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7 Best Cat Shampoo for Dandruff 2025 – Reviews & Top Picks

cat wrapped in a towel after taking a bath

If you are a cat lover, you may know that dandruff is quite common in many breeds, and it can be difficult to find a remedy. Cat shampoos can be effective, but choosing the right brand is challenging. However, we compiled reviews of the best formulas so that you can see the difference between them. We’ll give you the pros and cons of each brand, and we’ve also included a short buyer’s guide so you will know what to look for if you continue to shop.

Keep reading while we discuss ingredients, size, effectiveness, and more to help you make an informed purchase.

Divider Cat Paws

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2025

Rating Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
Hepper Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo Hepper Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo
  • No harmful ingredients
  • Helps soothe irritated skin
  • Aloe and cucumber fragrance
  • Second place
    Bodhi Waterless Lavender Cat Shampoo Bodhi Waterless Lavender Cat Shampoo
  • Waterless shampoo
  • Moisturizes skin and fur
  • Won’t weaken flea and tick treatment
  • Third place
    Pet MD Benzoyl Peroxide Cat Shampoo Pet MD Benzoyl Peroxide Cat Shampoo
  • Soap-free
  • Citrus scent
  • Antibacterial
  • Best for Kittens
    Vetericyn Medicated Shampoo for Pets Vetericyn Medicated Shampoo for Pets
  • Easy to use
  • Foaming spray
  • Gentle formula
  • Best Cat Shampoo for Dry Skin
    Vetnique Labs Furbliss Hypoallergenic Sensitive Skin Dog & Cat Shampoo Vetnique Labs Furbliss Hypoallergenic Sensitive Skin Dog & Cat Shampoo
  • Moisturizes and treats dandruff
  • Fragrance-free
  • Dog and cat-friendly
  • The 7 Best Cat Shampoos for Dandruff – Review

    1. Hepper Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo — Best Overall

    Hepper Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo

     

    Size: 16-ounce bottle
    Main Ingredient: Colloidal oatmeal

    Hepper Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo is the best overall cat shampoo for dandruff. It has colloidal oatmeal, which helps soothe and nourish your cat’s sensitive skin and reduce dandruff. There are no harmful ingredients, like soaps or artificial colors, and the pH-balanced formula will get your cat clean without stripping away important oils, so their fur stays soft and manageable. It also has a mild fragrance of cucumber and aloe that isn’t overpowering like those of brands that use essential oils, which are also harmful to felines. Many users say that the pleasant fragrance can last up to a month.

    The downside to Hepper Colloidal Pet Shampoo is that the fragrance can transfer to objects your pet sleeps on frequently, like their bed, floor, and furniture. So, you may want to give it a sniff before you use it to ensure that you don’t mind the fragrance.

    At PangoVet, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!

    Pros
    • Aloe and cucumber fragrance
    • Helps soothe irritated skin
    • No harmful ingredients
    Cons
    • Fragrance can transfer from cat to other objects

    2. Bodhi Waterless Lavender Dog & Cat Dry Shampoo

    Bodhi Waterless Lavender Dog & Cat Dry Shampoo

    Size: 8-ounce bottle
    Main Ingredient: Lavender extract

    Bodhi Dog Waterless Lavender Dog, Cat & Small Animal Dry Shampoo is our pick for the best cat shampoo for dandruff for the money. This Waterless shampoo is ideal for anxious cats, and you can use it more often. It helps moisturize the skin and fur. It has a pleasant odor and won’t weaken or dilute flea and tick medication.

    Most users were happy with Bodhi and said their cats had softer fur with less dandruff. However, some mentioned it didn’t get their cats as clean as they hoped. If your cat gets dirty playing outside, you’ll need to give them a bath with a standard cat shampoo.

