Freddie was always a very handsome cat. Freddie's most distinguished feature is his fine glossy coat. Unfortunately most cats do not have healthy coats. Other cat owners would ask Freddie's owner for general advice or her opinion on particular problems. She would always tell them that the single most important determining factor for healthy coat and skin is good nutrition.
"Your cat should eat primarily a meat diet" she would tell them. "Look at the ingredients on your usual brand of cat food - most of them will be cereal based, which doesn't properly nourish cats. Unfortunately most vets have only had superficial training in pet nutrition and often that training has been provided by representatives of various pet food companies. Even if there are skin complications such as allergies or parasites the problem will be made much worse if the diet isn't right. I also add brewers yeast which is an excellent source of minerals and ALA which is alpha linoleic acid - found in flaxseed oil."
Always make sure your pet's coat has a soft feel to the texture of the hair, the skin looks clean and is free scales or scabs, and that it also smells clean (an unhealthy skin and coat will often have a rancid, oily odour).
