Baby Shampoo

Because two of my cats are showing some dry skin flakes, it has been suggested that I give them a bath. I was thinking of using Johnson's baby shampoo because it is so non-irritating. Has anyone used Johnson's on their cats?

I did when Dori had flakes and the vet told me not to. He said that it isn't specially formulated for cats and that it could actually make the flakes worse. I started using a shampoo called Pure Pet. It is non-irritating and works well on Dori.

Please do not use human products on your pets. Not without clearing it with your vet first. Bathing will not stop dry skin, in fact it can make it worse. You need to look at the diet. Even supplementing them with something like fish oil in their food, will help more than a bath will. (cod liver oil in small small doses works) They have to build up a liking to that because it is so strong.

Originally Posted by KittenKiya

Because two of my cats are showing some dry skin flakes, it has been suggested that I give them a bath. I was thinking of using Johnson's baby shampoo because it is so non-irritating. Has anyone used Johnson's on their cats?

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Frequent bathing will only serve to dry the skin more and wash out the natural oils in the coat of the cat.
Johnson's baby shampoo is non irritating for babies but that does not guarantee it is the same for cats sadly.
Generally a top quality diet with as little preservative and corn in it as possible combined with daily brushing and combing should be sufficient for the cat to keep the skin and coat in good condition.
An additional supplement containg the Omega factor specifically for cats can help in the short term dosage
If the danfduff appears to worsen you would be best to have the vet take a look at it as there may be a medical reason for this and there is also a mite known as cheylettia that has the nickname walking dandruff.

I give my cats salmon oil for their skin and fur. And as they refused to lick the oil, I soaked a few small cubes of freeze dried fish (their absolutely most irresistable treat) in the oil, and they come running to get it!

I've got to agree with the other comments said here. Bathing can only do more harm than good in this situation. Especially J&J Baby shampoo I find exceptionally drying. I use it to wash my horse's face (And my horse only gets a bath 2, maybe 3 times a year) and I notice my hands are very dry afterwards.

A good coat comes from the inside out, not the outside in. I suggest you consider a higher quality food, and make sure they are negative for internal parasites as well as fleas.

On another note, some animals have allergic dermatitis, meaning they have dandruff because they are allergic to something. It could also be any number of other conditions, though less likely, like copper/iron toxicity/deficiency, anemia, etc.

If you do have to bathe your cat, please make sure you rinse with a water and vinegar mixture. The vinegar restores the ph balance in the skin to help prevent the itching and flaking.

There are many cat shampoos and even some made for dermatitis or flaking. Let me check my resources and I'll let you know what I find. I have a resource with VetServe (where I order IV's etc. for Hallie).

Ok there is a shampoo that is highly recommended called Sebolux. Here is a link to some information as well as ordering info. Sebolux Medicated Pet Shampoo

This one is an Oatmeal shampoo that is supposed to help too. Episoothe Oatmeal Shampoo

The Sebolux is the shampoo recommended to me by several breeders. Of course you should ask your vet about them!