Expert: KC - 1/26/2008

Question
QUESTION: Our cat has been diagnosed as being allergic to the following meats: Beef, pork, lamb, duck, chicken, turkey, rabbit, salmon, Tuna (and egg). The only thing he doesn't seem to be allergic to is white fish. He is not keen at all on the hypoallergenic dry food from the vet and prefers wet food.  What can I feed him to make sure he has a balanced diet?  Should I mix things in with the fish? He is okay to eat rice, potato, soy bean, corn and cows milk. I am not sure whether it would be best to cook batches of meals for him (as you would a baby).  Any suggestions and help very much appreciated.

ANSWER: Hi.  I've honesty never heard of a cat being allergic to literally all kinds of meats like that...  How do you know this for sure?  Did you consult more than one veterinarian and have numerous allergy tests run?  What symptoms does he have of food allergies?  How old is he and how long has this been occurring?  Grains are very bad for cats...cats are more likely to be allergic to grain products and dairy products than meats...so, I'm really wondering who diagnosed him.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi There,

Many thanks for your swift reply. We had blood tests run on him of which we got the results back from the lab today.  We were quite shocked as you are at the variety of food which he (supposedly) cannot now be exposed to.  He is 18 months old and has large amounts of sores all over his body.  He is continually scratching and licking compulsively. We have only been to our usual vet who ran these tests.  The tests also show that he is allergic to house dust mites so we will be making a huge effort to wash his bedding at high temperature and vaccuum very regularly.  We were also given an insectiside to spray to kill the mites. Do you think we should be looking to get a second opinion? The lab test was run by York laboratories in the UK at a cost of £240.

Many thanks in advance for any further advice.

Answer
Oh wow.  Does he have some underlying autoimmune problem going on?  ...like FIV or leukemia?  Is he being treated with a high dose of steriods to suppress his immune system and help with the allergies?  From my personal experience, diet alone has literally cured skin allergies and diet related allergies...but most all the diet-related allergies are due to grains and by-products...not to mention the artificial colorings and additives that go into most commercial foods.  Even cats with super sensitive stomachs and allergies seem to do well on foods consisting primarily of rabbit meat...due to the different protein structure of the meat.  I've run across a few cats who were very immuno-comprimised due to some underlying problem yet who still seemed to thrive on the natural foods...particularly raw meats with no additives other than supplements.  A lot of allergy tests will show a wide range of antigens/antibodies which may not actually cause him problems...he's just somewhat more sensitive to them.   What specifically are you feeding him now and has he been on in the past?  How often are you feeding?  What type of cat litter do you use?  And, do you use any type of air fresheners in your home, soaps, etc. that he could additionally be sensitive to?  If he was my own cat, and I've dealt with numerous allergy prone cats in the past, I would give a rabbit based food a try...like the Nature's Variety canned or raw.  I would also try Feline's Pride Raw (supplemented).  I would order that to see how he did on it, and if he did well, make it at home to save on cost.  I would also try feeding directly raw...most cats, even horrible allergy sufferers do better on it because it's so much more easily digested than commercial food and processed kibble...w/out the additives.  I would honestly NOT feed grains...they are loaded in sugars and you'd be setting yourself up for a cat with weight problems later in life, not to mention dental problems, etc.  Cat's DO NOT need grains and starches...nor do any carnivores.  They seriously lack nutrients too.  If his allergies are that severe...dairy is not a good idea...even if dairy isn't on his 'list' of allergens...lactose intollerence is a huge issue for cats and dogs both...and can only intensify other problems.  I give my own cats dairy but allergy sufferers should be carefully fed and monitored because dairy products can worsen symptoms.  It's not surprising that he would be allergic to dust mites, dander, mold, and all of that...that is not uncommon.  I would personally focus on limiting any form of contact to potential allergens...washing bedding frequently (double rinsing to remove soap residue really helps!) and DO NOT use fabric softener.  And yes, vacuum daily and brush on a regular basis.  In addition, make sure you are using a non scoopable cat litter...the scoopable contains silica dust...it's horrible on the skin and lungs and causes allergies in cats AND people...it's very harsh on the respiratory tract.  You want to use an odorless clay...totally odorless with no dyes or fragrances added.  Anyway, I would try a premium food or raw with supplements...you want to focus on strengthening his immune system...not giving him low nutrients as are in grains.  You cannot safely feed fish on a daily basis either...the high levels of mercury now-a-days pose horrible long-term health risks.  Try a raw or canned like Nature's Variety or Feline's Pride...and only feed twice per day.  Give it a couple of weeks and see how he does.  You also might want to see about treating him with steriods to clear up the sores in his coat.
I really hope this info helps...it's what I would do if he were my own cat.  Allergy tests in animals are very similar to those in people...they can show many many things which are assumed to cause problems.  However, our own bodies are actively producing antibodies to combat and deal with those allergens...thus producing no symptoms from most of them...like mold, dust mites, etc.  It's when our immune system becomes weak or does not produce the proper antibodies that we start having problems.  So...although all those things are showing up on the allergy test...it might very well be only a handfull of them that are actively causing him problems now.  You may well find that simply changing cat litter or taking him off one particular brand of food completely clears up his skin.  If one thing doesn't work...keep trying different things out until you find out what does.  If you try a new food or anything...give it a full two weeks or more to see if it helps.  I'm very optimistic that you'll find a simple solution to his problem.