Cat with Alcopecia but still has to have injections

sterl1ng

My black cat has been overgrooming himself around tummy area for near 3yrs. After countless tests (skin/blood/environmental) they said he has allergies to certain foods (red meat/white fish) and that he should go on a sensitvity diet so i've been feeding him royal canin sensitivity since then and he gets injection 6-8wks though I'm wondering if anything else I can do to help him. I thought by giving him a good diet of dry sensitivity food, along with tuna/chicken that he wouldn't need injection but doesn't really do anything.
Has anyone else's cat got similar thing and what have they tried to help along?

podperson

Sorry don't have much advice but watching with interest. My cat used to overgroom several years ago, mainly on her tummy and the base of her tail - after countless vets visits (to 2 different vets) and a small fortune all they kept advising was that it was either fleas or stress. She's a house cat who has regular flea treatments and had never seen one on her so doubted it was that - and she'd had no change to her routine or home life and didn't seem stressed at all. In the end I gave up, she did seem to stop although the hair never properly grew back in certain places.
Now she seems to be doing it again on her back so am bracing myself for more vets visits if it doesn't improve. None of them ever mentioned food allergies though so may need to bring that up!

Fire_Fox

What are the injections, corticosteroids or antihistamines or something else? Was the tuna or chicken recommended by the vet? Does she have any digestive issues or have had any in the past, say stinky or loose poops?

Cats need a balance of saturated fat, minerals from bone and animal protein for health, tuna is protein and unsaturated fat and something wild cats would never eat, it can actually cause an painful health problem called steatitis if overfed. Have you tried a raw diet or grain-free complete wet diet which is based on a named or novel meat?

sterl1ng

I got the same too, the fleas, the stress bit but then they did a skin test and blood test. It was so much really my poor cat suffered with all the prodding.

Its not nice to see him suffer liek that and becuase of all that he gets so petrified going tot he vets.

sterl1ng

If he has a wet diet his bowels can play up and the poop liquidy (sorry to those eating!) so we give him dry diet food most time and few times a week some tuna or chicken. I'm not sure what the injections are called off top of my head but they are meant to last for few weeks. His insurance has gone through roof too!

Fire_Fox

sterl1ng wrote: »

If he has a wet diet his bowels can play up and the poop liquidy (sorry to those eating!) so we give him dry diet food most time and few times a week some tuna or chicken. I'm not sure what the injections are called off top of my head but they are meant to last for few weeks. His insurance has gone through roof too!

Without knowing what the diagnosis and treatment are it's difficult to make appropriate suggestions.

Wet diets causing problems can indicate that you switched over too fast - the gut flora and enzymes adapt somewhat to either a high carb (dry food) or high fat/ protein (wet food) diet. It might also indicate the food contains a protein than the cat is intolerant to. Did you spend several weeks switching and choose a food containing a named or novel meat?

Cats did not evolve to eat a dry diet nor a high carb food - quite the reverse, they are obligate carnivores - so they should do well on the right wet or raw diet. If you want to supplement the dry food please don't use tuna or boneless chicken because you are causing imbalances with the nutrition in the complete food. Obviously cooked bone can splinter, ground or raw is fine.

Waterfalls

see if you can be refered to a pet behaviour councillor as overgrooming can be a sign of stress. might help and save medication in the long run

http://www.vickyhalls.net/#/feline-faqs/4566063347

cyberglitch

My 14 year old black cat has done this since I've had her. She's not allergic to anything and doesn't show any real obvious signs of stress. However, I realise that she had 7 owners in her first 7 years, so maybe stress does play a part. I've had her for the past 7 years and I've tried almost everything to stop her, but to be honest, it seems to bother me more than it bothers her. The only effective method has been to distract her with some 'playtime', a catnip toy or some fussing.

rita-rabbit

I started mine on Burns dried when one of mine got `dandruff' & it cleared. I also use a plug in Feliway to calm their nerves - especially if I am out overnight.

I think the purity of food affects them - esp housecats. I have to feed the Tom wet so feed Burns dried but majority Butchers Classic tins of wet. Examine the ingredients - when I was flusher I was feeding Bozita or Smilla - online available online - less or no additives = healthier pets

rita-rabbit

also try to keep change litter often (cleaning lumps) & avoid additives such as scent or `long life stuff' as this may aggravate the cat. Fullers earth or wood pellets cleaned regularly as much safer bets.

Changing foods often can aggravate tummies too - so introduce slowly