What this means
A little dandruff sometimes appears on healthy cats, especially when the skin is dry. It deserves attention when there is a lot of it, when it keeps coming back, when the skin looks flaky or crusted, or when scabs appear around the eyes, on the head, neck or back. Running a hand through the coat, tiny scabs can feel like little bumps or rough skin.
Very different things can cause dandruff or scabs: itching that makes a cat scratch, inflammation, infection, parasites or another illness that changes the skin. Do not assume at once that it is fleas or an allergy. Scabs also form when a cat has scratched or licked the skin open and the sore then crusts over.
If scabs are around the eyes, especially if the skin is also flaking or thickened and the cat is eating less or is quieter, have a vet see it. Note where and since when the scabs appeared, and do not pick at them or try to work out the cause yourself.
Possible causes
These are things that can cause this sign. It is not a diagnosis, and they are not equally likely for your cat.
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Itching and scratching
A cat that scratches or licks damages the skin, and the small sores crust over. Several different causes can make skin itch.
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Allergy
An immune reaction can cause itching and tiny scabs on the skin. It is one possible cause, not the only one.
About the condition: Food and seasonal allergies -
Skin infection or parasites
A fungus, bacteria or parasites cause crusts, flaking and bald patches. Some infections can pass to other animals and to people.
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Inflammation of the hair follicles
A less common immune-driven condition in which the skin flakes and thickens, and crusts may appear around the eyes. It can also be a sign of another illness.
About the condition: Lymphocytic mural folliculitis -
Dry or too oily skin
Changes in the state of the skin can cause flakes and a different look to the coat. A vet has to find the cause.
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Internal illness
Sometimes skin changes go with another illness lying deeper in the body. Appetite or activity may drop at the same time.
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- Where the dandruff or scabs are: around the eyes, head, neck, back or belly
- Whether the skin under the scabs is red, thickened or weeping
- Whether your cat scratches or licks those areas
- Whether the fur there is thinning or has fallen out
- Whether appetite, weight or activity has changed
- Whether other pets or people at home have similar changes
When to book a routine visit
Book a visit if your cat has dandruff or scabs that do not clear within a few days, if scabs are around the eyes, or if its appetite or behaviour has changed too. If sores are spreading fast or your cat is not eating, go straight away.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
- Ear mites Parasites Microscopic mites that live in the ear canal and feed on the skin's surface and earwax. They cause intense itching and spread easily between cats, dogs and other animals.
- Fleas Parasites Fleas are small, jumping parasites that feed on a cat's blood. They cause itching, can set off an allergic skin inflammation and carry tapeworm, and in a kitten they can lead to anaemia.
- Food and seasonal allergies Skin and coat A condition in which a cat's immune system overreacts to something in its food or in its surroundings, such as pollen, house dust mites or moulds. It shows mainly as itching, and the cat scratches and licks until the skin is damaged.
- Lymphocytic mural folliculitis Skin and coat A skin condition in which immune cells called lymphocytes attack the walls of the hair follicles. The follicles are damaged, the hair falls out, and the skin turns dry and flaky.
- Ringworm (dermatophytosis) Infections A fungal infection of the skin, hair and claws that spreads between animals and can pass to people. Despite the name there is no worm, and it does not always itch, so it can look like no more than a few small bald patches.
- Skin and coat disorders Skin and coat A wide group of problems: allergies, parasites, fungal and bacterial infections, and skin that is too dry or too oily. The skin is the largest organ of the body, so its state and the state of the coat say a lot about a cat's health.
Body systems: Parasites Skin and coat Infections