Thoughts on non-RX allergy food choices?

white cat lover

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I will be in the nearest "real" pet store on Friday of this week, which is an hour away. I'd like to look at the foods they carry there to see if there is anything I can try for Damita once she done with her SD z/d. Damita was eating MAX Cat Hairball formula Lobster flavor & Solid Gold Katz-N-Flocken.
MAX Ingredients
Chicken Meal, Ground Rice, Rice Flour, Corn Gluten Meal, Poultry Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of natural Vitamin E), Natural Flavors, Sunflower Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of natural Vitamin E), Lobster Meal (natural source of Lobster flavor), Oat Fiber, Lamb Meal, Brewers Dried Yeast, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Monosodium Phosphate, DL-Methionine, Taurine, Dried Egg Product, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Inositol, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (source of Vitamin C), Manganous Oxide, Garlic, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement (source of Vitamin B2), Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of Vitamin B6), Thiamine Mononitrate (source of Vitamin B1), Calcium Iodate, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K activity), Folic Acid.
Katz-N-Flocken Ingredients
Lamb | Chicken Meal | Millet | Brown Rice | Menhaden Fish Meal | Cracked Pearled Barley | Canola Oil | Flaxseed Oil | Garlic | Amaranth | Blueberries | Dried Chicory Root | Taurine | Carotene | Choline Chloride | Vitamin E Supplement | Iron Proteinate | Zinc Proteinate | Yucca Schidigera Extract | Copper Proteinate | Manganese Proteinate | Potassium Iodide | Thiamine Mononitrate | Ascorbic Acid | Vitamin A Supplement | Biotin | Calcium Panthothenate | Sodium Selenite | Pyridoxine Hydrochloride | Vitamin B12 Supplement | Riboflavin | Vitamin D Supplement | Folic Acid |


I'm *trying* to see if I can determine or make a guess as to what she would be allergic to in those foods. Then I can try to select a food. I'll be going through the trial & error process. Basically, 6 weeks of z/d, then try 6 weeks of another food(to see if she is allergic to it). I think the first food she does good on I'll be sticking with! The one thing that I am looking for is a food that is also within safe levels for Ophelia, who had struvite crystals(that can be determined later, though).

I've looked into Natural Balance, but I would have to order that for sure. Any ideas on what would likely be something to cause allergies in those foods?
 

gizmocat

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Try and get her California Natural if you can. Neither of those foods that you picked is good for an allergic cat. Above all, avoid corn and wheat. The Katz-n-flocken is the better of the two, but it contains lamb, a notorious allergen-- you can still do better than that.
 

xerr

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I have the same problem as you with snowbell. I wish i can find something that doesn't make him vomit. (and less expensive than the medicated one)
 

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You might also try the Natural Balance Venison and Green Pea diet, since it has a novel (new) protein source and carbohydrate source. Even though you have to order it, it may be worth trying. With the foods you listed, there are several potential allergens (chicken, lamb, grains in general). What other foods do you have available to you? If you have anything with rabbit or venison as the sole protein source, you might try that. You could try California Natural, but if the allergies continue chicken is a likely allergen for your kitty.
 

vanillasugar

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My guess as to what she's allergic to? chicken or the corn that was in the Max cat. Both ingredients are easy to avoid.
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by vanillasugar

My guess as to what she's allergic to? chicken or the corn that was in the Max cat. Both ingredients are easy to avoid.
That is my suspsions but also the lamb
...

Have you thought about raw ???
 

gizmocat

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The Natural Balance or Nature's Logic Rabbit Dinner (which has much lower carbs) would be your best choice. Gizmo is thriving on the Nature's Logic dry food. Since it has chicken in it she unfortunately still scratches, but I can't get her to eat the wet food.
Another canned rabbit is called Prairie or something similar; if I could get Gizzy to eat the canned, this would also be good for her.
all of these foods are available through petfooddirect
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by gizmocat

The Natural Balance or Nature's Logic Rabbit Dinner (which has much lower carbs) would be your best choice. Gizmo is thriving on the Nature's Logic dry food. Since it has chicken in it she unfortunately still scratches, but I can't get her to eat the wet food.
Another canned rabbit is called Prairie or something similar; if I could get Gizzy to eat the canned, this would also be good for her.
all of these foods are available through petfooddirect
Natural balence doesnt make rabbit anything... I think your thinking of Natures praire
...
 

reddicequeen

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I went through the puking cat thing with poor Remy. The ONLY wet food he can tolerate and I have tried ALL of them is an online only order through Healthypetnet.com I switched him to the Felidae dry for free feeding and he tolerates that. I tried him on Felidae wet...back to projectile vomiting.
I have told quite a few people about the healthy pet net wet and they have all had it work for them.
They will send you samples....hope you find something soon
 
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white cat lover

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Originally Posted by sharky

That is my suspsions but also the lamb
...

Have you thought about raw ???
Several times, Jennifer. I just don't see me doing it. I know it would be best for Damita, & it's not the icky factor(playing in raw meat is fun, actually!), it's the time & research that needs to be put into it. I honeslty don't think I have the time to make sure I prepre everything correctly, or the vet help to guide me.

The only thing with the Natural Balance is the magnesium level is high, so a no go with Ophelia. What do you guys think....could Damita also be allergic to rice?(i.e. should I find a rice-free food?)
 

sharky

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I will be sending you something as soon as I find it ... I do think if you can homemade may be best for you "special" girls
 

plebayo

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I'm *trying* to see if I can determine or make a guess as to what she would be allergic to in those foods. Then I can try to select a food. I'll be going through the trial & error process. Basically, 6 weeks of z/d, then try 6 weeks of another food(to see if she is allergic to it). I think the first food she does good on I'll be sticking with! The one thing that I am looking for is a food that is also within safe levels for Ophelia, who had struvite crystals(that can be determined later, though).
Fish, Milk, Eggs, and Beef are a few of the "top" allergens for cats. Cats are allergic to things they've had before, so have you done any food changes? Were they on Hill's urine diets, like s/d or c/d? If so it could be something simple like a corn allergy, chicken allergy, etc. Something that could help as far as crystals go would be feeding a wet diet to keep the urine from concentrating so much.

I would switch to something like Natural Balance or Felidae, if your cat reacts switch to a duck & pea elimination diet, and go from there. California Natural also has a salmon & sweet potato wet diet, and a dry Herring & Sweet Potato diet.

Several times, Jennifer. I just don't see me doing it. I know it would be best for Damita, & it's not the icky factor(playing in raw meat is fun, actually!), it's the time & research that needs to be put into it. I honeslty don't think I have the time to make sure I prepre everything correctly, or the vet help to guide me.
Oh SERIOUSLY! How can you NOT have time to devote your every waking moment in life to making your cats food complete :p

That is exactly what keeps me from raw, and it sounds like your kitty could have a fairly simple allergy and not need to go as far. Is your cat okay on z/d? Really what people don't get with raw feeding, is that you still have to decide what your cat is allergic to... just feeding raw doesn't fix everything always.


Anyway, good luck!
 
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Originally Posted by Plebayo

Fish, Milk, Eggs, and Beef are a few of the "top" allergens for cats. Cats are allergic to things they've had before, so have you done any food changes? Were they on Hill's urine diets, like s/d or c/d? If so it could be something simple like a corn allergy, chicken allergy, etc. Something that could help as far as crystals go would be feeding a wet diet to keep the urine from concentrating so much.

I would switch to something like Natural Balance or Felidae, if your cat reacts switch to a duck & pea elimination diet, and go from there. California Natural also has a salmon & sweet potato wet diet, and a dry Herring & Sweet Potato diet.




Oh SERIOUSLY! How can you NOT have time to devote your every waking moment in life to making your cats food complete :p

That is exactly what keeps me from raw, and it sounds like your kitty could have a fairly simple allergy and not need to go as far. Is your cat okay on z/d? Really what people don't get with raw feeding, is that you still have to decide what your cat is allergic to... just feeding raw doesn't fix everything always.


Anyway, good luck!
Yes, as hard as it is for the kitties to believe, I have a life outside them(yeah, the dogs!).


I was in the pet store today & they have nada as far as allergy free foods. They have Merrick, Natural Balance, etc. good canned dog food(I didn't check dry), but none of those in cat food as no one buys them.
So, I'll be ordering whatever I decide on.

To answer your quesiton, plebayo, Damita's only been on z/d for 1 1/2 weeks, but I can see an improvement....somewhat formed & not bloody stools, no "hairball puking" motions, no puking at all....there has been definite improvement.

Ophelia was the only cat to get c/d or s/d...she was living in my bedroom just so she was the only one to get the Science Diet(& I knew that she'd steal food). I had Damita on Purina ONE, so that may have been when she devloped allergies. I know she started having hairballs once put on the ONE, but then again she also was shedding like crazy & had ringworm then(the shedding was due to the ringworm).
 
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