cat has allergies?

[MyCatPaulie]

Hello everyone, I need some advice please. My cat Paulie has been itching since last fall. Here is some info..

We got her last June but she didn't start itching bad until last fall. Her papers from the SPCA said she had thinning hair on her tail probably due to an old flea allergy but her vet said she has no fleas now.

Last fall her chest broke out in little red scabs, those were bad until late spring, we don't know if they cleared up when our forced air furnace was turned off or if they went away because the Z/D was helping. She was on the Z/D from May until August and seemed to be getting better but we had to stop because she got really sick and we think it was a bad batch of food, her stomach never seemed right on the Z/D anyway's she had soft stools since she started it.
If she does have a food allergy we would like to find the source so that she can avoid those foods and not have to stay on a hydrolyzed diet forever since they aren't nutritious. After she had to come off the Z/D we tried Wellness but now she's itching more again. I don't know what to do, here is all the foods she has tried.


Nutro Max Salmon dry (she wasn't itching too much on this but she was on it during the summer before our forced air furnace was turned on)



Nutro Max Chicken wet (It seemed like she got worse when we added wet food into her diet but that was also around the time our furnace was turned on as well)


Natural Balance Original Ultra Premium dry and wet



Natural Balance Green Pea and Duck dry and wet contains no wheat, barley, rice or corn


Z/D (This seemed like it was starting to help but we had to stop it because of a bad batch and her stomach never seemed right on this food anyway's)


Wellness complete health salmon and turkey



We did notice that all of the foods she's ever been contain some kind of poultry, maybe she has a poultry allergy.


We thought about trying this food because it has no poultry in it...

Royal Canine limited Ingredient GREEN PEAS and VENISON FORMULA Dry

Ground pea, venison meal, pea protein, coconut oil, natural flavors, venison,
vegetable oil, sodium bisulfate, fish oil, monocalcium phosphate, DL-methionine,
salt, taurine, potassium chloride, choline chloride, Vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol
acetate (source of vitamin E), inositol, niacin supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-
polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), D-calcium pantothenate, biotin, pyridoxine
hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), thiamine
mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A acetate, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement,
vitamin D3 supplement], Trace Minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite], rosemary extract, preserved with natural mixed tocopherols and citric acid.



Would this be a good choice? I don't know if we should take him to a dermotologist or just keep trying different foods? Does anyone know How allergy test work, can they tell for sure if she has a food or inhaled allergy and what food it is? Thanks for your help any advice at all would help! :0)

[Freedom]

Try the Royal Canin; a limited ingredient food is a good option.

My cat Bobby had terrible allergies when I got him as a kitten. I tried various foods, couldn't make any progress, so vet referred us to the specialist for the allergy testing. This was 3 years back; it was expensive, $400 as I recall.

Got the report back, he is allergic to 4 trees (all in my next door neighbor's yard), 3 grasses (2 of those types in my lawn) and a few other things.

Got the stuff and gave him the shots here at home, myself. That first summer, I had to keep the windows closed on days when I or any neighbor mowed the lawn. I kept him in my bedroom, often w/ the door shut to keep that one room "clean."

After one year of shots, Bobby was fine! No problems since, and no need for the shots either. So for Bobby, it was worth it!

[MyCatPaulie]

Freedom, thank you so much for the info!!! I'm glad Bobby is doing better now. How dose allergy testing work, are they put to sleep or in pain when it's done? I'm worried about Paulie being allergic to mold because our basement was flooded a few years ago which caused a mold problem. Some service came and did an air test and said it was fine now but it still has a funny smell to it. He did get a lot worse in the winter when out heat was turned on too. Thanks so much again !

[Medusa]

My cat Creamsicle has allergies, too, but we still don't know what she's allergic to. My vet seems to think that it may be environmental rather than food but he said that allergy testing is expensive and we still may not find out what's causing her itching. She was on Prednisolone but she gained a lot of weight on it so my vet switched her to Medrol and the itching and hair loss has stopped. She hasn't lost any weight, though. Her hair loss was so extreme that she lost almost all the fur off her tail and she had bald spots all over her body, poor little thing. The itching is maddening; my vet said it's like having poison ivy. I'm glad that your kitty is doing better and we hope to see pix soon.

