Neko's been itchy

for about a week. Under her chin mostly and her left side. looks like she's trying to bite at something under her fur. She's on Advantage Multi monthly since I adopted her. She's eating 25% Wellness Core and 75% TOTW and a variety of canned foods: Authority, Natural Balance, Purina Select Pro Plan Selects, and Nutro Max
Last week we did try Halo which has lots of veggies and didn't look like regular canned food. could that be it? here are the ingredients of the dry and the halo. Could someone point out the allergens? what else besides food allergies cause itchyness?
TOTW:
Ingredients
Chicken meal, peas, sweet potatoes, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potato protein, roasted venison, smoked salmon, natural flavor, ocean fish meal, methionine, taurine, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract, dried fermentation products of Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, niacin, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A supplement, biotin, potassium iodide, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin (vitamin B2), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

Core:
Deboned Turkey, Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whitefish Meal, Potatoes, Salmon Meal, Natural Chicken Flavor. Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Tomato Pomace, Cranberries, Chicory Root Extract, Salmon Oil, Flaxseed, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement), Choline Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Kelp, Taurine, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Enterococcus Faecium, Lactobacillus Casei, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Rosemary Extract.

Halo canned (tried it 1st time last week)
Chicken, zucchini, yellow squash, celery, chicken broth, chicken liver, carrots, green beans, green peas, turkey, calcium citrate, dried kelp, sweet potato, pumpkin, soy sauce, garlic powder, choline chloride, zinc gluconate, taurine, ascorbic acid

Thanks for your time

I will highlight HIGH allergens in PINK / Magenta
less likely allergen s in orange

Originally Posted by silva_unt

for about a week. Under her chin mostly and her left side. looks like she's trying to bite at something under her fur. She's on Advantage Multi monthly since I adopted her. She's eating 25% Wellness Core and 75% TOTW and a variety of canned foods: Authority, Natural Balance, Purina Select Pro Plan Selects, and Nutro Max
Last week we did try Halo which has lots of veggies and didn't look like regular canned food. could that be it? here are the ingredients of the dry and the halo. Could someone point out the allergens? what else besides food allergies cause itchyness?
TOTW:
Ingredients
Chicken meal, peas, sweet potatoes, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potato protein, roasted venison, smoked salmon, natural flavor, ocean fish meal, methionine, taurine, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract, dried fermentation products of Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, niacin, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A supplement, biotin, potassium iodide, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin (vitamin B2), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

Core:
Deboned Turkey, Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whitefish Meal, Potatoes, Salmon Meal, Natural Chicken Flavor. Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Tomato Pomace, Cranberries, Chicory Root Extract, Salmon Oil, Flaxseed, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement), Choline Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Kelp, Taurine, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Enterococcus Faecium, Lactobacillus Casei, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Rosemary Extract.

Halo canned (tried it 1st time last week)
Chicken, zucchini, yellow squash, celery, chicken broth, chicken liver, carrots, green beans, green peas, turkey, calcium citrate, dried kelp, sweet potato, pumpkin, soy sauce, garlic powder these can each have a number of ingredients hiding potential issues , choline chloride, zinc gluconate, taurine, ascorbic acid

Thanks for your time

Click to expand...

Hope that helps

wow, thanks sharky; more allergens than i expected. Still learning
Hopefrully these less likely allergens are not the issue. I'll see what happens. Anyone feel free to give me suggestions while i wait this out. She's never been bathed, should i try that? Maybe it's the peas...

This is going to sound stupid but here I go....

are there little black bumps on the chin? Do you use pastic or ceramic plates or bowls for feeding>?

peas are probable

YES actually, i have seen little black spots on her chin, she even lets me pull them off because it feels good to have me scratching at it. What are those little black things? Her dry kibble bowl is stainless steel and her wet food plates are ceramic. No plastic except litter box...

you should look up cat acne..

Thanks, will do

She's still a little itchy (side of body and legs) and i stopped using TOTW (probable pea allergy)shortly after the beginning of this thread. How long should it take for the itching to stop? I don't feel any scabs or anything so its not too bad, but still...

Originally Posted by silva_unt

She's still a little itchy (side of body and legs) and i stopped using TOTW (probable pea allergy)shortly after the beginning of this thread. How long should it take for the itching to stop? I don't feel any scabs or anything so its not too bad, but still...

Click to expand...

usually you see some improvement within a few days ... complete time varies by cat some a few weeks ,others a few months.

