cat has allergies?

**columbine** · 08-27-2010, 07:02 AM

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** · 08-27-2010, 07:36 AM

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** · 08-27-2010, 06:46 PM

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** · 08-27-2010, 07:03 PM

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** · 08-27-2010, 11:45 PM

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** · 08-28-2010, 01:16 AM

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.