Sunscreen for cats and dogs.

Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks for an interesting question!

Most cats don't need a sunscreen, but a white can can be more prone to getting sun related problems such as skin cancer, so it's not a bad idea to give some sunscreen a try.

One of the problems is that cats will usually lick off sunscreen, especially if you put it on the front of his nose.

You can find sunscreens that are made specifically for pets. (Sorry I don't know a specific example for you). Or, a sunscreen for human babies is appropriate as well. Most sunscreens made for adults have warnings on the bottle that warn against ingestion. So, if the bottle says, "Do not ingest", then don't put it on your cat!

Things to stay away from in a suntan lotion for pets include:

• Zinc. (Zinc is not good if ingested by an animal.)


• Fragrance.


• The ingredient Octyl Salicylate

The best places to apply sunscreen on a cat are the nose (you can apply it on the bridge and on the front of the nose, but it is likely to be immediately licked off the front), ear tips, skin surrounding the lips, and anywhere where there is low pigmentation.

The same information applies to dogs as well.

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