Food Allergies...only Eating Duck But Not Eating Enough...help

[sillywoody]

Hi everybody,

I’m here about my 13-14 year old long domestic haired kitty, Silly. Not sure how to link a thread but Silly had some issues last year and wouldn’t eat wet food...

In short - Silly is allergic to most foods except for duck, and doesn’t eat enough duck food...any advice is appreciated.

In long - i cannot get him off dry food, i know theres a way but have not managed it successfully following tons of advice. I tried every flavour of canned Weruva, Pet Valu (Canadian) and Natures Variety Instinct (beef, lamb, pork, rabbit, fish, shrimp, etc) but the only ones he will lick at is chicken, turkey and duck. Also he only licks at chicken, turkey and duck freeze dried.

Now, he has developed allergies to chicken and turkey. Suddenly. He seems to always have had more hairballs and even monthly vomits when he was eating canned Weruva chicken, and Origen dry.Then I had him on a mix of dry Turkey and Duck, canned Nature’s Variety Instinct Turkey pate and Stella and Chewy turkey freeze dried but suddenly he started itching like crazy. Now if he gets even a treat with turkey or chicken he itches like mad. I’ve tested it enough times that I’m fairly confident he cannot eat either of these two...except Turkey liver seems okay when it is in canned duck foods? He is also suddenly super allergic to all seafood canned foods (tuna, salmon, shrimp, mackerel, sardine).

That leaves duck. I had to do a pretty rapid transition about two months ago because he had ripped all the hair off his neck, ears and forehead within a couple nights...I had him to the vet immediately and she felt it was food allergies or a buildup and he is now allergic to everything but duck (at least that he will eat).

I gave him dry Pet Valu limited ingredient duck and GO limited ingredient duck, which he eats, but he doesnt love it. Nor does he love the canned Natures Instinct limited ingredient duck.

Now that he lost his brother suddenly, he seems to be eating even less. I have tried adding nutritional yeast, but he doesnt like it.

Any advice is appreciated. He is still eating but he will be going to the vet asap if something doesnt change...even though that adds a ton of stress on him.

 

[LTS3]

Have you tried novel proteins like kangaroo and alligator and rabbit?

I'm not sure if you can get these brands in Canada:

Hound & Gatos Pet Foods Corp.
Cat Food - Limited Ingredient Diet - Kohapet

Try sprinkling FortiFlora on top of food. That usually works.

I know that cats do grieve if a sibling or close non-related cat passes away. They may not have much of an appetite or interest in doing much. I'm not sure how to help a grieving cat, though. The Crossing The Bridge or Behavior forum may have threads onthe subject.

 

[lalagimp]

Darn it I really thought we could discuss the intro offer from Darwin's but it looks like now instead of offering duck in their cat food, it's lamb. I could swear it was chicken, turkey, and duck. If you're not opposed to uncooked food they do the initial 10 lbs for $14.95, but their lamb is $7.99 a pound if he were willing to give it another shot.

 

[Ardina]

Darn it I really thought we could discuss the intro offer from Darwin's but it looks like now instead of offering duck in their cat food, it's lamb. I could swear it was chicken, turkey, and duck. If you're not opposed to uncooked food they do the initial 10 lbs for $14.95, but their lamb is $7.99 a pound if he were willing to give it another shot.

I recently noticed that too. Which I was annoyed about because when I switched to homemade, I had some of the intro offer still stored in my freezer as backup in case I didn't have time to make cat food. Now that I've finished that, I wanted to get more, but it's even more ridiculously expensive now. Might as well get radcat, at least I don't have to pay for shipping or get 20 lbs at a time.

 

[sillywoody]

Thank you! I am having trouble finding those, but I’ll look into it. i would be shocked if Silly was allergic to alligator haha!

I almost forgot about fortiflora! thank you! had some in my cupboard, and it mildly worked, for a few meals...then he got over it!

What I did find that he is loving is “Primal” Duck (only) freeze dried food. I can’t believe how much he enjoys it...he is almost eating the recommended amount.

