# Apoquel for Cats



## hayleyhitchcock (May 8, 2013)

My vet has just prescribed Apoquel for my cat who constantly itches and scratches. I have found lots of info about it being used for dogs but not for cats.
Anyone heard of it or tried it?


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

All I can find from a quick search on line is that it must be used for treating dogs only. Perhaps our helpful forum vet @Ceiling Kitty, might come by and comment on whether it is safe to use for cats.

Have you been unable to find the cause of the itching? Causes of feline dermatitis can be various, the most common one being a flea allergy, which can trigger environmental or food allergies.

Have you read these helpful advisory articles on causes of itchy skin in cats?

http://icatcare.org/advice/cat-health/pruritic-itchy-cat-–-when-it-not-fleas

http://www.cats.org.uk/uploads/docu...s-2013/VG04_Itchy_cats_and_skin_disorders.pdf


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## hayleyhitchcock (May 8, 2013)

I contacted the company who produce it and they said that Apoquel is not yet licensed for use in cats. I am reluctant to give it to Nahla without knowing the full study results of it being used for feline dermatitis.
Nahla is going for further blood tests tomorrow to determine the exact cause of her itching. She has been on steroids for over a year which worked well but now seem to have stopped working and I dont really want to keep increasing the dose.
Thanks for the articles. I will have a read.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

A year is a long time to be on steroids continuously because of the risk of serious side effects e.g. diabetes. In my experience with my own cats' skin problems (past and present), steroids are given short term to give temporary relief from itching whilst skin scrapings are lab tested and while possible flea allergy, environmental and food allergies are investigated.

Have skin scrapings been tested for e.g. ringworm?
Have you already had your cat on an elimination diet to identify possible food allergies, using a novel protein (e.g. kangaroo, goat, reindeer, horse, or venison)? Those would be routes I would go down before turning to heavy duty drugs such as long term steroids etc.


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## hayleyhitchcock (May 8, 2013)

She had tests before starting her on steroids but I decided not to have more at the time as she was at the vets a lot and was getting quite distressed.
My vets assured me that long term use of steroids in cats was not dangerous and they do not get the same side effects as humans and dogs do. She's been fine on them and was on a very low dose (half tablet, every other day). But I am skeptical about very long term use anyway.
I think when I go back tomorrow I will tell them I'm not happy to use Apoquel at the moment and wait and see what the blood tests show.
She's is not on a special diet as she really is a fussy eater and would not eat anything but Natures Menu Country Hunter (96% meat - which is ok as long as its not the meat she's allergic to).
She's having a skin swab done tomorrow too.


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## Ceiling Kitty (Mar 7, 2010)

hayleyhitchcock said:


> I contacted the company who produce it and they said that Apoquel is not yet licensed for use in cats.


Half the medications we use in cats fit this category.

Obviously Apoquel is a relatively new drug and the supply problems they had mean we don't know much about it yet. However, we are starting to see published research on the use of Apoquel in cats, with this early study suggesting that it is both safe and effective for the treatment of feline allergic skin disease.

https://www.researchgate.net/public..._prospective_pilot_study_of_client-owned_cats

I've not used in cats personally.



hayleyhitchcock said:


> My vets assured me that long term use of steroids in cats was not dangerous and they do not get the same side effects as humans and dogs do.


Cats tolerate steroids better than dogs as a rule, but long-term side effects such as immunosuppression and particularly diabetes are very real concerns. Avoid long-term use if possible.

What blood tests is she having? I'm assuming fleas and other parasites have been thoroughly ruled out, or blood tests will be a waste of time.


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## hayleyhitchcock (May 8, 2013)

Thank you for this info. Am just worried about using it so early on in its studies for use in cats, as the long term effects are unknown.
Should I be worried that my vet has supplied it when the study states that it only 'may be effective', and therefore no actual evidence. It was only 'effective' in 5 out of 12 cats. Seems like a very small study sample to me.
Am I just over worrying?
Everything else has been ruled out so now its just blood tests left to do.

I've heard of something called Nutramega and wonder if this would be better/safer?


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## Ceiling Kitty (Mar 7, 2010)

It is a very small sample size - unfortunately, most veterinary research is based on tiny numbers of animals. Overall, veterinary medicine involves a depressing amount of treating without strong evidence, compared to human medicine, because evidence is lacking across the industry. It's so frustrating, but it's the norm.

More research will come on Apoquel in cats. It's still early days. If you are not comfortable using it then don't. Let us know what the tests come back with.


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## hayleyhitchcock (May 8, 2013)

I told the vet that I wasn't keen to use Apoquel for Nahla and he was understanding. I asked about Nutramega and he said we can try that for her.
She had her blood test so just waiting for the results now.


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## hayleyhitchcock (May 8, 2013)

Still waiting for Nahla's blood results to come back - should it normally take this long?


