Treats for cats with food allergies?

wiggywoo

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My poor cat is allergic to everything. I had him tested for allergies and he now is on a special food. I haven't been able to give him treats anymore because he is allergic to all the basic ingredients...beef, brewers yeast, corn, wheat, barley etc. He LOVES his treats!! Does anyone know of any treats made specially for cats with food allergies.
 

catnapt

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there are freeze dried treats that are made with a single ingredient and nothing else
can he have chicken or liver?


can he have cheese? my girl has food allergies but she can have cheddar cheese and parmesan (but no milk)

some cats like cooked egg whites (no egg yolks but i dont know why and no raw egg whites- at least this is what i recall, so dont quote me on this one)

its tough i know! i am still trying to find a food that my cat can eat that does not have things in it that upset her sensitive digestion (she has food allergies and IBD)

good luck, if i think of anything else i'll post it
 

gizmocat

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I don't give Gizmo treats. I pet her and play with her instead. It's too risky with her allergies.
 

ocicat_steph

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If your cat is on an allergy diet you are not supposed to feed anything else but the allergy food. that means no treats. and to answer your question. no they do not make treats for pets with allergies.
 

urbantigers

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do you feed dry or wet food? If dry, you could put some of his daily allowance aside to feed as treats.
 

moggiegirl

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Originally Posted by ocicat_steph

If your cat is on an allergy diet you are not supposed to feed anything else but the allergy food. that means no treats. and to answer your question. no they do not make treats for pets with allergies.
I know that's something a vet would typically say but I think that can be extremely strict. Keep in mind that just because a cat is allergic to certain ingredients doesn't mean the cat is allergic to every single food on the planet besides the 2 ingredients in the allergy diet.

Many people are allergic to peanuts but can eat everything else. It greatly depends on what specifically the cat is allergic to. If my cats had a corn or wheat allergy I wouldn't put them on a rabbit and pea diet and not allow them to have chicken or turkey.

I think vets prescribe these special diets because they don't know what the cats are allergic to, whether it's certain kinds of grains or the protein source and so they want to play it safe and rule out all possible potential allergens because to find out what a cat is allergic to requires extensive testing. But I think you can get a pretty good idea of what a cat is or isn't allergic to if you feed something and you get a reaction such as vomiting or diarrhea or if you feed something and you get no bad reaction.

I would look into it. I bet they do make treats for cats with allergies but it may be harder to find. I know they make dog treats for dogs with allergies, the Natural Balance Duck and Potato biscuits, maybe somewhere there's a rabbit or venizon treat for cats. You could probably make your own treats. For example if your cat is not allergic to lamb, how about making some lamb meatballs or something? But be cautious. I don't want to give bad advice if a cat really does have a sensitive stomach. I'm not a vet. Just my humble opinion.
 

ocicat_steph

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Originally Posted by moggiegirl

I know that's something a vet would typically say but I think that can be extremely strict. Keep in mind that just because a cat is allergic to certain ingredients doesn't mean the cat is allergic to every single food on the planet besides the 2 ingredients in the allergy diet.

Many people are allergic to peanuts but can eat everything else. It greatly depends on what specifically the cat is allergic to. If my cats had a corn or wheat allergy I wouldn't put them on a rabbit and pea diet and not allow them to have chicken or turkey.

I think vets prescribe these special diets because they don't know what the cats are allergic to, whether it's certain kinds of grains or the protein source and so they want to play it safe and rule out all possible potential allergens because to find out what a cat is allergic to requires extensive testing. But I think you can get a pretty good idea of what a cat is or isn't allergic to if you feed something and you get a reaction such as vomiting or diarrhea or if you feed something and you get no bad reaction.

I would look into it. I bet they do make treats for cats with allergies but it may be harder to find. I know they make dog treats for dogs with allergies, the Natural Balance Duck and Potato biscuits, maybe somewhere there's a rabbit or venizon treat for cats. You could probably make your own treats. For example if your cat is not allergic to lamb, how about making some lamb meatballs or something? But be cautious. I don't want to give bad advice if a cat really does have a sensitive stomach. I'm not a vet. Just my humble opinion.
it would seem with this comment... "I had him tested for allergies and he now is on a special food."

that the vet isn't guessing what the cat is or isn't allergic to. they know (like my cat) and have been asked not to feed treats that contain what is listed on the allergy testing. allergy food doesn't just have one or two ingredients. most of them actually have a lot of the same ingredients as other foods. the way allergy food works is that it's basically parcially digested food and has been made in to such small particals that it doesn't trigger the allergy. if you introduce anything that isn't parcially digested in this form you risk the allergy food being kept in the blood stream for a longer period of time there for making the whole process pointless and your cat will begin having the symptoms again. allergy diets are ment to be fed ALONE not with anything else. I know this because not only do i work at a vets office but i have a cat with allergies to pretty much everything as well. i have done extensive personal research and i have spoken to a couple companies that produce allergy diets. Urbantigers has a nice idea, get either another allergy diet (james wellbeloved, hills z/d, royal canin allergy, etc) and use it as a treat.
 

