cat dandruff??

I hope I dont make myself sound too stupid here

I want to first say that I know that cats have dander, and that it is very easy to see on a black cat.

When we first got Adelaide from the shelter, she looked like a candidate for a Head & Shoulders commercial, but after a month or so of her grooming (she wasn't really grooming in the shelter) and our brushing it went away. About a month ago we switched her food from SD Hairball formula (the vet recommended that but she really hated it..she was losing weight, would only eat it if she was really hungry and usually didn't finish it) to Nutro natural (man, does she LOVE this food). The food is the only thing that has changed...she grooms, we brush- but the huge amounts of dander have come back.

So, is it just the change of the seasons? Should I be concerned about this at all? She is perfectly happy and healthy, maintaining a respectable 9 lbs, and full of energy. I just want to make sure its not a sign of something..I grew up with a black cat and never saw a flake on her until she got sick and stopped grooming...so I guess I'm really paranoid.

If you want to see results from the food it can take awhile. If you are switching around, you won't see the results you sre looking for as quickley as you might otherwise. You are feeding good quailty food which was going to be my first suggestion. Pick a good, natural quality of food and stick with it for a few months.

This is a suggestion I found on the internet:
If your kitty is exhibiting any redness, irritation, hair loss or excessive scratching, she should be seen by a veterinarian.
Having said that, however:
Cold weather often brings skin problems such as dry skin. The white flakes are most likely normal cat dander. There are a number of commercial products available for both topical and oral treatment of dry skin.

You could also try adding a bit of oil to kitty's diet, particularly if she is eating a straight dry food diet.

Frequent brushing or combing: two or three times a week for shorthairs and daily for longhairs, also helps in keeping dander and shedding at a minimum.

Hope this helps.

I wouldn't be surprised if the new food were causing her dandruff. I saw that happen with Jamie a few times, and finally figured out that he got incredible dandruff from any food containing dried beet pulp. It might help to compare the ingredients of the SD Hairball and the Nutro.