[columbine]

My Smudge is itchy-allergic, and with the help of the vet I've worked out a multifaceted approach that keeps his itching to a minimum:

1) Grain-free food (he loves Indigo Moon kibble!)

2) Chlorpheniramine twice a day (ground up & dissolved in water, mixed in 1/4 can of either Natural Balance Limited Ingredients or Soulistic wet food)

3) Omega Caps skin & coat supplement (just strengthens his skin)

4) Prescription prednisolone transdermal, wiped inside his ear every other night. I mail-order that from Wedgewood Pharmacy, but the vet has to call in the prescription.

I think he has some environmental allergies too, but kicking the grain out of his diet made a big dent in the itching, and the meds keep the rest manageable.

Good luck! Might we see a photo of Paulie?

Love, Columbine

[MyCatPaulie]

Here is a picture of Paulie when we enterd him in a cuetst pet contest ;0)
http://www.wetv.com/pictureperfectpe...nttofriend=yes

Thank you both so much for your help!
Do you know how fast after she eats whatever she is allergic to an outbreak would pop up? I feed her just a small amount of this new food and it seemed like immediately she had a bump on her neck? I also gave her some laxaton earlier that day because since she was throwing up I didn't want there to be a hairball stuck, now we know it was probably the Z/D making her sick but I didn't know then so could the laxaton be making her itch, that was last Saturday and she is still itching today, would that be out of her system by now? And does anyone know if probiotics are a good idea since we have been switching his food around so much?

Also someone said the Rabbit and green pea food would be better than the venison do you agree?
Here's what's in the Rabbit and Green Pea
Ground pea, rabbit meal, pea protein, coconut oil, rabbit, vegetable oil, natural
flavors, calcium sulfate, fish oil, sodium bisulfate, monocalcium phosphate,
DL-methionine, salt, taurine, Vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of
vitamin E), inositol, niacin supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of
vitamin C), D-calcium pantothenate, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6),
riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin
A acetate, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement], choline
chloride, Trace Minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganese
proteinate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate,
sodium selenite], rosemary extract, preserved with natural mixed tocopherols and
citric acid.

Sorry I have so many questions, I just love Paulie so much and I want him to feel better.

[columbine]

Paulie is a cutie!

I never heard of a cat being allergic to Laxatone, but it's not the best response to hairballs, because it coats the inside of the intestine and keeps cats from being able to absorb the nutrients they need from their food. Hairballs aren't a health problem, really - they're actually a normal part of the way a cat's body works, unless the cat gets them so often that they never want to eat.

As far as which food is better - it'll really depend on your cat's specific allergies. But it does take a long time for an allergy to make itself known, and longer (3-4 weeks) for it to quiet after the allergen is removed. I know that a lot of cats are allergic to beef, but it doesn't sound like Paulie's been getting beef anyway. Identifying an allergen can take a really long time. Work with your vet to find strategies to keep Paulie comfortable while you slowly but surely track down the culprit.

Good luck, and gentle pets and tummy rubs to Paulie!

Love, Columbine

[Freedom]

Just clicked to see Paulie girl's photo, what a sweetie pie!

The allergy test is just a blood draw, very quick. The cat is not "put under," and only feels a pin prick. Some don't notice, other cats can be drama queens, lol.

Once I switched my cats to a grain free food, I no longer had to use laxatone; with the proper food, they don't HAVE hairballs! Hairballs are not normal, and in the wild, cats did not have this issue. It is due to the improper foods we feed them.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Hi and welcome to PT. Paulie sure is adorable. My cat Pearl is allergic to grains. She would break out on her lips and chin and ever since I started feeding her a grain free diet, she's never had another problem. My oldest cat Storm became very itchy after I adopted him about 13 1/2 years ago. I was feeding him a lot foods that had fish in them. My vet at the time said that many cats are allergic to fish. He was so itchy that he was losing the fur on his ears. When I changed his diet to one without much fish in it,back then pretty much everything had some fish in it, he improved and his fur grew back.