vanillasugar

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Originally Posted by ocicat_steph

it would seem with this comment... "I had him tested for allergies and he now is on a special food."

that the vet isn't guessing what the cat is or isn't allergic to. they know (like my cat) and have been asked not to feed treats that contain what is listed on the allergy testing. allergy food doesn't just have one or two ingredients. most of them actually have a lot of the same ingredients as other foods. the way allergy food works is that it's basically parcially digested food and has been made in to such small particals that it doesn't trigger the allergy. if you introduce anything that isn't parcially digested in this form you risk the allergy food being kept in the blood stream for a longer period of time there for making the whole process pointless and your cat will begin having the symptoms again. allergy diets are ment to be fed ALONE not with anything else. I know this because not only do i work at a vets office but i have a cat with allergies to pretty much everything as well. i have done extensive personal research and i have spoken to a couple companies that produce allergy diets. Urbantigers has a nice idea, get either another allergy diet (james wellbeloved, hills z/d, royal canin allergy, etc) and use it as a treat.
This is one way to treat an allergy, but not the only way that works. Elimination diets are in my opinion, better for the cat and not as restrictive for the owner. You can get the cat on a food that isn't made up of poor quality ingredients (like the vet formulas I've seen), by simply eliminating the allergens from their diet. If you know your cat is allergic to wheat and beef for example, it wouldn't have to be put on an allergy formula at all. It could be fed something high quality like Innova EVO (because it doesn't contain those ingredients). Even for cats on the prescription allergy diets, feeding a single protein treat (like dehydrated salmon, which has been suggested) is perfectly safe, provided the cat isn't allergic to the component of the treat.

I know many dogs (not as many cats, but only because I've not had as many cases of cats with allergies) who after trying a few different foods, and studying and ruling out certain ingredients, were able to find something their dog could eat happily and their allergies were no longer a problem.
 

lionessrampant

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Freeze-dried chicken or simply bits of raw or cooked chicekn breast. Fish and beef are huge allergens for kitties, as are grains like wheat and soy. You could also try getting a venison jerky, but my cat who has several food intolerances wouldn't eat it.
 

tourmaline

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Another option is to feed another allergy food as a treat. For example: If you fed a duck and potato diet regularly, perhaps feed venison and pea as a treat.
 

pat

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Two things - I would give nothing to your cat as a treat without running the item by your vet first. Second - if you do know what your cat *isn't* allergic to, there are many single protein treats out there with nothing else added - they are simply the protein w/no preservatives, sugars, dyes, grains, carbs of any kind added.

Such brands include: Kitty Kaviar - which is powdered Bonito (a kind of tuna)
Wildside Salmon (wild caught alaskan salmon - freeze-dried)
Whole Life Pet Treats - freeze dried - they come in beef liver, chicken, cod, salmon.
Grandma Lucy's Freeze-Dried Treats (some are roasted first then freeze-dried) these include: mahi mahi, upcoming is ocean whitefish (my cats reacted very well to this sample), tuna, chicken - and under their Bella Lucy brand name, lobster.
Old West Baa Bits (USDA Lamb Lung), Rosie's Rewards (usda inspected, range-fed beef jerky - simply dried beef),
Dr. Harvey's Whisker Smackers - round freeze dried patties in chicken, or beef is another.

Or use a canned "meat only" as a treat (with vets permission) i.e. Evangers (on the web) sells game meat that has nothing added including one which is just Pheasant.

this should give you a good start,
 

sashacat421

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My Sammy is allergic to just about everything, but any type of fish or fish meal filler in normal food sets him off severely. This has been one long, hard summer just watching and waiting for all his hair to grow back on his tummy, ears, face, and down the dorsal area from him ripping it all out. We adopted him May 20- we were not told (Hey Sam! Welcome to the household. Have some Salmon!
) He is loving and affectionate and happy. He doesn't seem to be interested in Saba's treats and I won't push it. I reward him or give him the hypoallergenic duck or chicken, by IVD, but that is IT. I'm not gambling on anything with him. But Pat is right: just call your vet, first. I'm too exhausted to experiment, so for now, he just gets smothered with love and he likes that~
 

pat

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Originally Posted by sashacat421

My Sammy is allergic to just about everything, but any type of fish or fish meal filler in normal food sets him off severely. This has been one long, hard summer just watching and waiting for all his hair to grow back on his tummy, ears, face, and down the dorsal area from him ripping it all out. We adopted him May 20- we were not told (Hey Sam! Welcome to the household. Have some Salmon!
) He is loving and affectionate and happy. He doesn't seem to be interested in Saba's treats and I won't push it. I reward him or give him the hypoallergenic duck or chicken, by IVD, but that is IT. I'm not gambling on anything with him. But Pat is right: just call your vet, first. I'm too exhausted to experiment, so for now, he just gets smothered with love and he likes that~
Poor Sammy
I just found, via a trade publication, a new single protein source, just meat food (though I disagree if the company is claiming this is a complete food for dogs or cats, since there is no taurine added etc., but it wasn't clear that they were making any such claim, or I may have missed it..this would be a food you'd use the way you'd use an evangers game meat canned for dogs, or wysongs "just meat" canned). It is the first time I've seen canned beaver offered! Just ground beaver, nothing else. It's at www.caninecaviar.com under cats, canned foods.
 

