you seen Wal-mart's brand called Maxximum Nutrition? It costs a little more, but if Wal-mart is all you have near to shop from (ie, no Petsmart or Petco) it's better then the Special Kitty. Iams and Purina One would also be a step up and have no dyes added to the food.

What it sounds like is that she may not be getting enough omega fatty acids. This can lead to dryer skin and coat.

If you have Petsmart and Petco, then there's plenty of other brands. One thing that people do is feed a higher quality dry and a slightly lower quality wet - like Friskies (pick through the types, some are better then others). I do this now because I can't afford $20+ in gas or shipping.

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Thanks for the information. We just don't have too much money, things are hard for everyone. We're in the process of moving, so that isn't making it easier. I will certainly look into some other brands though, cause my little Schnooky is very dear & important to me.

Do some searches for dry and wet food recommendations in the health and nutrition section, too. The topic has been thorough discussed, and like you many people don't have a lot of money to spare.
Two other good things to point out though - better food means a cat eats less to get the nutrients needed since there's less empty filler that cheap brands have, and better food means better health and less (hopefully) spent on vet bills. Good luck on your food hunt, sometimes all it takes it paying attention to sales and clipping some coupons now and then.

Originally Posted by Angi

Thanks for the information. We just don't have too much money, things are hard for everyone. We're in the process of moving, so that isn't making it easier. I will certainly look into some other brands though, cause my little Schnooky is very dear & important to me.

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Better quality food doesn't necessarily mean more money. Your cat will eat less of a better food because it isn't full of "fillers", they will poo less (save on litter), be healthier and save you on vet bills just to name a few of the advantages of a healthier food.

It's tough times for a lot of people these days, but for what you are paying for cat food now, you can probably get a better food for about the same price.