Litter for allergies / sensitivity

Question

Hi,

I am from the UK, so if possible only UK recommendations.

My cat has suffered with skin problems his whole life. I've changed his litter several times over the years. (He is 7). My vet just says "allergies" and zaps him with steroid injections, which is only temporary , but can't define to what he is allergic. I give him antihistamine and it does nothing, I'm currently trialling a single protein food but not noticed any change yet. I brush him, I give him salmon oil over the years, hemp oil, nothing seems to help him. He bites his feet to the point they bleed, he has scabby ears and around the eyes, he has patches on his legs. He doesn't have fleas or any sort of parasite. I don't use any type of sprays around the house or those incense things.

I've used different litter over the years - pine/wood pellets (this seemed to be the biggest culprit as his skin was raw using it), Catsan, recycled paper litter, world's best litter, and now currently tofu litter. His skin is still problematic. I suspect litter could be a factor as he bites his feet and the only thing I can think is the litter.

I am at a loss. I have a vet appointment tomorrow to check for FHS or anything else but they'll probably just do what they always do and give him steroid and say allergies and send me on my way with a £150+ bill.

Any help would be appreciated.

Kate Barrington · Answer

Hi Kinder-X, so sorry for the delayed response! I think you're doing the right thing trying to see whether food allergies might be the issue. The steroid shots might not help with that. Unfortunately, identifying food allergies can be tough since there are so any possibilities. And it can take 8 weeks or more to really start seeing a difference, so it's important to avoid any other dietary changes during the trial period.

To help you make sure you're going about it the right way, can you tell me more about what your cat was eating before and what food you're giving him now? Switching to a single protein food is the right move, but only if it's a kind of protein he's never eaten before.

If you can send me a list (ideally with links) to the products he's eaten in the past and what you've switched him to, I can help you determine whether to stick with the single protein food or try something else. Also, it would help me to know if you're working with a limited budget or if you might be able to afford prescription food if needed. It sounds like his issues are pretty severe, so switching to a hydrolyzed protein diet might be the best way to give his body time to heal. At that point, you can just stick with the hydrolyzed food (if it resolves the issue) or introduce other proteins one at a time to find out which ones he can tolerate.

Litter for allergies / sensitivity

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