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My cat eats rabbit and is doing very well. A hug and a play session substitute for treats, and she is happy with that.
 

sashacat421

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Originally Posted by Pat & Alix

Poor Sammy
I just found, via a trade publication, a new single protein source, just meat food (though I disagree if the company is claiming this is a complete food for dogs or cats, since there is no taurine added etc., but it wasn't clear that they were making any such claim, or I may have missed it..this would be a food you'd use the way you'd use an evangers game meat canned for dogs, or wysongs "just meat" canned). It is the first time I've seen canned beaver offered! Just ground beaver, nothing else. It's at www.caninecaviar.com under cats, canned foods.
Wow, I just looked them up, thanks Pat. It appears it may be compatible for Sammy...the great thing is that they are carried by Lande Feed right here in Maple Valley, a small charming tack and feed shop behind the Maple Valley Market, where Eric buys Sandy's dog cereal. I will go check it out and ask my vet. Thanks!! I would have never known of this. You're a doll!
 

pat

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Yay! I love the things I find in my magazines...I love feeling helpful too.

Cool..keep me posted, and give Sammy a chin skritch from me.
 

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I see this is an old question but for those who are still needing an answer… I have a cat exactly like the ones described (allergic to everything) and found one brand of treats:

Hill's[emoji]174[/emoji] Prescription Diet[emoji]174[/emoji] Hypo-Treats
Treats for cats with food sensitivities and skin conditions

Because cats with skin conditions or food sensitivities also need an occasional treat, at Hill's, nutritionists and veterinarians have developed special treats for cats on Prescription Diet[emoji]174[/emoji] d/d[emoji]174[/emoji], z/d[emoji]174[/emoji] ULTRA and z/d[emoji]174[/emoji] Low Sensitivity

http://m.hillspet.com/products/pd-feline-hypoallergenic-treats-treats.html


The above treats are made with "hydrolyzed proteins." If you aren't familiar with what that means, here is one explanation:

"A hydrolyzed protein diet contains a single regular protein, let's say chicken, which is a common allergenic food. Hydrolysis breaks down the chicken into particles so small that, according to the research, the protein is no longer recognized by the immune system as an allergen. The benefit, it would seem, is you can still feed your pet food she's allergic to, but the protein molecules have been processed in such a way that they trick the immune system."

http://healthypets.mercola.com/site...012/05/07/protein-diets-for-pets-allergy.aspx

[Caveat: Dr. Becker, who wrote the above quote, actually isn't a big fan of hydrolyzed protein diets.]

Anyway, back to the treats. My cat used to eat them, but got tired of them. What I do now is I grow fresh catnip for him and break off a leaf to use it as a "treat." He reacts to it as though it's a treat and does actually eat them. Hope this helps someone. Allergy cats are extremely challenging, but I wouldn't trade mine for the world :)
 

vball91

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Treats for cats with food sensitivities and skin conditions

Because cats with skin conditions or food sensitivities also need an occasional treat, at Hill's, nutritionists and veterinarians have developed special treats for cats on Prescription Diet[emoji]174[/emoji] d/d[emoji]174[/emoji], z/d[emoji]174[/emoji] ULTRA and z/d[emoji]174[/emoji] Low Sensitivity

http://m.hillspet.com/products/pd-feline-hypoallergenic-treats-treats.html


The above treats are made with "hydrolyzed proteins." If you aren't familiar with what that means, here is one explanation:

"A hydrolyzed protein diet contains a single regular protein, let's say chicken, which is a common allergenic food. Hydrolysis breaks down the chicken into particles so small that, according to the research, the protein is no longer recognized by the immune system as an allergen. The benefit, it would seem, is you can still feed your pet food she's allergic to, but the protein molecules have been processed in such a way that they trick the immune system."

http://healthypets.mercola.com/site...012/05/07/protein-diets-for-pets-allergy.aspx

[Caveat: Dr. Becker, who wrote the above quote, actually isn't a big fan of hydrolyzed protein diets.]

Anyway, back to the treats. My cat used to eat them, but got tired of them. What I do now is I grow fresh catnip for him and break off a leaf to use it as a "treat." He reacts to it as though it's a treat and does actually eat them. Hope this helps someone. Allergy cats are extremely challenging, but I wouldn't trade mine for the world
I'm not a fan of hydrolyzed proteins either, or the brewer's rice or the starch in these treats. I would recommend the single ingredient freeze-dried meat or organ treats by Whole Life, Pure Bites or Etta Says. I do like the catnip idea though.
 
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