Cat has allergies?

Hello everyone, I need some advice please. My cat Paulie has been itching since last fall. Here is some info..

We got her last June but she didn't start itching bad until last fall. Her papers from the SPCA said she had thinning hair on her tail probably due to an old flea allergy but her vet said she has no fleas now.

Last fall her chest broke out in little red scabs, those were bad until late spring, we don't know if they cleared up when our forced air furnace was turned off or if they went away because the Z/D was helping. She was on the Z/D from May until August and seemed to be getting better but we had to stop because she got really sick and we think it was a bad batch of food, her stomach never seemed right on the Z/D anyway's she had soft stools since she started it.
If she does have a food allergy we would like to find the source so that she can avoid those foods and not have to stay on a hydrolyzed diet forever since they aren't nutritious. After she had to come off the Z/D we tried Wellness but now she's itching more again. I don't know what to do, here is all the foods she has tried.


Nutro Max Salmon dry (she wasn't itching too much on this but she was on it during the summer before our forced air furnace was turned on)



Nutro Max Chicken wet (It seemed like she got worse when we added wet food into her diet but that was also around the time our furnace was turned on as well)


Natural Balance Original Ultra Premium dry and wet



Natural Balance Green Pea and Duck dry and wet contains no wheat, barley, rice or corn


Z/D (This seemed like it was starting to help but we had to stop it because of a bad batch and her stomach never seemed right on this food anyway's)


Wellness complete health salmon and turkey



We did notice that all of the foods she's ever been contain some kind of poultry, maybe she has a poultry allergy.


We thought about trying this food because it has no poultry in it...

Royal Canine limited Ingredient GREEN PEAS and VENISON FORMULA Dry

Ground pea, venison meal, pea protein, coconut oil, natural flavors, venison,
vegetable oil, sodium bisulfate, fish oil, monocalcium phosphate, DL-methionine,
salt, taurine, potassium chloride, choline chloride, 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], 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.



Would this be a good choice? I don't know if we should take him to a dermotologist or just keep trying different foods? Does anyone know How allergy test work, can they tell for sure if she has a food or inhaled allergy and what food it is? Thanks for your help any advice at all would help! :0)

Thanks so much for you help! We're thinking it might be a dust mite problem because it did get worse it winter but that is also when we started feeding her wet food chicken flavor and that had real chicken in it not just chicken meal. She's itching a lot more since we took her off the z/d last week but is it too soon to switch her to something else right away? Thanks so much again!

Thank you so much for your help!
I just noticed something last summer when she was on Nutro she wasn't itching too bad. Even though the Nutro had chicken in it, it wasn't real meat it was just chicken meal and poultry fat. When she started itching more in the fall is when we started adding wet food into her diet which did contain real chicken, is it possible for her to be allergic to chicken protein or worse all proteins? Should I still try the Royal Canine or should I go back to feeing her a food with no real meat in it? Also someone said that the Rabbit and green pea food would be better than the venison do you agree? And 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 if the laxaton was making her itch, that was last Saturday and she is still itching today so is it most likely not the laxaton she's allergic to since she's itching a week later? Sorry I have so many questions, I just love Paulie so much and I want him to feel better.

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.

Thank you so much Otto!!! I will for sure get Paulie on probiotics, do I have to get those from my vet, if so I will call her right now before they close for the weekend. The Rabbit and green pea is from royal canine, is that an ok brand? On tha NB website I only see Venison and green pea which only comes in canned food. Thanks so much for your help!!!

Thanks so much again Otto, I am so thankful that I found this site and all of the information you have given me, the things I have learned from you are priceless !!!
I forgot that our vet closed early on Fridays but I'm going to call first thing on Monday and ask about changing his food and the probiotics you suggested. It's weird because she's still itching but her bump on her neck went away, do you think it could ever be the laxaton that she was allergic to? She did start itching worse when we started feeding her wet food and I always wondered if she could be allergic to all thinking agents like guar gum, the laxaton has corn syrup, malt syrup and gelatin by products in it, I don't know if that would be connected to guar gum that was in her wet food or not? But she hasn't had any laxaton since Saturday. Thanks so much again!!!