At first he wouldn't touch it, i was adding too much water. a tip for others, Silly prefers it “moist” rather than “soupy”...once I mash up the freeze dried nugget I keep adding a little water at a time just to hydrate it.

Have you tried novel proteins like kangaroo and alligator and rabbit?

I'm not sure if you can get these brands in Canada:

Hound & Gatos Pet Foods Corp.
Cat Food - Limited Ingredient Diet - Kohapet

Try sprinkling FortiFlora on top of food. That usually works.

I know that cats do grieve if a sibling or close non-related cat passes away. They may not have much of an appetite or interest in doing much. I'm not sure how to help a grieving cat, though. The Crossing The Bridge or Behavior forum may have threads onthe subject.

 

[sillywoody]

**Update**

Silly is eating Primal freeze dried duck flavour...he is enjoying it too! For reference of how Inprepare it so he enjoys it, see my reply above.

~best~

 

[lisahe]

I'm glad to hear Silly is still enjoying the Primal, it's very decent food! Two other duck-based items: Koha's duck stew is a favorite for our cats and Pure Bite duck liver, a dog treat, is a good topper. Just a small amount seems to make anything delicious. (It's very smelly!)

Here's wishing you continued success. Fingers crossed!

 

[sillywoody]

Thanks for the recommendations! Is it okay to give the purebite duck dog treat to Sily?

I tried to find a feline pure bite duck but can’t find it!

 

[Columbine]

Purebites (or any 100% meat freeze dried treats) are just fine to use interchangeably between dogs and cats. I have dogs and cats myself, and have been giving the cats freeze dried dog treats (and vice versa) for years

 

[LTS3]

Thanks for the recommendations! Is it okay to give the purebite duck dog treat to Sily?

I tried to find a feline pure bite duck but can’t find it!

It's fine. The PureBites for cats are the exact same one as the dogs, just in a smaller package with smaller sized treats.

PureBites does make a freeze dried duck liver treat for cats: PureBites® Freeze Dried Duck Liver Treats | For Cats | Purebites.com

And a regular freeze dried duck for dogs wich are ok for cats: PureBites® Freeze Dried Duck Treats | For Dogs | Purebites.com

There are lots of other brands of freeze dried treats besides PureBites. Here's a TCS thread with suggestions: What treats do you feed your cat?

 

[sillywoody]

Thanks everybody!

 

[amysuen]

**Update**

Silly is eating Primal freeze dried duck flavour...he is enjoying it too! For reference of how Inprepare it so he enjoys it, see my reply above.

~best~

Yay Silly!! My finicky cat likes PureBites crushed and sprinkled on his food, and when nothing else works I sprinkle a tablespoon of kibble on top of his canned food. Once he starts eating he usually just keeps going, it's getting him to start that's tricky.

 

[lisahe]

Yay Silly!! My finicky cat likes PureBites crushed and sprinkled on his food, and when nothing else works I sprinkle a tablespoon of kibble on top of his canned food. Once he starts eating he usually just keeps going, it's getting him to start that's tricky.

That's great to hear, I'm glad Silly likes the Pure Bites! Fingers crossed that he continues to enjoy them. They've been working for some time for our pickier cat, who also just wants/needs that extra push to start eating.

 

[sillywoody]

I picked up some duck only Purebites for dog the other day. I sprinkled some on Silly’s breakfast and dinner wet food and he loved it! Only thing is, he vomitted later on. Sry for TMI, but it was like food vomit, no foam or liquid.

Maybe he isn’t used to it? or i gave him too much? either way, that goes in the cabinet until he starts bring finnicky and I’ll see if I want to try it out again. It really worked to get him interested though!

 

[lisahe]

I picked up some duck only Purebites for dog the other day. I sprinkled some on Silly’s breakfast and dinner wet food and he loved it! Only thing is, he vomitted later on. Sry for TMI, but it was like food vomit, no foam or liquid.

Maybe he isn’t used to it? or i gave him too much? either way, that goes in the cabinet until he starts bring finnicky and I’ll see if I want to try it out again. It really worked to get him interested though!

Sorry to hear that! Yes, maybe try again with just the finest dusting. That stuff is smelly and most likely very rich so it probably doesn't take much for it to work.