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## Mistypetra (Jun 6, 2017)

@hayleyhitchcock , how is your cat doing, did you find the allergies? Have you been using apoqual? My cat is on it for 5 months now and my vet told me that it would take a total of 6-8 months to get the allergies out and it would help her to build her immune system. She was on half a tablet a day, but that didn't work, so she had 3 days of steroids again and 7 days of a entire tablet, and I am happy to say she didn't have to wear the cone that much because no more scratching, the sores are finally getting a chance to heal. I have to call the vet today to discuss the next step, if we get back to half a tablet, steroids again or whatever. Testing will not do much as we have already eliminated every single thing she could be allergic to so it must be dust mites or whatever, I did find out it get worse when she eats the "dreamiest" treats. She only gets her dry food now, Purina sensitive with Turkey.


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## Mistypetra (Jun 6, 2017)

This is how she looked


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## Calvine (Aug 20, 2012)

@Mistypetra: this thread goes back to February *2016; *if you are wanting a reply from @hayleyhitchcock, it would be best to try tagging her as she's not been around recently.


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## Mistypetra (Jun 6, 2017)

Thank you @Calvine


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## Calvine (Aug 20, 2012)

Mistypetra said:


> Thank you @Calvine


 You're welcome. @Mistypetra. ...sometimes you just don't spot that a thread is rather old! Just to say, one of mine used to get dreadful flare-ups when I fed chicken or beef, changed to lamb, turkey or venison and he's been great since. It's awful to see and you will obviously know how quickly they can tear themselves to shreds. I remember once getting home and the kitchen was full of clumps of hair...thought there had been a dreadful in-house fight; but no, the wee shite had managed to get the lampshade off and just attacked himself until he was red raw! And yes, he often went for his eyes, like your girl, so he looked like he was wearing rose-tinted glasses. He would rub and rub like a crazy thing until his eyes were bald and his paws were pink with the blood he had drawn. It was his left eye (like your girl) which got the worst of it...it struck me he must be left-handed (pawed). Seeing your picture reminds me so much of what he was like; she does look sore. Let's know how she goes?


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## Mistypetra (Jun 6, 2017)

Thanks for the reply, as you can imagine it's so frustrating. Did you gave your cat any medication? I found my little girl when she was just 4 weeks old, well she found us and followed us home, eyes just opened and no mother and a severe eye infection, and this was august last year, so she is not even a year old, got her shots and worming stuff, eye treatment, have been on antibiotics for a long time as her ears and eyes where infected, untill January she did fine, she was fixed and then it started, I think her immune system gave up or something and the antibiotics kept it all down and as soon as we stopped the real issue got out, allergies. Vet told me that she can grow out of it with treatment so I hope she does. He also told me that testing will only tell what she's allergic to and it is mostly more than one issue, so the only way to find out is with the elimination process. I changed laundry detergent, cleaning products, washed everything including all curtains, changed food to Purina sensitive with turkey, no more treats or wet food, no milk products. Seems to work, but it's so hard to tell as she still has the sores (mostly her chin and whiskers) but not as bad as the picture, not pink and watery anymore, just red with crusts now. Have to wait until that clears up. But the positive thing, no itching and no scratching for more than a week now, so fingers crossed.


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## Mistypetra (Jun 6, 2017)

Mistypetra said:


> Thanks for the reply, as you can imagine it's so frustrating. Did you gave your cat any medication? I found my little girl when she was just 4 weeks old, well she found us and followed us home, eyes just opened and no mother and a severe eye infection, and this was august last year, so she is not even a year old, got her shots and worming stuff, eye treatment, have been on antibiotics for a long time as her ears and eyes where infected, untill January she did fine, she was fixed and then it started, I think her immune system gave up or something and the antibiotics kept it all down and as soon as we stopped the real issue got out, allergies. Vet told me that she can grow out of it with treatment so I hope she does. He also told me that testing will only tell what she's allergic to and it is mostly more than one issue, so the only way to find out is with the elimination process. I changed laundry detergent, cleaning products, washed everything including all curtains, changed food to Purina sensitive with turkey, no more treats or wet food, no milk products. Seems to work, but it's so hard to tell as she still has the sores (mostly her chin and whiskers) but not as bad as the picture, not pink and watery anymore, just red with crusts now. Have to wait until that clears up. But the positive thing, no itching and no scratching for more than a week now, so fingers crossed.


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## Calvine (Aug 20, 2012)

I know; it's really frustrating as for so long you seem to get nowhere. My vet actually said to me (believe it or not!) that it was very possible that Hamlet could be allergic to another cat! Well, I thought, just what I want, just my luck. He was on Prednisolone (but not long-term, just when it flared up). It worked well and quickly, but then I'd take him off it and before long we'd be back to square one. We also had some Betnavate cream which was effective. It was really only after the diet change that it stopped. Not sure which meat is supposed to be hypoallergenic...venison and kangaroo I think (and lamb suits mine). I think rabbit too, but mine hated it. But of course different cats will not necessarily be allergic to the same food, and in your case it might not be food. Mine was treated as a flea allergy for ages but it turned out not to be. I used to feel awful seeing him so rough and scabby but he ended up OK.


