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Why Does My Cat Have A Greasy Coat ?

gcstech • Jan 16, 2017
Many cat owners may wonder why their cat has an oily hair coat. Well, there are many reasons that can cause your cat’s fur quality to drop. Believe it or not some of this oil may be natural and your cat may not be able to distribute it correctly. If your cat has a particularly oily or greasy coat the first step is a visit to the veterinarian to make sure this is not health related.
Obese or Arthritic cats
Obesity and arthritis can cause your cat to lose flexibility and not be able to reach parts of their coat to complete their much needed grooming sessions. Because of their condition they might not even be willing or able to use their tongue to spread the natural oil evenly around their bodies.

Flea and tick preventatives
Surprisingly enough the flea and tick preventatives that you put on your cat can also cause an oily coat. The area where their coat can be especially oily is in the shoulder region. The preventatives that you may use contain diffusing agents that may cause excessive greasiness in your cat’s coat.

 
Some other causes of hair coat greasiness in cats include:
Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is a common disease in middle-aged to older cats. Among other signs that are included with increased thyroid hormones (vomiting, weight loss etc.) are a flaky or greasy and matted coat.

Primary Seborrhea
Primary Seborrhea is a rare, inherited skin condition that your cat may have which results in a dry or greasy hair coat. Himalayans and Exotic Shorthairs are more at risk than other cats. Another condition called secondary seborrhea is caused by parasites, nutrient deficiencies, or allergies.

Allergic Reactions
Allergic reactions in cats can be caused by certain foods or the environment. Allergic reactions can cause altered skin ecology that in turn, promotes bacterial or yeast overgrowth. Yeast or bacteria overgrowth can give your cat a pronounced body odor and make them itchy.


Things you can do at home to help prevent an oily coat
  • Brush his/her hair coat when needed, this can even be daily so be prepared to brush your cat a lot.
  • Your veterinarian may recommend that you bathe your cat with a medicated shampoo. Make sure to follow the recommendations for the treatment to avoid causing the skin to dry out, or become irritated and inflamed.
  • Feed your cat a high quality diet that meets his nutritional requirements, age, activity level and heath condition.
  • You should monitor their hair coat for lumps, or tangles that can alert you to a more serious problem.
  • Make sure your cat is not overweight.
  • Take your cat to the vet to make sure their bad hair coat is not health related.
 

Keep in mind though that any signs of a decreased coat quality do warrant a visit to the vet. Being diagnosed can reduce discomfort and decrease your cat’s recovery time. Your veterinarian may request a biopsy (used to diagnose any underlying medical causes) if the cause is not easy to identify.
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