How To Clean Pets With Sensitive Skin

When we talk about cat skin diseases, the first thing that comes to many cat owners’ minds is ringworm. But in this article, we want to talk about another type of skin issue. Some cats have allergic reactions to certain ingredients, which might lead to a skin disease commonly called “feline allergic dermatitis. How to clean pets with sensitive skin?

Why do some cats have allergies? Like humans, cats can experience allergic reactions. When their immune system doesn’t work properly, they can overreact to foreign substances that attack them excessively. When that happens, their immune system misidentifies chemical agents as “evil invaders” and tries to fight with excessive immune responses.

Some cats are born with an allergy. They can have an innate immune system disorder, possibly due to hereditary reasons. In other words, cats born with allergies may have allergic reactions to allergens for the rest of their lives.

An allergen is a substance that can cause an allergic reaction. Many allergens may affect cats’ skin. Some of those can come from cleaning products.

If your pets could talk, they would surely say, “HOLD THAT SHAMPOO!” when you approach a product that may irritate them. But they can't, and they're relying on you to give them the best care. So, here are some bath product ingredients that may be toxic to your pets and that you should avoid to keep your furry friends healthy and safe.

• Fragrance: may cause difficulty breathing;

• Propylene glycol: can be toxic if ingested by pets;

• SLS: can cause dryness and irritation to the eyes;

• Formaldehyde: may cause blistering and scaling of the skin;

• Essential oils: can be toxic to dogs’ skin and if ingested.

 In addition to bath products, some cats are also allergic to herbicides.

Some cat owners use their own shower gel or shampoo to clean their cats. Never do this. Cats’ skin condition is different from humans’ as cats have fewer skin layers than humans and their skin is more fragile. They don’t have the same sweat glands function as we do. Their metabolism cycle is also shorter than ours. Therefore, shampoos designed for humans are not suitable for cats’ skin. In the same way, don’t use dog shampoo on a cat.

Common symptoms of feline allergic skin diseases include dry skin, rashes, itching, inflamed skin, and hair loss. When suffering from an allergic reaction, your pet may lick or scratch themselves excessively. In this case, check their skin thoroughly and stop using the cleaning products that you think might have caused the issue. If you notice symptoms of an allergy on your cat, take them to the vet.

Cat skin problems may have different sources. Reasons might include parasites, allergies, hormonal imbalance, bacterial infections, or stress. Make sure to consult your vet, test to find out the allergen, and follow the medical treatment recommended by your vet. If you have already been to your veterinarian before and know which allergen or bath ingredient causes your cat’s skin allergy, you should avoid the said product. Sometimes, it can be the new shampoo you just bought. In this case, stop using it on your cat.

Alternatively, you can clean your cat with a gentler and safer cleaning product.

Instead of putting your cat’s skin at risk with those unsafe bathing ingredients, you can clean them with pet wipes. It is a great, new solution that provides a pet with a bath alternative. The main ingredient of HClO is very gentle and friendly to pets with sensitive skin as it neither contains fragrance, alcohol, scent, nor color.

The gentle formula with a neutral pH is safe enough for pets to lick and clean their sensitive parts, such as their eyes and noses. It can also effectively remove pet odors and provide great skincare. Apart from daily cleaning, this solution can also improve animal skin conditions, relieve itching, and soothe common skin problems.
 

If you are allergic to pet hair, you can regularly clean your furry friend by tidying their fur with HICC GROOM! Pet Grooming Gloves. This product is easy for pet owners to use. It comes in an innovative packaging that separates wipe and filler. Pet-friendly glove wipes’ design allows you to easily cleanse your pet’s sensitive, tiny body parts, such as their canthus and butt. These unique wipes are the welfare of pets that are sensitive to certain bath ingredients. Every allergic cat deserves a pair of natural grooming gloves.

Please, note that cats don’t need to be bathed frequently. Frequent bathing will in fact destroy the protective sebum on the surface of your cat's skin. If your kitty always gets dirty, a better solution is to use HICC GROOM! Pet Grooming Gloves instead of frequent showers.