    Pros
    • Waterless shampoo
    • Moisturizes skin and fur
    • Won’t weaken flea and tick treatment
    • Pleasant odor
    Cons
    • Doesn’t replace a bath if your cat is dirty

    3. Pet MD Benzoyl Peroxide Pet Shampoo

    Pet MD Benzoyl Peroxide Pet Shampoo

    Size: 16-ounce bottle
    Main Ingredient: Benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid

    Pet MD Benzoyl Peroxide Dog & Cat Shampoo is our premium choice cat shampoo for dandruff. It’s a detergent-free brand with a pleasant-smelling citrus fragrance. Many of us know benzoyl peroxide from its use in acne medication, and it helps the fur feel soft and repairs skin problems without the use of detergent.

    While it works quite well at improving many skin and fur conditions like dandruff, the downside to Pet MD is that it’s expensive, contains more chemical ingredients than we like to use, and can dry out the skin if you use it too frequently.

    Pros
    • Soap-free
    • Antibacterial
    • Citrus scent
    Cons
    • Lots of chemical ingredients
    • Can dry out the skin

    4. Vetericyn FoamCare Medicated Shampoo – Best for Kittens

    Vetericyn FoamCare Medicated Shampoo

    Size: 16-ounce bottle
    Main Ingredient: Salicylic acid

    Vetericyn FoamCare Medicated Shampoo for Pets is our pick as the best kitten shampoo for dandruff. It has a gentle salicylic acid-based formula that is safe to use frequently. It comes in a spray bottle, so it’s easy to use. The foaming shampoo smells nice, and it’s easy to tell where it is on the cat, so there is very little waste.

    The downside to Vetericyn is that even though it comes in a decent-sized bottle, the foaming causes you to use more and runs out quite quickly.

    Pros
    • Gentle formula
    • Foaming spray
    • Easy to use
    Cons
    • Runs out quickly

    5. Vetnique Labs Furbliss Hypoallergenic Sensitive Skin Dog & Cat Shampoo -Best Cat Shampoo for Dry Skin

    Vetnique Labs Furbliss Hypoallergenic Sensitive Skin

    Size: 16-ounce bottle
    Main Ingredient: Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate

    If your dog has dandruff and sensitive skin, you can try Vetnique Labs Furbliss Hypoallergenic Sensitive Skin Dog and Cat shampoo. It’s ideal for dogs with extra-dry skins and is much gentler than other formulas. It was developed by veterinarians and contains no soap, dyes, fragrances, or paraben.

    Vetnique Labs manufactures the formula in the USA, and although it’s expensive, most customers were pleased with the results.

    Pros
    • Non-medicated formula
    • Treats dandruff and moisturizes sensitive skin
    • Safe for dogs and cats
    Cons
    • May not work for all dogs
    • Expensive

    6. RX 4 Pets Dog & Cat Skin Irritation Shampoo & Conditioner

    RX 4 Pets Dog & Cat Skin Irritation Shampoo & Conditioner

    Size: 16-ounce bottle
    Main Ingredient: Colloidal oatmeal

    RX 4 Pets Dog & Cat Skin Irritation Shampoo & Conditioner is a 2-in-1 product that helps soften fur while treating skin. It uses colloidal oatmeal as the primary cleanser, and all ingredients are organic, so you don’t need to worry about harsh chemicals.

    The downside to RX 4 is that it contains tea tree oil, which some cats can be allergic to, and some customers didn’t see improvements in their cats’ dandruff problems.

    Pros
    • Colloidal oatmeal
    • Organic
    • Treats multiple skin issues
    Cons
    • Contains a very small amount of tea tree oil
    • No significant improvement

    7. Earthbath Hot Spot Relief Tea Tree & Aloe Dog & Cat Shampoo

    Earthbath Hot Spot Relief Tea Tree & Aloe Dog & Cat Shampoo

    Size: 12-ounce bottle
    Main Ingredient: Organic aloe vera

    Earthbath’s Hot Spot Relief Tea Tree & Aloe Dog & Cat Shampoo soothes itchy skin with aloe vera and tea tree oil. It’s safe for dogs and cats over 6 weeks old and contains no soap, phosphates, or parabens. Compared to other formulas in 16-ounce bottles, it’s more affordable.