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## Calvine (Aug 20, 2012)

What I meant to say to you, @chillminx is very knowledgeable about most things feline, feed, medication, allergies etc. I have tagged her and hope she will be kind enough to get back to you: I'm sure she will when she has a moment spare. How is you cat at the moment?


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Hi @Mistypetra - I am sorry to hear about your poor cat's skin condition, bless her. However it is good to hear that the sores have stopped weeping and are now crusty scabs. This is a very positive sign.  Fingers crossed she doesn't scratch the scabs off before there is nice new skin underneath!

It sounds as though you did all the right things, elimination-wise to exclude possible feline allergens. I have a cat with (well controlled) feline dermatitis, and like you I use scent free non-bio laundry liquid for laundering his bedding and the human bedding. Surcare sold by Tesco is a good one, and Boots and Waitrose do their own Sensitive Laundry Liquid.

I also don't use products in the home like Antibac, or any chemical cleaners. I do use bleach in the toilets but the lids are always kept closed.

Also remove all scented products from the house, e.g. scented candles, plug in air fresheners etc.

Diet wise I put my cat on an exclusion diet, and learnt that he is allergic to beef, and chicken. These are two of the most common feline food allergens, the 3rd one being fish. After 6 weeks on a diet of kangaroo I began reintroducing foods at the rate of one every 3 weeks, and keeping a log.

Now he has a diet of lamb, rabbit, pork, turkey, duck, venison, pheasant and kangaroo. His foods are rotated so he never has the same protein two days running, and this much reduces the risk of him developing a new allergy. His diet is also grain free. And absolutely no dry food at all.

He has no cat milk, but does enjoy some turkey broth when I cook turkey at home. I find it is important to keep his fluids up to help prevent dry skin, as he is not good at drinking water.

I add Omega 3 fish oil to mine's food 3 times a week. He prefers Krill oil to salmon oil (either is fine, but NOT cod liver oil as too much vit A).

Omega 3 fish oil is anti-inflammatory as well as being excellent for coat and skin condition. I recommend you start with contents of one 500 mg capsule (snip open with nail scissors) mixed well in food. Can sometimes cause a loose bowel, but if she is fine, you can increase to one capsule a day. When skin is better, reduce to a maintenance dose of 3 times a week.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hellenia-K...UTF8&qid=1496924865&sr=1-7&keywords=krill+oil

Not sure if you have tried anti-histamine for your cat if her skin is very itchy. The only safe one for cats is Piriton. It does make the cat a bit sleepy so they must be kept indoors for safety until it has worn off. But it is a safer option than repeat courses of steroids (which risk causing T2 Diabetes).

Best of luck, I hope things go well. An update would be good.


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## Mistypetra (Jun 6, 2017)

@Calvine @chillminx thanks so much for replying, Misty is doing great and I spoke to my vet yesterday and he was delighted that she improving so much. She is still a little itchie because of the scabs but no new sores and she is not trying to scratch until she is under her skin, she has the cone of shame on most of the day because it needs to heal. She is only getting her turkey dry food and the weird little girl loves fruit strawberry and banana so she got just a little bit of that as a treat. She is still getting the apoqual tablet and I'm about a week we are going to try giving her half, because the entire tablet is a high doses.

I'll keep you posted, can you please let me know what brand food you're giving?


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Be careful the dry food you're feeding is pure turkey with no other meat proteins, and no grains. The problem with dry food is if often contains several meat proteins and therefore is no use for an exclusion diet. The only good quality dry food I know of that is guaranteed to be single protein is Macs Sensitive Rabbit from The Happy Kitty Co.

https://www.happykittycompany.co.uk...ucts/macs-cat-mono-sensitive-dry-rabbit-1-5kg

Instead of a cone which is very stressful for a cat to wear I'd suggest a Soft Smart e-collar from amazon:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/54k/Comp...35508&sr=8-1&keywords=smart+e-collar+for+cats

Remove the cone or collar for Misty when she is eating. And when she is drinking. I would be concerned the cone would put her off drinking and if she is eating only dry food she needs a big intake of water --- half a pint of water is the daily amount required for an adult cat on dry food.