I will defiantly keep you up to date on how Paulie's doing. Thanks for all of your help, I appreciate it so much!!!!
PS. I got your gift of clovers, I'm new to the board so I'm not quit sure what it means but thank you, you are a very kind person, I tired to give you some gifts I hope I did it right. :0)

Just wanted to update everyone. I went to the vet today and she wants to try the RC green pea and rabbit she was concerned though that Paulie could be allergic to fish and fish oil is in this food. I don't know if we should give this a dry, we already ordered it or try a food with no fish in it like...
Dry food with no fish in it...

BLUE Buffalo Basics Turkey and Potato Recipe Dry

Deboned Turkey, Turkey Meal, Whole Potatoes, Oatmeal, Peas, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Canola Oil (naturally preserved with Mixed, a natural source of Vitamin E), Natural Turkey Flavor, Flaxseed (natural source of Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids), Whole Carrots, Cranberries, Blueberries, Barley Grass, Dried Parsley, Alfalfa Meal, Dried Kelp, Taurine, Yucca Schidigera Extract, L-Carnitine, -Lysine, Turmeric, Oil of Rosemary, Dried Chicory Root, Beta Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Niacin (Vitamin B3), d-Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Biotin (Vitamin B7), Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Choline Chloride, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate, Salt, Caramel, Potassium Chloride, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecium.



Addiction - Viva La Venison - Dry Cat Food

Venison Meal
Dried Potatoes
Chicken Fat (Free from Chicken Protein naturally preserved )
Natural Flavors
Dried Egg
Dried Kelp
Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal
Dried Carrots
Dried Cranberries
Dried Apples
Dried Spinach
Potassium Chloride
Salt
Brewers Dried Yeast
Lecithin
Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product
Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product
Dried Aspergillus niger Fermentation Extract
Dried Bacillus subtilis Fermentation Extract
Choline Chloride
Zinc Proteinate Vitamin E
Iron Proteinate
Dried Saccharomyces cerevisiae Fermentation Solubles
Insulin (from chicory root)
Ascorbic Acid (source of Vitamin C)
Taurine
DL-Methionine
Yucca Schidigera Extract
Niacin (Vitamin B3)
Copper Proteinate
Manganese Proteinate
Calcium Pantothenate
Thiamine (Vitamin B1)
Biotin (Vitamin B7)
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
Vitamin A
Vitamin D3
Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)
Vitamin B12
Beta Carotene
Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)
Sodium Selenite
Rosemary Extract

Thanks for your help kwarendorf! I just talked to someone at RC and they said the fish oil they use they take the protien out and I guess that's the part cats are allergic too.
I have tried the NB duck and green pea but he still itched on that so she could be allergic to all poultry. I wish I could feed her the NB venison and green pea but it only comes in canned and wet food doesn't seem to agree with her. Thanks so much again for your help

Does anyone know I forgot to ask my vet, I know that since he's going to be on a food trial I should give him nothing else besides this food, I do brush his teeth with something the vet gave me called Virbac oral hygiene rinse should I stop using this or since there's no flavors in it is it ok to use, here is the immigrants
Chlorhexidine gluconate (0.12%), Cetylpyridinium chloride (0.05%), and Zinc in a soothing alcohol-free vehicle.

Hey everybody, just wanted to come on with a quick update. When we went to the vet last week she wanted us to start using revolution again and since them Paulie's itch has been better. He's still itching but not as bad. He's been eating Wellness for two weeks now and there are no bumps on her neck, does anyone know if she is allergic to something in this food if they would be broken out by now. I don't know if we should keep her on this wellness and see how it goes or try the royal canin which we already ordered? Also does anyone know if cats can be allergic to thickening agents like guar gym in wet food?

Hi Otto, here is the wellness food she's on

Salmon, Salmon Meal & Deboned Turkey Recipe Dry

Salmon, Salmon Meal, Whitefish Meal, Rice, Ground Barley, Ground Rice, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Deboned Turkey, NatUral Chicken Flavor, NatUral Fish Flavor, Cranberries, Olive Oil, Chicory Root Extract, Cranberry Extract Powder, Cranberry Fiber, Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, 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, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Enterococcus Faecium, lactobacillus Casei, lactobacillus Acidophilus, Taurine, Rosemary Extract.