    Most users were happy with Earthbath, but some said it didn’t relieve their dogs’ itching or skin problems. Also, some cat owners were concerned that the tea tree oil would harm their pets.

    Pros
    • Affordable
    • Safe for dogs and cats
    Cons
    • Contains tea tree oil
    • Doesn’t stop itching in some dogs

    Divider Cat Paws

    Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Cat Shampoo for Dandruff

    Ingredients

    Oatmeal

    Oatmeal contains chemicals called saponins that have intense cleansing and foaming properties. It’s used in many skin cleansers for humans and animals. Products that contain oatmeal will produce more lather than brands without it. Oatmeal also helps protect the skin by creating a natural barrier that prevents external toxins from causing problems.

    Aloe

    Aloe is not a cleanser, but it helps soothe and hydrate the skin, which can reduce dandruff. It can also help your cat heal from minor cuts and scratches. Many people worry that aloe might be toxic to cats, but as long as they don’t ingest it, you shouldn’t experience any problems using it in shampoo.

    Bubble bath a small gray stray cat
    Image Credit: 135pixels, Shutterstock

    Salicylic Acid

    Several skincare products combine salicylic acid with sulfur to treat skin conditions like seborrheic dermatitis, primary seborrhea, sicca, and oleosa, so it can be helpful in a shampoo for controlling dandruff. It’s also an antifungal that you can use to treat ringworm and other similar conditions.

    Fragrance

    We all like our cats to smell nice when they are finished bathing, but we must be careful about the shampoo’s fragrance. Many companies use essential oils, which can be harmful to our pets, resulting in liver damage and other serious health issues. While most shampoos contain some fragrance, we recommend avoiding essential oils and watching your cat closely the first few times using a new product to ensure your cat has no adverse reactions.

    Artificial Color

    Another ingredient we recommend avoiding is artificial color. Some cats can be allergic to dyes like red #3, red # 40, yellow #6, blue #1, and more, so it’s best to avoid them when possible.

    bathing a persian cat
    Image By: 135pixels, Shutterstock

    How We Determined This List of Cat Shampoo for Dandruff

    All the cat shampoos reviewed in this article were chosen by our writers, editors, and team of experienced veterinary professionals to ensure that they are safe and meet the care needs of your pet. When choosing which cat shampoos to feature, we took into account brand reputation, personal and hands-on experience, reviews from other customers, and of course, feedback from our beloved pets, to make sure to bring you only the best of the best. We at PangoVet want to give you only the best products to choose from in our reviews, to ensure that they meet your pets’ needs for optimal health and well-being.

    Why Trust PangoVet?

    We are a team of experienced veterinarians, writers, and editors who are pet owners ourselves, so we understand how important your pets and the products they use and consume are to you. Whether you are caring for a furry, scaly, or feathered friend, we make sure that you have honest and unbiased reviews of the top cat shampoos on the market, so you can make an informed decision.

    Divider Cat Paws

    Conclusion

    When choosing your next cat shampoo for dandruff, we highly recommend our pick as the best overall. Hepper Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo cleans your cat’s coat with soothing ingredients. It can also help with reducing dandruff and is great for sensitive skin. Another smart choice is our pick for the best value. Bodhi Dog Waterless Lavender Dog, Cat & Small Animal Dry Shampoo is inexpensive, waterless, and smells nice. It moisturizes the skin and fur to reduce dandruff and promote a softer coat.

    We hope you have enjoyed our reviews and found a few you want to try. If we have helped improve your cat’s coat, please share this guide to the best cat shampoos for dandruff on Facebook and Twitter.

    You may also want to read:


    Featured Image Credit: KDdesignphoto, Shutterstock

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