Answer: Dry shampoos are essentially powders which are made to be dusted into the coat and then completely brushed out (an upwards and away from the body brushing action is required). They are mixture of absorbent materials such as talc, boric acid and mild alkali, intended to remove both grease and dirt. A number of proprietary brands are available. Those who show cats professionally often use talcum powder or corn flour on cats with light-colored fur, and fuller’s earth on those with brown fur.
The effect can be pleasing if the application and removal is done thoroughly. However, if the coat is very dirty or greasy, these powders will not clean it effectively. Some breeders rub warm bran into to the greasy coat to absorb the grease and then brush it out, but this is still not as good as bathing. The application and removal of the powder can be tedious, and on black cats any residual powder looks like dandruff. Powder also tend to make the coat dry and can irritate some cats, making them dribble and their eyes run. Finally the extensive brushing necessary to remove the powder increases static electricity in the coat making it ‘fly away’.
All in all, shampooing is not very effective and not recommended for cleaning, even though it is often adopted for show purposes.
