very itchy cats--dander? food allergy? something else?

imogen

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We have two cats. Both are VERY itchy right now, but one is more than the other. She has a build up of dander on her back and near her tail. She is biting off the hair in an attempt to stop the itch. I have to scratch hard and/ or bush hard to loosen it. 

The vet thought it sounded like fleas. We've treated with Advantage and Frontline Plus, bathed them in Dawn, used an herbal spray (with cinnamon) and treated the house. I haven't seen any fleas. (But, I think I was bitten when bathing the less-itchy cat.) There is no flea dirt and no eggs anywhere. 

They are on an exclusion diet of vet recommended Nature's Miracle dry food right now. It seems odd that they would BOTH have a reaction to the food, but I'm running out of ideas. They ate the food for a while--several large bags-- with no symptoms if this is the case. 

Help? 

The at-home vet will be visiting next week. But, I'd love to be able to help them feel better sooner.
 
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imogen

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No one? 

Will try switching food and see what happens...
 

mrsgreenjeens

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Itching can be caused by a variety of things....food can definitely by the culprit, but you're right it seems odd they would BOTH suddenly start itching if they've been on the same  food for several bags now.  

Has anything else in your home changed?  New furniture, new laundry detergent, new pillows, new bedding, new anything?  AND it only takes one flea bite to cause intense itching if they are allergic to fleas.  You mentioned you thought YOU'D been bitten yourself.  With only one flea, you might not see any real evidence of flea dirt, etc.

What about seasonal allergies?  Has your Vet suggested anything like Zyrtec?  Usually that manifests in sneezing, but I guess it's possible that it could result in itching.  I know with myself, I will itch like crazy sometimes with my allergies.
 

LotsOfFur

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I agree with the above post regarding so many things can cause the skin allergies. In my personal experience, I have one cat who had quite a lot of dander and switching to an all wet diet made it go away. However, she wasn't exhibiting the itchiness...

Also I've used apple cider vinegar (Organic w/ the mother such as Braggs) 1 part vinegar 3 parts distilled water and apply with a cotton ball on the areas then massage in with your fingers like washing your scalp... That helps break down the build up. Then you can apply the mixture again for the soothing effects. If your cat is agreeable you could use the mixture as a rinse.
This really helped my moms dog get through a very itchy episode.
 
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imogen

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Thank you both! 

We are actually in a new apartment. It's all hardwoods. But the previous owner had cats and the man downstairs has several cats. There is a small crack between our floor and his ceiling where the house was added on to… I don't know.

I'll try Bragg's and a flea comb. They won't be happy. But, if it makes them less itchy *I* will be happy!

One more thought on food…neither of them likes the Nature's Miracle. (Actually, our overweight cat has lost weight on it…) I think that cats (and people) are intuitive about things they dislike. Maybe the food is the culprit..
 

LotsOfFur

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Keep us updated. Sending anti-itch vibes your kitties way :vibes: :vibes: :vibes:
 

ruaryx

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This happened with one of my cats.  I never figured out what it was because I changed a bunch of things at once. 

Do you use scented litter?  They might be allergic to it.  Switch to unscented. (The vet also said it could be anything, like laundry detergent, febreeze, cleaning chemicals, etc)

Have you tried giving your cats a bath?  My vet said that it was possible that the allergen was still on his fur, and to see if a bath would help. 

I changed food to grain free. 

And finally, my vet gave us a liquid steroid to administer for a few days. Something must have worked, because he stopped scratching!
 
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imogen

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I'm glad to know it's not just me! 

I have bathed both cats… And, I'll double check the ingredient list. Our litter hasn't changed. 

Ugh! So much to think about! 

Thanks everyone. I know this is very minor compared to issues others here are facing…but it's big in our house.
 
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