Cat with Food Allergy

Reliable Food Trials Require Rx Diets
Question:
We have a 13 year old female cat. Recently she started itching above her eyes and has removed most of the hair. Our veterinarian scraped the area and did a culture. The test was negative so we were told it was probably a food allergy. She currently eats BLUE/Mature/Healthy Aging Cat. She gets sick to her tummy, often vomiting undigested food. She seems to be getting very thin. She acts fine, plays, cuddles, etc., but she is constantly itching.

Dr. Nichol:
The skin scraping and culture were important diagnostic starting points. I agree with your veterinarian that a food allergy should be considered among other possible causes for your cat’s itching, vomiting, and weight loss. A diet trial would help answer the question.

Prescription diets, containing a novel or hydrolyzed meat protein, are ideal for this purpose. To be a reliable trial your kitty must eat only this food for 8-10 weeks, avoiding everything else. Many commercially available cat foods are of fine quality but lack diagnostic value because they may include trace amounts of other meat that can trigger the allergic cascade in a sensitive pet. Your cat’s doctor can dispense the right diet.
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