She didn't start getting bumps on her neck until October and she was eatting Nutro Since we got her in July
Nutro Max Cat Salmon Dry
Chicken Meal, Ground Rice, Wheat Flour, Corn Gluten Meal, Poultry Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Rice Flour, Natural Flavors, Soybean Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Salmon Meal, Salmon Protein Concentrate, Tomato Pomace, Oat Fiber, Yeast Culture, Potassium Chloride, Menhaden Fish Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Salt, Choline Chloride, Barley Malt, DL-Methionine, Taurine, Sunflower Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Zinc Sulfate, Dried Cranberry, Ferrous Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Inositol, Niacin, Copper Sulfate, L-Carnitine, Ascorbic Acid (source of Vitamin C), Manganous Oxide, Riboflavin Supplement (source of Vitamin B2), Potassium Iodide, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of Vitamin B6), Thiamine Mononitrate (source of Vitamin B1), Dried Blueberry, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K activity), Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite

I can't remember exactly when but in the fall is when we started feeding her Nutro wet food and we feed her wet food until she started the Z/D in May so I didn't know if she was allergic to somthing in wet food like guar gum.

Nutro Max Cat Chicken Canned
Chicken Broth, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Beef Liver, Potato Starch, Wheat Gluten, Pork Plasma, Natural Flavors, Salt, Guar Gum, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, DL-Methionine, Taurine, Xanthan Gum, Beta Carotene, Ferrous Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, Zinc Oxide, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Copper Proteinate, Manganous Sulfate, Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Folic Acid, Biotin.


I didn't ask my vet about the oral rinse but she starte using that in the srping way after she started breaking out.

Thanks for your help! :0)

Thanks Otto, I will keep you updated. I think the revoltuion worked really fast because even though we didn't see any fleas she could have had one and now that's taken care of so I'm so happy for that. I will keep watching he to see how she does and decide what food to feed him. Thanks so much again for all your help!

Thanks for the info I didn't know it could take that long for his itching to come back. I am so confused on what to do. I don't want to put him on the royal canin prescription food if this food doesn't make him itch but I don't know if it's worth waiting six weeks to see if he gets bad again. Do you think if he is allergic to chicken since it's only chicken fat listed as the 7th ingredient it's far enough down the list where it won't effect him? I did find this on a yahoo site "Some cats are severely allergic to guar gum, which is used to bind the canned food. Finding canned with the guar gum way down on the ingredient list, or not listed at all would help" but that's all I could find. One good thing about this food is when he was on the Z/D his stools were always soft and blob shapped now they look normal. I don't think he has a grain allergy because the natural balance he was on for about six months was grain free, I'm so confussed!
I think he probably did have fleas this last time because after the revolution was put on he stopped itching a lot less. I don't think his whole allergy is from fleas because he was on revolution from December to early spring, we just stopped using it when he started the z/d food trial.
Thanks again for your help!!!!

He started eatting wellness on 8/22 but I mixed in the old food for a week so it's only bee 100% wellness since last saturday. He hasn't ate any canned food since May when he started the z/d food trail but I did give him some laxaton over summer a few times which had thinkening agents in it. When he does break out it's always on his neck, my vet said that's a sign of a food allergy do you know if that's true?

Thanks so much Otto ! I am so thankful I found you, I will keep you updated with how he's doing and write everything down.

Ummm, I wonder if your kitty is allergic to canned food too, was the wet food you gave him the same as the dry? I hope he gets better so you don't have to take him to the vet but if you have to please let me know what he says. Maybe ask him if it could be an allergy to guar gum or something in wet food. I
Lil Annie, is your kitty allergic to all protein or just certain ones, do you know how your vet knew that, I was thinking about allergy testing since I'm pretty sure Paulie has both food and inhaled allergies because even when he was eating only Z/D his itching wasn't completely gone. Is the duck,fish and brown rice food you feed her dry, maybe I could try that.
Thanks for the replys!!!