I do know that when you do a food trial that the cat needs to be on that food for about 6-8 weeks before you notice an improvement. In my cases it didn't take that long. I was feeding everyone Innova Evo dry and canned but since Procter & Gamble bought them out I switched to Nature's Variety dry and canned. Unfortunately after a while the Nature's Variety dry food didn't agree with 5 out of 6 cats so now I'm feeding then Natural Balance Green Pea & Chicken dry, Nature's Variety Rabbit, Duck, & Vension canned, Natural Balance Duck & Green Pea, and also the Chicken & Green Pea. So far so good. I have heard that some cats are allergic to chicken so this may be part of Paulie's problem. I try to stay away from Beef and Fish. I hope you'll be able to find the right diet for Paulie. Good luck.

[Catlady711]

Depending on how allergic a cat is to something you could see an allergic reaction within hours or days of exposure.

I used to feed Royal Canin Duck and Peas to my RB cat Dusty. It's a good food.

It takes approx 6-12 weeks to know if a new food is eliminating the allergy. You have to be SURE that the cat gets absolutely NOTHING else during that time, no treats, no people food, no milk, etc. If after 3 months there is no improvement then it's probably time to go looking elsewhere for the cause of the allergies. Cats can have allergies to dust, pollen, and things just like people do.

Testing is expensive but may help narrow down the possibilities and if necessary an injection can be formulated for your cats particular allergies. But the testing is not 100% but when the other main culprits (fleas/food) haven't worked it may be a good option to try.

BTW, it only takes the bite of one flea to cause an allergic reaction in an animal that's highly sensitive to them. Does your vet have you treating your cat with anything to prevent them just in case?

I hope things work out for your kitty. I know how frustrating it is to see them miserable and not know what to do to help them faster.

[Freedom]

i hope things work out for your kitty. I know how frustrating it is to see them miserable and not know what to do to help them faster.

ditto!!

[MyCatPaulie]

I just came online for a sec to check any updates and thank you all so much for your help and kind words about Paulie!!! You guys have some beautiful pets as well, Freedom all of your cats are adorable, I especially love Chestnut! CatLady711 what a bunch of sweethearts, Jack is my favorite he looks so peaceful. kraztaboutkatz all of your cats look so cute, I just want to cuddle up with blaze.

Thank you so much again everyone!!!!!!!!!!

[MyCatPaulie]

Hi everyone, just a quick update my vet wants me to try the RC green pea and rabbit, the only thing that concerns me is that it has fish oil in it, if she ever is allergic to fish would fish oil be a problem. I could not find a food that has no chicken or fish in it. I will come on soon to update you gusy more.

[Karen]

Hi everyone, just a quick update my vet wants me to try the RC green pea and rabbit, the only thing that concerns me is that it has fish oil in it, if she ever is allergic to fish would fish oil be a problem. I could not find a food that has no chicken or fish in it. I will come on soon to update you gusy more.

Yes, if she is allergic to fish, the fish oil will affect her. Speaking as a human with food allergies, I know this very well.

Tell Paulie I am allergic to fish, too, it's not just her!

[MyCatPaulie]

I will tell Paulie for you Karen
What do you think I should do should I try the Rabbit and green pea even though it has fish oil in it (we already ordered it)
Or try a food with no fish in it like
BLUE Buffalo Basics Turkey and Potato Recipe Dry


Deboned Turkey, Turkey Meal, Whole Potatoes, Oatmeal, Peas, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Canola Oil (naturally preserved with Mixed, a natural source of Vitamin E), Natural Turkey Flavor, Flaxseed (natural source of Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids), Whole Carrots, Cranberries, Blueberries, Barley Grass, Dried Parsley, Alfalfa Meal, Dried Kelp, Taurine, Yucca Schidigera Extract, L-Carnitine, -Lysine, Turmeric, Oil of Rosemary, Dried Chicory Root, Beta Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Niacin (Vitamin B3), d-Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Biotin (Vitamin B7), Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Choline Chloride, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate, Salt, Caramel, Potassium Chloride, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecium.