Cat with skin problems / allergy

I was wondering if anyone else has had this experience and if there might be any other treatment options... here's the scoop:

My youngest cat, Theodore, has developed an allergy to something (we don't know what) and it presents as crusty, itchy skin on his back. No other symptoms, really, just the scaly skin thing. He went through all varieties of testing to rule out any kind of infection (and the fact that our other 2 cats don't have this also supports that it's not an infectious disease) and finally arrived at the conclusion that he's allergic to "something". I've switched to a sensitive skin formula of food (Purina Pro Plan) which hasn't really made any difference, and I realize it's not the most natural of foods, but Theodore also has a very sensitive stomach and ProPlan is one of the few brands he can tollerate.

So... as a treatment for his allergy, we take him to the vet about once a month for a steroid shot (depo-medrol). It works pretty well... but not long enough. The vet says it should last at LEAST a month, but we're lucky if he gets 3 itch-free weeks out of a shot. We really don't want to inject him more frequently - steroids have potential negative side-effects, especially when used long-term. Not to mention the fact that these shots aren't cheap. I plan on calling the vet today to discuss this, but I wanted to see if anyone else has had this problem with one of their cats and if there was a treatment that worked well/better. I would love to be able to eliminate the allergen, but we have no idea what it is - the vet said it could be something in his food, something in the air, something around our house, who knows? And allergy testing in cats is apparently useless so there's no good way of figuring it out.

Would love to hear others' experiences with cat allergies...

what cleaning agents are you using???


What foods have you tried and did you use just solely one food at a time for 8-12 weeks??
Mine are tested via kinesiology testing , if i had not had it done and knew it worked i would have laughed but with my allergy girl who is a dog it is a life saver...

Originally Posted by sharky

what cleaning agents are you using???

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I do not use any chemical cleaners in my home except for toilet bowl cleaner (and the lids are always kept down anyway), and never anything containing dyes or fragrances. We are a very organic and natural household.

Originally Posted by sharky

What foods have you tried and did you use just solely one food at a time for 8-12 weeks??
Mine are tested via kinesiology testing , if i had not had it done and knew it worked i would have laughed but with my allergy girl who is a dog it is a life saver...

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Yes, we always switch foods gradually and try them out for at least 2 months, unless Theodore is reacting very badly to it. That was the case with Blue Buffalo - his digestive system couldn't handle it and I was tired of having cat puke and diarrhea everywhere so I switched after just 1 month. I thought Blue Buffalo would be good because it's touted as being so natural, but Theodore couldn't tolerate it unfortunately. I have also tried Nutro Natural Choice, and other types of ProPlan. There are others but I can't remember them all.

My understanding is that allergy testing is pretty good for humans and dogs but worthless for cats. I won't be wasting my money until the science is more exact.

Natural and SIMPLE arent always together

do you have access to natural balence

Originally Posted by sharky

Natural and SIMPLE arent always together

do you have access to natural balence

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That's very true indeed - I completely agree. Unfortunately, simple cat foods are hard to come by where I live (middle of nowhere). If I can't get it at Petsmart, then I pretty much can't get it (without ordering online, which tends to be $$$$).

I would really prefer not to switch foods AGAIN if at all possible. I've finally got my 3 cats on a food they can all tolerate (digestively-speaking, that is ) and I really don't want to deal with the vomit/diarrhea disasters of previous food switches.

It looks like Natural Balance is locally available to me, and the ingredients look pretty good (aside from being pretty high in carbs, which could be a problem for Theodore)... so now I must debate with myself whether to risk switching foods again or not. *pondering*

one meat and one grain or starch is the common protocal for your issues... the duck and pea is the one i suggest ... mostly cause most cats have NOT had either and are less likely to have a reaction

I would not give the Depo Shot that often. My Vet only allows it every 6 Months because of all the side effects. Coco has a bladder inection from teh Depo Shot again. The last two times this happened. She used to have problems like your Cat. She is Allergic to so many things. When she was 9 her fur came out in Clumps and the Rash was everywhere. I hope your Cat will not get any bad side effects from the Depo. It can cause Diabetes also. Coco can not have any more Depo Shots. She still itches alot but she dosent get the Rash like before. She also has Asthma. Can you get a cream from the Vet for the Rash?

Originally Posted by mews2much

I would not give the Depo Shot that often. My Vet only allows it every 6 Months because of all the side effects. Coco has a bladder inection from teh Depo Shot again. The last two times this happened. She used to have problems like your Cat. She is Allergic to so many things. When she was 9 her fur came out in Clumps and the Rash was everywhere. I hope your Cat will not get any bad side effects from the Depo. It can cause Diabetes also. Coco can not have any more Depo Shots. She still itches alot but she dosent get the Rash like before. She also has Asthma. Can you get a cream from the Vet for the Rash?

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Thank you for this info. I AM concerned about the risks of the shot, and Theodore is already obese, so he doesn't need anything else that causes diabetes. Do you use a cream of some sort on Coco? I would MUCH rather use a topical treatment, but my vet never mentioned that option. I am going to call the vet right now and ask about other options. I really don't like having to do the depo shot. *sigh*

I used to use a cream but do not remember the name. It had cortisone in it. My Vet knows way more then most Vets. They even send Vets there to learn from him. Coco used to be obese but isnt any more. She was when she was around 10. I sure do not want your Cat to get sick from the Shots. Cocos last shot was in March but now she has the bladder infection. Is your Cat Allergic to fish too. Coco is very Allergic to it.