10 Secrets To A Healthier Skin & Coat For Your Cat

| Published on February 9, 2015

Ever wondered how cats in commercials and advertisements get those luxurious coats? Of course, sometimes the ad is trying to tell you that if you buy their product, your cat will look like that. But is that really true? Here are 10 secrets from professionals in the pet industry that will help your cat’s skin and coat shine with health.

#1 – Use Natural Products

Seek out natural botanical ingredients, which promote a healthy shine while allowing a cat’s skin to breathe properly. It’s important to avoid products with oils, silicone, wax, petroleum, or synthetic polymers.

Image source: Amazon.com
Image source: Amazon.com

Click page 2 below for the next secret!

#2 – Good Diet

Promote a good diet. A representative of Evanger’s Pet Foods explained that a cat’s healthy skin and coat starts from the inside out. Select high protein, made in the USA foods that offer premium nutrition.

Image source: Evangers
Image source: Evangers

#3 – Keep Kitty Trim

You might think a slightly overweight cat would have a nicer coat and skin (all that fat!) but actually the opposite is true. Larger, heavier cats can’t always reach all parts of their own bodies for cleaning, meaning their skin and coat become dry, dull and flaky.

Image source:  @Tripp via Flickr
Image source: @Tripp via Flickr

#4 – Allergies

If your cat’s coat and skin are irritated, there may be allergens at work. Evanger’s suggests choosing a pure meat sources and combinations (chicken, turkey, beef, duck, rabbit, pheasant, buffalo, and lamb) free of corn, soy, wheat, and dairy ingredients that can cause and trigger allergy flare-ups. Of course, talk to your vet first.

Image source: Evangers
Image source: Evangers

#5 – EQyss Cat Mist

This all-natural product is something new to the cat grooming market. It’s a spray that actually replaces the moisture lost by your cat continuously cleaning/grooming himself, thereby helping to minimize shedding.

Image source: EQyss Cat Mist
Image source: EQyss Cat Mist

#6 – De-shedding tool

Use a gentle de-shedding tool that does not directly scrape the cat’s skin to safely remove the loose undercoat that would otherwise cause mats, hot spots and hairballs. Just one brush can make your cat’s coat look much healthier.

Image source:  DrsFosterSmith.com
Image source: DrsFosterSmith.com

#7 – Litter

Something many of us do not think about when choosing a litter (usually we are going for odor control) is how it affects our cats. Cats can be allergic to certain litters (corn-based, for example) which can cause irritation to the skin. If your cat is having skin issues, you may want to think about trying a different litter.

Image source: Petsmart.com
Image source: Petsmart.com

#8 – Too Much Bathing

While cats can need a bath from time to time, over bathing your cat can actually cause coat issues. It strips the coat of its natural oils and can make it dry and flaky.

Image source: @littlemoresunshine via Flickr

#9 – Regular Deworming

If your cat has worms, they are getting all the vital nutrients and vitamins out of the blood, so your cat isn’t getting them. This can cause balding and dry, flaky coats. Talk to your vet, cats are normally dewormed every three months.

Image source: Amazon.com
Image source: Amazon.com

#10 – Probiotics

Probiotics help your cat absorb the nutrition from their food better, so they will be healthier all around, including their skin and coat. Talk to your vet before beginning probiotics.

Image source: Amazon.com
Image source: Amazon.com

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