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Old August 28th, 2016, 11:51 AM
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Cameo Cameo is offline
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Cure for dry skin?

Missy has been scratching. No fleas. Then I thought allergy - so switched to a better quality food with no wheat/grains. She's four, never had issues with food previously.
Now I think it is simply dry skin as I can find small flakes in her fur. What oils would be best to give to her.
I have been told that flax oil is no good for dogs......no good for cats either?
I have put the liquid from salmon cans into her food - should I continue with that or buy salmon oil?
Oh - the new food has done some good...her coat is ever so much softer then it was.

My boyfriend thinks she is over grooming....that I understand is a symptom of stress. - but last lifestyle change has been over a year ago when we moved here. She gets lots
of attention, (shes a diva) seems happy although she is a vocal cat and has a sock fetish.......when left alone she will gather socks, scarves, mitts, hats and bring them to the living room. Sometimes
when I get up at night she has stock piled stuff. I know of only one thing that might still be stressing her out and that is that she is now locked out of my bedroom. My bf had no
problems with my keeping my cat - when I lost my home and everything I had thought I would lose her too but he told me to bring the cat to his place. It was months later that I moved
in too lol - it's been well over a year........could she still be stressed about the bedroom?
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Old August 28th, 2016, 08:02 PM
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Has she been to the vet recently? I think before I started to supplement, I'd have a vet look her over to make sure it isn't a physical problem, like thyroid or kidney. Once you've ruled out health issues, then I'd try supplements. A year seems like a long time to still be stressed--everything should be routine by now, you'd think...though who knows what goes on in the minds of cats? Could it be weather? Has it been dry there?

We've got dogs, and very little cat experience, but salmon oil works well with the dogs. I know people use the salmon oil with their cats, as well, with good success.
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Old August 28th, 2016, 08:22 PM
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Loki Love Loki Love is offline
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Coconut oil has worked well for my cat - but like other oils, too much can cause stomach upset.
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Old August 28th, 2016, 11:27 PM
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She isn't giving herself bald patches because of grooming. She rarely has hairballs. She uses the litter box, isnt peeing anywhere or marking anything. The sock thing may or may not be stress. Im not sure. She is very vocal, which I read could mean stress.....then again, maybe she just likes to talk. She seems happy enough, she is very affectionate.
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Old August 29th, 2016, 11:00 AM
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Has she been spayed , if not she could be in heat and a cat can get very vocal during this time.
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Old August 29th, 2016, 03:36 PM
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hello Cameo:

I have had trouble with dander in my animals and I do use Wild Salmon oil as a treatment by Natural Factors. What you are looking for is a really good EPA and DHA reading of the softgel. Another excellent brand is Carlson Labs. Try to get a DHA reading of 80 and EPA of 120. Also, make sure Missy is getting a good quality food - preferably canned because of the moisture content. My vet got me on to feeding "raw" years ago, and I've found it to be the best move and it's cheaper than canned. You just need a really good recipe.

Start small - about 4 drops per meal and over a month work it up to a capsule a day. Pay close attention and if there seems to be any dislike, back off on the amount until Missy gets used to it, and then add a little more. It will take some time to show any effects but it will help to clear up the problem. it is also a very good anti oxidant which will help to detoxify her body from commercial foods.

I'm including a web site that has some real good articles in it with regard to animal stress and the effects of EFA's. There are also other articles that are well worth the read.

As for the cat being stressed out, with the amount of upheaval and stress that you have been through in the recent past, and the re-homing of your dog, these are all stress factors for Missy and it takes a very long time for some kitties to get over them.

Playing with Missy as much as you can, will help to relieve some of the stress. The use of a lazer light is okay for a short time to start with - give her some exercise - but finish off with a tangible toy that she can practise her stalking, attacking, and kill skills. Because the laser light - the beam isn't tangible - she can't get her teeth into it, so it's known to cause stress.

Locking her out of the bedroom at this time without a companion animal or friend to sleep with, will also be stressing her, since she was used to it before your issues started.

When it comes to having a vocal cat, I find that all cats are different. Our late Missy was very quiet, but if another cat ventured anywhere near our house, she let you know it. She'd even go after our other kitties, as if to say, "why aren't you talking about this intruder?" Then again, our Mrg is constantly vocalizing about anything and it gets fairly annoying at times, and we haven't the slightest idea what's in her craw. A few years ago, she'd even use the telephone to talk to our holistic vet. We could understand what the vet was saying, but we couldn't understand Mrg. lololol

I used to use coconut oil and found some of the cats would take to it, but others would not. And just recently, I found an article on coconut oil that is worth a read. If you have thoughts on using it, I'd be doing more research beforehand.

http://www.littlebigcat.com/nutritio...-for-your-cat/

http://www.littlebigcat.com/nutritio...-oil-and-cats/

Here is the web site. The Article Library is a good spot to go to for a lot of different articles that could be interesting to you.

Just about forgot to mention that if you decide to go this route, make sure that there are no flavours added to the Wild Salmon oil. There are some that are "orange flavoured". Stay clear of those, and any other citric flavour.
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Last edited by Reg; August 29th, 2016 at 04:46 PM.
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Old August 29th, 2016, 06:44 PM
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Loki Love Loki Love is offline
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Yup - be sure to do some research on coconut oil prior - you have to feel comfortable with what you're doing. Another article to consider:

http://www.thedrakecenter.com/about-...conut-oil-pets

Like anything, best to consult your vet prior to any kind of diet change or adding supplements
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Old August 29th, 2016, 11:38 PM
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Cameo Cameo is offline
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Thank you for all the information and the links. I will check them out.
I used to buy food with Salmon in it for my dog, her coat was wonderful. I won't buy food with corn in it, and I've upgraded to one without wheat or grains. I mixed it with her old food at first so it hasn't been a sudden change

Missy has lots of those cat mice and balls she loves to chase. I throw them down the stairs, she retrieves and drops them so I can throw again. She will do this at least seven times before she bores with that game. We play with a laser light sometimes and other then being locked out of the bedroom she gets a lot of attention. Shes almost always someplace close, if not on top of someone. She also sends my boyfriend off to work each night.

I don't mind her being vocal.....it's no longer a hormone thing as she was spayed last year. Missy and I have quite a lot of conversations. My bf is not a cat person, although he's been caught talking to her and petting her and if he thinks she needs something hes the first to mention lmao. When she was spayed and had the cone on, his daughter caught him saying "it's okay baby" while cuddling her on his lap. Big meanie!

The bedroom has to remain off limits. He was kind to adopt my cat along with me, (well, even before me) when he would have preferred no cat at all so his having one room without cat hair seems fair.
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