Smudge used to have very flaky skin (which, since he's a longhair, led to mats!) so the vet suggested 3V Caps, which are fish oil and vitamin E and he loves the taste. It really improved both his skin and his coat.

He's also allergy-prone, and would get huge itchy lesions on his face & neck and scratch himself to pieces! He got a steroid shot once and immediately caught such a bad cold that he didn't want to eat - it quieted the lesions, but I didn't want him getting sick. The vet suggested chlorpheniramine maleate (not that costly for humans, and I just cut up the pills with a knife) and his lesions are clearing up nicely. Smudge is the classic Unpillable Cat! But a quarter of a pill ground up and dissolved in water, mixed in his food with his 3V Caps, a spoonful of Solid Gold tuna (and his Cosequin, which he doesn't like either but the tuna drowns both it and the allergy medicine out) he'll eat more times than not, and bit by bit his handsome little face is healing right up.

So, see what your vet thinks of 3V Caps and chlorpheniramine maleate - that's what worked out for Smudge.

Love, columbine