A month after I moved into a new place, one of my cats started to lose the hair on her belly and hind legs. I took her to a vet for yearly shots a couple of months after it started and he said he thought it was anxiety from the move. Well, maybe, so I gave it a few more months.
Several months later, I took her in to see a different vet, who thought it was the old carpet and suggested I replace it. I did that at the end of December. She is not better. Over the course of the past few months, my cat has had three cortisone injections. She does fine while they work, no licking or scratching, hair even starts to grow back, but as soon as the medicine starts to wear off, she is right back to licking her tummy and hind legs. I don't want to continue the cortisone shots; it isn't good for the long term.
I took her to another vet who ordered blood work to see what all my cat is allergic to. No to dust mites, fleas (my two are kept strictly indoors), mold, etc. Yes to peanuts and several types of grasses. The vet thinks it is a food allergy, and we have tried Science Diet D/D and Purina E/N (my other cat vomits those foods right back up). Currently, we are trying Science Diet Z/D, which my allergy cat doesn't like, and has thrown it up a couple of times. I use to feed them Science Diet Optimal, which seemed fine, and I have been feeding them Purina One for Sensitive Skin and Stomach, which both of my cats seem to tolerate fairly well, except I've noticed my allergy cat's stool is a little bit softer that usual. My vet's other recommendation is to take my cat to see a dermatology veterinarian.
I am admittedly at a loss as to what to do. The specialist is a two hour drive one way, my cat does not tolerate riding the 6 miles up the road to see the vet without vomiting and mewing so loudly as if I am killing her. I cannot imagine what a 4 hour round trip ride would be like. Financially things are tight for me right now.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what other brands of cat food for allergy cats are good; any ideas what else could be causing the hair loss besides food? I have changed cat litters, cleaners, replaced old carpet, and am going to switch laundry detergent. When I adopted her, she was a kitten and lost a little bit of hair on her belly. I lived in an apartment with old carpet at the time. I moved to a different apartment complex that had brand new carpet, and her hair grew back, so it made sense to me when one of the vets recommended replacing the old carpet in my house. Thank you in advance.
Several months later, I took her in to see a different vet, who thought it was the old carpet and suggested I replace it. I did that at the end of December. She is not better. Over the course of the past few months, my cat has had three cortisone injections. She does fine while they work, no licking or scratching, hair even starts to grow back, but as soon as the medicine starts to wear off, she is right back to licking her tummy and hind legs. I don't want to continue the cortisone shots; it isn't good for the long term.
I took her to another vet who ordered blood work to see what all my cat is allergic to. No to dust mites, fleas (my two are kept strictly indoors), mold, etc. Yes to peanuts and several types of grasses. The vet thinks it is a food allergy, and we have tried Science Diet D/D and Purina E/N (my other cat vomits those foods right back up). Currently, we are trying Science Diet Z/D, which my allergy cat doesn't like, and has thrown it up a couple of times. I use to feed them Science Diet Optimal, which seemed fine, and I have been feeding them Purina One for Sensitive Skin and Stomach, which both of my cats seem to tolerate fairly well, except I've noticed my allergy cat's stool is a little bit softer that usual. My vet's other recommendation is to take my cat to see a dermatology veterinarian.
I am admittedly at a loss as to what to do. The specialist is a two hour drive one way, my cat does not tolerate riding the 6 miles up the road to see the vet without vomiting and mewing so loudly as if I am killing her. I cannot imagine what a 4 hour round trip ride would be like. Financially things are tight for me right now.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what other brands of cat food for allergy cats are good; any ideas what else could be causing the hair loss besides food? I have changed cat litters, cleaners, replaced old carpet, and am going to switch laundry detergent. When I adopted her, she was a kitten and lost a little bit of hair on her belly. I lived in an apartment with old carpet at the time. I moved to a different apartment complex that had brand new carpet, and her hair grew back, so it made sense to me when one of the vets recommended replacing the old carpet in my house. Thank you in advance.