Food I feed my cat who has controlled FAD (Feline Allergic Dermatitis) :----

From Zooplus UK:

Catz Fine Food Purrr range in pure Kangaroo

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/...es/catz_finefood/catz_finefood_pouches/575567

Animonda Vom Feinsten for neutered cats in Pure Turkey

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/canned_cat_food_pouches/animonda/trays/14008

Sometimes Animonda Vom Feinsten Turkey & Rabbit (the other flavours of this contain beef)

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/canned_cat_food_pouches/animonda/adult/431526

From The Happy Kitty Co:

Tundra Pure Turkey
Ropocat Pure Venison
Ropocat Pure Lamb
Ropocat Pure Rabbit
Macs Sensitive Lamb
Macs Sensitive Turkey
Granatapet Pure Turkey

and sometimes Tundra Duck, Turkey and Pheasant as a treat (even though it has 3 meat proteins).

https://www.happykittycompany.co.uk/collections/cat-food/Sensitive+Cat

Important once you have identified the food allergies that food is rotated so Misty is not eating the same protein day after day as it could risk another allergy developing.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@Mistypetra, just wanted to add that I hope Misty can come off the Apoquel soon as it can cause some harmful side effects if taken longer than a few weeks (e.g. adversely affects formation of white and red blood cells)

I am afraid you won't get a reliable result with a food exclusion diet while she is on Apoquel as the drug suppresses the immune system. 
.


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## Mistypetra (Jun 6, 2017)

I hope so too, I will check the food you showed me, I did try the other cone but she found away around all others and this is the only one that does the trick. I am feeding her the food she she has now for about 8 weeks and she does great on it, do I want her of the apoqual first before I change again so I can test better, like you said. The results have to be reliable and as long as she has the tablets I can't be sure. 

I'll keep you posted


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## Frannick (Sep 11, 2017)

hayleyhitchcock said:


> My vet has just prescribed Apoquel for my cat who constantly itches and scratches. I have found lots of info about it being used for dogs but not for cats.
> Anyone heard of it or tried it?


My cat developed FAD along with some nasty hotspots. After numerous courses of antibiotics and months of wearing soft E collar and multiple vet vsits, it wasn't clearing up. Finally we saw a senior partner at the practice who had returned from mat leave and she prescribed Apoquel and longer course of antibiotics. It worked a treat and calmed his system right down so that he didn't lick or scratch , allowing the wounds to heal. My cat had no side effects from Apoquel apart from increased hunger maybe. I did also,try Piriteze in the beginning (as opposed to Piriton) as I read Piriteze is a second generation anti-histamine safe for cats with no side effects like drowsiness as in Piriton, and although I think it helped a bit, it really took the Apoquel to sort things out. This is an immuno-suppressant drug though so is obviously very powerful. I now have to ensure he remains free of fleas in order to avoid any more adverse reactions so am treating at least every 3 weeks as the fleas are rife outdoors.


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## Loucat (May 23, 2017)

@chillminx please tell me.. when you did your exclusion diet, how long did it take for your kitty to react to a protein? (typically)? Did you see a result fairly quickly? I am going in circles with my poor boy..


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Loucat said:


> @chillminx please tell me.. when you did your exclusion diet, how long did it take for your kitty to react to a protein? (typically)? Did you see a result fairly quickly? I am going in circles with my poor boy..


Hi, with my cat who has dermatitis he reacted, as far as I recall, within about 10 days to beef and chicken. His skin and ears became itchy again and by the time the 3 week trial period for each of the two proteins ended he had scabs on his face and back again.

With my 2 boys who have IBD, they vomited by the 2nd or 3rd day on the culprit protein, i.e. a pretty immediate response.

Can you elaborate what is happening with your cat, and remind me exactly how you have done the Food Trials please?

If the food trials are not giving give clear results, then it is possible to conclude he does not have a food allergy.


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## Loucat (May 23, 2017)

Yup it could be other things, not just food intolerances.. We have moved house twice in two years, which definitely hasn't helped.. perhaps his condition was worsened by exposure to new environments? However his itching is definitely non-seasonal and responds directly to the food he eats.

I had things under control for a few months with a prescription diet, but then it started making him poorly and we've been battling for about 7 months since then. I've done huge amounts of research on food intolerances and exclusion diets.. I administer strict flea control and use safe household products. I've tried every single protein and/or novel protein cat food I can get my hands on and kept spreadsheets of his progress. He's also had blood tests, food tests (tested against his blood serum) and saliva tests.

His reaction to foods usually start a few hours after eating, but some foods take a day or two. His sometimes suffers hair loss, but his main symptom is severe itching.. he has given himself an abscess from scratching. When things get really bad, I discontinue the current food and see almost immediate improvement. I managed nearly a month on one particular food with only mild symptoms - but then he stopped eating it; (I think it was giving him tummy problems).

Recently I suspected vegetable and plant oils might be causing the problem.. however he reacted to my choice of appropriate 'test' foods.. but I haven't given up on the theory.

To make things particularly difficult, he is a fussy eater and refuses most raw and cooked meats. There is also another cat in the household who eats normally (I hide her meals away from him) but he cries because he is often given food he doesn't like and wants her food instead.