Thanks for your response. I'll keep waiting...

Originally Posted by silva_unt

She's still a little itchy (side of body and legs) and i stopped using TOTW (probable pea allergy)shortly after the beginning of this thread. How long should it take for the itching to stop? I don't feel any scabs or anything so its not too bad, but still...

Click to expand...

I'm going through the same think with Coco. At first I was only waiting 1 or 2 weeks after making a change to see if it helped. Then I read that I really need to wait 4 to 6 weeks. I think I might to getting close to a resolution now. I'm so freakin' impatient though! I keep messing up the test by thinking I know what the problem is and making a change without waiting long enough. As a result I'm not *totally* sure if the change really made a difference. Now, I'm going to wait at least 4 weeks after making a change. Then, if I think there has been even a little improvement I'm going to wait for another 2 weeks before declaring victory or failure.

BTW - I now have her on a very restricted diet of only proteins she had never eaten before she started scratching and I'm making absolutely certain nothing goes in her mouth except what I want her to eat!

Good luck! I hope you're not as frustrated as I am!

I began feeding only Natural Balance duck & pea, both canned and dry, last week for itching/puking. It was recommended by some users on here AND my vet to give it at least 4 weeks.

It's tough, I think Genever is getting sick of it already! At least the canned version... 3 weeks to go though...

Originally Posted by DarkMavis

I began feeding only Natural Balance duck & pea, both canned and dry, last week for itching/puking. It was recommended by some users on here AND my vet to give it at least 4 weeks.

It's tough, I think Genever is getting sick of it already! At least the canned version... 3 weeks to go though...

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Neko is possibly allergic to PEAS so that food wont help us, but atleast I will use your vet's estimated 4 weeks to hopefully see some improvement. Although i hear it can take even longer....

good luck to you!

Originally Posted by mschauer

I'm going through the same think with Coco. At first I was only waiting 1 or 2 weeks after making a change to see if it helped. Then I read that I really need to wait 4 to 6 weeks. I think I might to getting close to a resolution now. I'm so freakin' impatient though! I keep messing up the test by thinking I know what the problem is and making a change without waiting long enough. As a result I'm not *totally* sure if the change really made a difference. Now, I'm going to wait at least 4 weeks after making a change. Then, if I think there has been even a little improvement I'm going to wait for another 2 weeks before declaring victory or failure.

BTW - I now have her on a very restricted diet of only proteins she had never eaten before she started scratching and I'm making absolutely certain nothing goes in her mouth except what I want her to eat!

Good luck! I hope you're not as frustrated as I am!

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Good luck to you too! Thanks for sharing your story with me. My issue is with Peas, i think. This is my issue, the "i think" part, what if its a protein issue!?
I'll wait the 4-6 wks without peas and hope she gets better! But how long should i wait after that to change her protein (meat) if the itching doesn't stop?

I also want to add that while on TOTW, along with the itching, she had very smelly poo! VERY SMELLY! Is this associated with the pea allergy?

Originally Posted by silva_unt

Good luck to you too! Thanks for sharing your story with me. My issue is with Peas, i think. This is my issue, the "i think" part, what if its a protein issue!?
I'll wait the 4-6 wks without peas and hope she gets better! But how long should i wait after that to change her protein (meat) if the itching doesn't stop?

I also want to add that while on TOTW, along with the itching, she had very smelly poo! VERY SMELLY! Is this associated with the pea allergy?

Click to expand...

99% of allergies are Protein ... peas have a good amount of protein... in grains the protein is the gluten ..

Poo smell is either a bacteria surge coming out or a food that is to "rich" for the cat

Originally Posted by sharky

99% of allergies are Protein ... peas have a good amount of protein... in grains the protein is the gluten ..

Poo smell is either a bacteria surge coming out or a food that is to "rich" for the cat

Click to expand...

Makes sense. Thanks again!

Originally Posted by silva_unt

I'll wait the 4-6 wks without peas and hope she gets better! But how long should i wait after that to change her protein (meat) if the itching doesn't stop?

Click to expand...

My vet says it can take as long as 4-5 months for an allergen to clear the body. That's one of reasons I decided to go with a completely new diet for her. I just don't have the patience to do a 4 month test of everything suspected ingredient! But I could do that because I feed homemade raw and can control the ingredients.

If I were you I'd give the "no peas" test at least 8 weeks before trying something else. If you can see she is itching less now, hopefully it is the peas though. I hope so!