600th Time .. Asking For Cat Food Opinions

[SpecterOhPossum]

**Skip to the red text to skim past my crazed rambling.
For the billionth time, specters human steps along this forum; shakey; weary, and eyes red from staring at catfood for weeks.
AHEM
WELL, can't take specter to the vet until October rolls around and we see cooler weather; or else she'll lose her mind in the car. Car is also being repaired, so there is no car for such a trip yet; either lol. IN the meantime..
My gut tells me that spec doesn't sit so hot with chicken, she's itchy a lot; but it could be fleas (family dog; I'm not able to flea-treat the house or the dog; just able to wash & deal with specter and my room only.) however, the itching still goes on when I kill the fleas. (which is often.)
SO. as much as I hope it isn't chicken, as me and her love fresh boiled chicken dearly, I'm not sure anymore. She however doesn't have any dietary upsets; no gas; no irregular potty-behaviors (Hi, I watch her poop because we share a bedroom and also clean it by myself. Always a consistent texture; not too hard; not too soft. Normal. God I wish that were me.) just itching. Anyone have thoughts on that? For the record I am changing her food - which is the point of this - but as of right now, she eats three servings of SHEBA turkey & chicken flavors, very rarely grain free purina cat chow naturals; rare because she doesn't like it. And chicken I boil myself as a latenight meal. If you know something thats bad with sheba please let me know, as it might be that and not chicken. we're getting her off sheba anyways, but I'd like to know. I will also mention that she lives in my bedroom, and goes on leash walks four times a day; and out into the main house for a few hours twice a day - all under my helicopter parent supervision, so nothing is ever ate besides what I serve her. Nor does she get into anything bad. (i.e rolling in weird stuff. not allowed.)

I can't do raw or homemade, don't suggest it please. My monthly budget is around 40$.

My plan of attack is getting this chicken free food and this other chicken free food which amounts to 45$ a month + a few days. Two brands because we like that. I want to know your thoughts on those two foods or suggestions on a better one, under 20$ preferably. Do you think it's chicken? Or something else in that food; or the lone survivor fleas who escape my wrath?

 

[Azazel]

If it is an allergic response to chicken it will happen immediately upon eating the chicken. You should see instant itching.

 

[EmersonandEvie]

My Evie sometimes has a reaction to chicken. She will throw up, but only...sometimes? She is very weird. This is one chicken-free food that we feed her (and her brothers like it too!), and it is very economical, especially if you only have one cat (a case should last you 12 days if you feed 2 cans/day):

https://www.chewy.com/tiny-tiger-pate-beef-recipe-grain/dp/168772

 

[EmersonandEvie]

We used to feed the lamburgini, but it is so low in calories that we couldn't afford to feed what we would need.

 

[SpecterOhPossum]

If it is an allergic response to chicken it will happen immediately upon eating the chicken. You should see instant itching.

Interesting, that doesn't really happen much, she just itches a lot when she wakes up & after play. Maybe it's normal? I'm also very itchy. We could both just have dry skin, I forgot to buy oatmeal so we haven't had any serious oatmeal bathes in quite a while; which usually stops the dryness.

My Evie sometimes has a reaction to chicken. She will throw up, but only...sometimes? She is very weird. This is one chicken-free food that we feed her (and her brothers like it too!), and it is very economical, especially if you only have one cat (a case should last you 12 days if you feed 2 cans/day):

https://www.chewy.com/tiny-tiger-pate-beef-recipe-grain/dp/168772

I saw that food! I could not however find a brand overview and rating on allaboutcats so I was scared of it. I will look into it tho! Doesnt seem bad, I just like having it overviewed on many review sites so I can get lots of input

We used to feed the lamburgini, but it is so low in calories that we couldn't afford to feed what we would need.

Yikes, I forgot about the calories. Urgh and it has tuna. Dang it. Well, I'm not so sure it's chicken as it is just dry skin & lone fleas at this point, she hasn't actually puked in.. 3 months? Or longer? Unless she eats too much grass on purpose to expell hair. No bathroom or digestive issues thus far aside from being difficult to keep weight on due to her activity level; which is why I've taken to feeding boiled meat at night after she's eaten her servings of food to just amp up her calories. But that meat is chicken, and it hasn't done anything noticeably different; the itching doesnt come after eating & it's not like, hair loss itching. Just seems like being itchy is probably bothersome for her. I'm starting to also wonder if it's our detergent because everyone in the whole house itches after we use it.