What should I do if my cat is shedding skin?

Cat skin shedding may be normal physiological metabolism, or it may be caused by external parasite infection, malnutrition, improper bathing, or skin diseases. If your cat is just slightly shedding skin and there are no other abnormalities, it is considered normal physiological metabolism, and you don't need to worry too much. However, if your cat has a large amount of skin shed, it is not normal. You can first bath your cat with antibacterial and itching-relieving shampoo. If the skin shed disappears after bathing, there is nothing to worry about, and you can regularly bathe your cat to improve the skin shed problem. If the skin shed does not disappear, it means that your cat has a skin disease and needs to seek medical attention and treatment in time.

1. Normal physiological metabolism

If your cat is just slightly shedding skin and there are no other abnormalities, it is a normal situation, and you don't need to worry too much. Because a cat's skin also needs physiological metabolism, the cornified layer of the skin sheds, forming a small amount of dandruff.

1. External parasite infection

If your cat is shedding a large amount of skin, accompanied by itching, hair loss, redness, and swelling, it may be caused by external parasite infection, such as fleas, mites, etc. In this case, you need to immediately give your cat external parasite prevention and thoroughly disinfect the environment.

1. Malnutrition

Cat food deficiency or long-term consumption of a single type of food can cause malnutrition and lead to skin shedding. If this is the case, it is recommended to immediately adjust your cat's diet structure, choose cat food rich in nutrients, and ensure a balanced diet.

1. Improper bathing

If a cat doesn't bathe for a long time, the shed skin cells on its body will form dandruff. However, if the cat bathes too frequently, it will damage the protective layer of skin oils. Therefore, owners should always give their cats regular and correct baths. In addition, when bathing a cat, you need to use pet-specific shampoo or soap. If you continuously use alkaline soap to bathe your cat, it will cause excessive alkalization of the skin, leading to widespread flaking, itching, and hair loss.

1. Skin diseases

If a cat has a skin disease, it will also shed a large amount of skin. For example, ringworm caused by fungal infection usually causes hair loss, itching, a large amount of dandruff, crusting, and scaling. Once you notice these symptoms in your cat, you need to consult a veterinarian for medication.