I have just put him back on Catz Finefood Kangaroo. It didn't really help on previous attempts.. but I'm just completely out of ideas. I love him so much and desperately want to help him. Any advice most welcome.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Hi @Loucat, thanks for reminding me, I recall now what a difficult time you have had with him, the poor boy. Poor you too. 

Normally I'd suggest when no novel protein cat food seems to be helping that home cooked or raw meat should be tried. But if he is very fussy it is difficult.

However it might be easier to get him to co-operate if he can't smell or see your other cat's food, so he is not drawn to it and refuses his own food. Maybe get your other cat a microchip feeder and feed both cats in separate rooms. These feeders are such a boon for multi cat households. Cheapest price at present is at Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SureFeed-5...sr=8-1&keywords=surefeed+microchip+pet+feeder

Could your boy be managing to eat any of your other cat's food? Or if he goes out, could he be stealing cat food from a neighbour's house (put out for their own cat i.,e). If so it could explain why the Food Trials are not working.

Have you tried him with any other novel proteins e.g venison, reindeer, goat, horse, ?

Do you suspect any particular protein may be to blame for the itching? The most common feline food allergens statistically are beef, chicken and fish. How about if you were to cut out those 3 foods strictly from his diet and feed him other single protein foods on a rotated basis? This is what I do now with my cat with FAD.

I've pinned up a list inside my cat food store cupboard of the order I feed my cat his foods so I ensure he never eats each protein more than once every 6 days. i.e. my list is Turkey, Lamb, Rabbit, Pork, Kangaroo, Venison. Im my case I am doing this to prevent my cat developing another allergy. I would say if this method doesn't work, it is probably not a protein your cat is allergic to.

Please let me know how things go.


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## Loucat (May 23, 2017)

Thank you @chillminx .. The poor little boy is having such a miserable time.. but hopefully when winter arrives, I can rule out environmental allergies which may be confusing his food trials.

I had definitely considered the microchip feeders, they would be handy for when I'm out the house. However I'm certain he won't be fooled.. the two cats are close friends and he will know she is eating from a different menu! At the moment, I feed one cat upstairs and the other downstairs.. and police them until they've eaten enough. This is a very difficult and time-consuming job, as they tend to visit the food bowl for several small meals, and play or roam between bites.

May I ask, when you identified a problem protein and stopped feeding it, did you find the itching stopped within a day or two? or did it take a few weeks to calm down? And do you find your cats can tolerate all fish, or do they just tolerate salmon and shellfish? (I see you add salmon/krill oil to your cat's meals).

My cat's favourite food was Ziwi Peak. It is limited ingredient food.. but they add a small amount of New Zealand green mussel, so unfortunately not single protein. Sadly he couldn't tolerate it.. so now I have eliminated all fish from his diet - including fish oils - to see if it helps. (This does not leave a great choice of cat foods).

Do you know any single protein reindeer, goat or horse foods for cats? The ones I found were mixed proteins and often included pork or chicken. I found a few single protein pork, lamb, beef, chicken, turkey, rabbit, kangaroo and venison foods (although most contain plant or fish oils).. but getting him to eat them was a very depressing task.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

He does sound like a bit of a fussy boy, it must be very frustrating for you.

I am lucky my boy with dermatitis will eat all the foods he is allowed. However one of my boys who has IBD is picky. He can only eat poultry, chicken and duck, and a little fish (salmon, trout, tuna, or white fish) and gets bored easily with his food, so I am constantly having to think up new ways to tempt him to eat!

I used to have 'police' the meals all the time, and am so relieved I've been able to stopped doing so since I got the 'chipped' feeders. 

As I recall when I identified a suspect protein that was causing itching, and removed it from the cat's diet, the itching stopped within a few days. Sores/scabs from scratching all cleared up within days.

Neither of my IBD cats can eat very oily fish like mackerel or sardine. (makes them vomit).

The boy with dermatitis is OK with a small helping of sardine in spring water, once a week. I do add krill oil 3 times a week to his meals. He is fine with it. I don't add krill or salmon oil
to the meals of the two boys with IBD.

Novel proteins guaranteed to be single protein can be bought from Vet Concept in Germany. They sell canned goat, reindeer and horse (as well as kangaroo and hare).

https://www.vet-concept.com/fuer-die-katze/nassnahrung

Sadly my cat only liked the kangaroo. Though I didn't try him with horse as they didn't sell it at the time. However the Vet Concept foods do contain plant oils (e.g. rapeseed, hemp) so if you think your cat is allergic to plant oils they probably would not agree with him. I suppose the best way to exclude all suspect ingredients would be to obtain the meat raw and cook it yourself at home.....or feed it raw.

https://www.kiezebrink.co.uk/category/70-horse-meat

Would your other cat not eat the same diet as your itchy cat ? I can see that would make things easier for you.

I had an acquaintance whose cat was so itchy that even an exclusion diet didn't solve the problem. In the end her cat was put on a course of Atopica (cyclosporine) for 2 months and it made a huge difference. I know is a heavy duty medicine, only used as a last resort.

Have you talked to your vet about a course of Atopica or Apoquel if things get no better with the diet?


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## Loucat (May 23, 2017)

All the vets have suggested either long-term steroids, Cyclosporine/Atopica (although not so much these days) and/or Apoquel (albeit not licenced for cats). I have refused treatment because I'm scared stiff of the possible side-effects. Plus, of course, if he's constantly loaded on medication - I'll never find out what's causing the problem.

He has had the occasional steroid jab.. but only when things get horribly desperate. On the last occasion however, I found it really wasn't that effective.

At the moment, the poor boy is also recovering from a persistent bacterial infection.. and as I believe all these drugs affect the immune system (or white blood count) in some way, I'm steering very well-clear.

If he's really itchy, I put cortisone cream on the worst areas.. and he has Virbac Allerderm (spot-on) applied at least once/week. I think it helps a little.

Thanks for the link to Vet Concept.. I haven't tried any of those. They sound revolting! but when I give up on the plant oil theory, I will probably give them a go.

How are your cats with carbohydrates by the way? Any problems there? I suspect rice as one of my cat's triggers but haven't proven it yet.

As an additional challenge, my other cat is equally fussy and it took me many months to find her an acceptable menu. She wouldn't dream of touching some of the weird foods he's been forced to eat recently.. and I can't say I blame her..


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@Loucat

I don't feed my cats any grains (including no rice). The foods they eat are low in carbs (usually potato or sweet potato). I felt they were not getting along with rice or other grains in their food and I suspected grains were one of the culprits making my boys with IBD vomit.

The Vet Concept foods are very good quality and cat friendly, but no doubt 'revolting' for a human to eat, LOL. 

I wouldn't countenance long-term steroids for any of my cats, having adopted a senior cat 8 yrs ago who had Type 2 Diabetes due to being given steroids long term for IBD.

With my acquaintance whose cat was on Atopica, the cat had gone through the exclusion diet which helped but did not resolve the problem 100%. The cat was in a bad way, itching, sores on ears and face (typical signs of food allergens). I advised the owner to get a second opinion, so he went to a different practice. The new vet diagnosed ingrowing eyelashes, which previous vet had missed. (ingrowing eyelashes are very painful) After the errant eyelashes were removed there was a reduction in the cat's itching and scratching. However the itching didn't go completely and the vet advised a course of Atopica which was successful.

I am not suggesting your cat has ingrowing eyelashes, () but that when an immune system becomes over active it may not be enough to identify food allergens and remove them. More dramatic intervention may be needed, short term, such as an immunosuppressant drug to calm down the immune system.

Is it possible your cat could be stressed by something within the environment that has caused his immune system to become over active do you think? Have you tried treating for stress, e.g with a course of Zylkene perhaps (a supplement which you add to food)


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## Loucat (May 23, 2017)

Don't get me wrong.. I can fully appreciate that sometimes short or long-term medication might be the best solution, and I completely sympathise with pet owners who have gone this route. I have stayed awake many nights worrying about whether I should do the same.

I have also seen photos of animals suffering from allergies who are in far worse physical condition than mine.. they are suffering terribly.. and in these heartwrenching cases, I would not hesitate to medicate.

Although I haven't yet identified my cat's intolerances/allergies, I feel the changes I've made to his diet have brought him back from the worst. And when things do take a bad turn, I change his food and most often see a little relief.

Thanks for the suggestion.. I gave him Zylkene for a while but unfortunately it didn't help. Probiotics didn't help either; (Protexin Synbiotic DC). I have also considered environmental allergies, dust mites, fleas, ringworm, demodex mites, household products, cat litter, catnip, mould, stress and many other things.. and despite all my efforts, I can't rule any of them out!! It is entirely possible that two or more of these factors are in play here.. but I just can't identify them, and it's driving me crazy.

Whatever the cause(s), I can definitely see a response to different foods.. and still hope finding an appropriate diet will bring him below his 'itchy threshold'.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@Loucat, I can imagine it must be intensely frustrating. I really sympathise. You are doing your utmost for your dear boy, and all you can do is soldier on and hope something will help.

Lots of healing vibes to your cat. x

Thinking of you.

Please let us know how things go.


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## Loucat (May 23, 2017)

Thanks @chillminx . Will keep you posted.


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## Calvine (Aug 20, 2012)

@Mistypetra: Any update on your cat's condition? Hope she is continuing to do well?


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## Jacko132 (Oct 14, 2017)

My cat Sally had this problem for 4 years. She was on Prednisone, which worked for a while then it stopped. I tried all different foods (wet and dry) to see if it was a food allergy. Been to allergy specialist, but all he did was give me prednisone. She had tests with him, but nothing was definite, no flea/food or other allergies. My vet tried Neoral (cyclosporin) from Novartis, 25 mg every second day. It has been working now for 2 years. It's OK for cats, but the vet asked me to have her in for a check-up every six months Possibly ask your vet to try it. Comes in a small gel coated capsule so it goes down easily. Costs about $1.5 New Zealand. (.6 Pounds GB or 70 cents US)
EDIT.
I forgot to add that I also bathe the base of her tail and backbone with diluted Malaseb, about once a month. And her flea treatment is Comfortis monthly


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## Loucat (May 23, 2017)

Update! After one year of food trials, I still can't figure out what is making my poor cat itchy.

I had a major setback when I discovered he was eating hedgehog food (which a neighbour was throwing onto the communal lawn area every day). It was a commercial hedgehog food - looked just like kibble - and contained chicken, beef and cereals! So I chucked all my food diaries in the dustbin and started all over again. But months later, still no success.

Did more tests for mites and ringworm - all negative; and blood tests showed nothing unusual.

I thought it might be nickel allergy at one time and replaced all his stainless steel bowls with ceramic ones. It didn't help.

More recently, I suspected salicylate allergies, because many of the cat foods contain ingredients with high salicylate content. I haven't ruled this out yet.

However my question now is about preservatives..

I find he does quite well on COSMA NATURE CHICKEN FILLET. The ingredients are:
75% chicken fillet, 1% rice, 24% chicken stock. (It's only a supplemental cat food).

But if he eats APPLAWS or KATTOVIT, he gets much worse! Very itchy!!! Although their ingredients are very similar:
APPLAWS: Chicken Breast 75%, Chicken Broth 24%, Rice 1%.
KATTOVIT: Meat & animal by-products (73% chicken), minerals.

Does anyone know about preservatives used on meats please?

Maybe the Cosma Nature chickens are fed differently? or are preserved in a different way? or used farm-fresh??

If preservatives are causing my cat's problems, maybe it would explain why he reacted so badly to Catz Finefood Kangaroo? I have never been able to explain that one. CFF ingredients are very limited: Kangaroo, broth, minerals and borage oil!

I imagine raw food will definitely test this theory, because chances of preservatives in the food are less. I plan to go this route and will hire someone to come in and feed the cats if I can't be here at mealtimes. I will probably start with Natural Instinct, because they have more choices in complete, single-protein raw foods.

However it could take weeks to convince my cats to eat raw.. so I need to find a suitable wet/canned food in the meantime; (can't use dry food with raw food!!).

I need to find foods which are as natural as possible. Nature's Menu complete pouches would be my first choice, because of their limited ingredients. Unfortunately my cats will not eat them. I have tried for months.. I mean really tried!! However NM have a new range coming out soon. It contains many salicylate-rich ingredients, but I'm going to try it anyway.

Which other natural wet-food brands might be worth trying please? I think I have tried all the cat foods in Europe! but willing to try anything twice. Thank you


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## Loucat (May 23, 2017)

PS. I still apply Allerderm spot-on.. and occasionally give him half a Piriton tablet on bad nights. (Don't know if it does much, but at least it helps him sleep). Also spray Pet Remedy when he's stressed.. I don't think it affects him that much.. although it smells pretty awful!

The vet prescribed Apoquel but then called and asked for the prescription back again! Apparently she consulted with a Dermatologist who suggested it had a low success rate in cats and not worth trying versus the possible side-effects. So I now have a 12-day course of Prednicare (1mg) tablets, in case he needs them.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Hi @Loucat - I am sorry to hear you are not much further forward with identifying the cause of the itching. Very annoying for you to find your cat was eating the hedgehog food your neighbour was putting out. I am sure one of my cats would eat it too, given the chance! 

As your cat seems to react to so many manufactured foods, I would suggest your next step is to trial feeding him home cooked meat and offal. I would do this before transferring him to raw food. If he was going to be on the home cooked diet long term you would need to add a vitamin supplement but short term, for a few weeks of food trials you could just feed him the cooked meat and offal. That way you will know there are no additives at all.

If he reacts badly to home cooked meat with nothing added then you will know he definitely can't tolerate that particular meat. My suggestion would be to start perhaps with turkey drumstick ((or chunks of thigh), then try lamb, then beef, then chicken. Feed each meat for at least a week, with plenty of the meat stock.

I think you will need to add some fibre so he doesn't get constipated. You can add a little cooked mashed potato, cooked mashed sweet potato. Or what I do for mine is buy butternut squash, cut it into large pieces, cook in water on the hob for about 10 mins, when cooled peel and mash. Fill a couple of ice cube trays with the mashed squash and freeze. Defrost what you need every day and add to his meat.

I am sorry to hear the Apoquel has been recalled by the vet. Have you talked to the vet about your cat having a course of Cyclosporine? I may have mentioned to you before it was the only thing that helped the cat belonging to a friend of mine. The cat is still fine 2 years later. There can be side effects, but my friend's cat had such a poor quality of life at the time it was worth the risk.


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## Loucat (May 23, 2017)

Thanks for the quick reply! I really do agree the cooked meat method is a good idea; (although difficult for me.. very time consuming). I would add supplements even in the short term and believe DORWEST offer good advice on this.

However we have been down this road last year. My other healthy cat was very happy! - she goes mad for cooked meat. Unfortunately the allergic cat just refused to eat it. He is a commercial cat food junkie.

I thought perhaps the raw food would be more palatable?

In any case, I think chickens/meats in the supermarket are still treated with preservatives to increase shelf-life..?


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

I guess it's possible your cat would eat raw even though he won't eat cooked meat...

If you buy organic chicken it is not treated with preservatives and nor are the live chickens given routine antibiotics or other drugs. 

AFAIK no raw chicken is allowed to be treated with preservative in the UK. I know in the USA a lot of raw chicken is washed in chlorine after slaughter to kill bacteria. But so far this is not allowed in the UK.

Have you tried your cat with any raw meat at all? e.g. just a piece, to see if he likes it?


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## Loucat (May 23, 2017)

chillminx said:


> I know in the USA a lot of raw chicken is washed in chlorine after slaughter to kill bacteria. But so far this is not allowed in the UK.


 - except for Tesco's rancid Christmas turkeys!!!

I've just ordered a box of Nature's Menu frozen nuggets. Unfortunately they contain two different proteins.. but will use them to see if he shows any interest


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

I hadn't heard about the Tesco Christmas turkeys ? What happened?


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## Loucat (May 23, 2017)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5215727/Tesco-hands-75-gift-vouchers-rancid-turkeys.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/tesco-christmas-ruined-turkey-rancid-bleach-a8129351.html

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/tesco-apologises-off-turkeys-after-11757807

Absolutely disgusting!


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

I agree that is really bad!!  

I rarely buy raw meat from Tesco when I shop there. Not that I have ever had meat from Tesco that was 'off', or smelt of bleach, thank goodness. :Vomit . But what I will say is that sometimes when you walk in a Tesco store (various branches) there is a definite stench of rotten raw meat. Really vile! I've complained to Customer Services about it on occasions. 

Morrison's meat is not only better value than Tesco's but is much better quality. Morrison's have had food quality awards in the past for their fresh meat. Waitrose is also good for buying raw meat.


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## Frannick (Sep 11, 2017)

Loucat said:


> PS. I still apply Allerderm spot-on.. and occasionally give him half a Piriton tablet on bad nights. (Don't know if it does much, but at least it helps him sleep). Also spray Pet Remedy when he's stressed.. I don't think it affects him that much.. although it smells pretty awful!
> 
> The vet prescribed Apoquel but then called and asked for the prescription back again! Apparently she consulted with a Dermatologist who suggested it had a low success rate in cats and not worth trying versus the possible side-effects. So I now have a 12-day course of Prednicare (1mg) tablets, in case he needs them.





Loucat said:


> Update! After one year of food trials, I still can't figure out what is making my poor cat itchy.
> 
> I had a major setback when I discovered he was eating hedgehog food (which a neighbour was throwing onto the communal lawn area every day). It was a commercial hedgehog food - looked just like kibble - and contained chicken, beef and cereals! So I chucked all my food diaries in the dustbin and started all over again. But months later, still no success.
> 
> ...


H @Loucat. I previously posted about Apoquel in this thread and how it really helped my cat (though wouldn't have wanted him on it longer than say, 1-2 months). Also, I have found Piriteze to be quite good (as opposed to Piriton). My vet and I have been working along the lines that he has FAD but I also took it upon myself to rule out food allergies (suspect chicken). I too have been feeding him Cats Finefood Kangaroo and Ziwipeak Venison (can buy on Fetch/Ocado website). It's a bit pricey but found that I can feed 1/3 tin each mealtime mixed with a little water and it satisfies him as the consistency is quite dense, though he gets around 4 feeds a day anyway. So far so good though I am still on the fence whether fleas are still ultimately the cause but this new diet certainly seems to agree with him and there is less scratching. You can also buy Ziwipeak dried venison too, as a kibble replacement. As another alternative, you can buy frozen rabbit (Purrform) and feed small amounts of the defrosted raw meat. As a snack/treat, I give my cat a teaspoon at a time. Hope that helps


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@Frannick - Ziwipeak Canned Venison is a good food but very expensive, even from Fetch!  I wondered if you've found anywhere cheaper to buy it in the 170 gram size cans in bulk? I'd like some for one of my cats who's on a special diet.


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