cat allergy

Question
HI
My 2 year old cat was recently diagnosed with a food allergy.  As a kitten we found she could only eat Hills Science diet without having tummy problems, but lately she had been reacting to that by breaking out in sores on her face. Since being put on a diet of only hyperallergenic biscuits the allergy has gone, which is great news.  I have noticed her weight has dropped from 4.8 to 4.4 kg in 4mths since the change in diet.  Is this normal?  Also, are there alternatives I could be feeding my cat to give variety to her diet or help the allergy?  Many thanks.

Answer
Hello Liz -

I will first say that I do not care to use Hill's Science Diet foods. They have been known to cause kidney stones in pets that have been eating this food for a long period of time. I would recommend trying other natural brands of food. There are many brands, some a little more expensive then others. Without knowing you cat's exact food allergy I am hesitant to recommend a particular brand for fear of the allergy.

There is a brand you can purchase at most health food stores called Nutro. You will have to read the contents to be sure the allergen is not present. This food is all natural, no by-products, fillers or chemicals. My cat suffers from IBD and I put her on this food and have had outstanding results. It was really amazing, she gained weight, looks healthy and no more IBD. Healthy, all natural food should be the first step in helping you cat.

There are vitamin supplements that can help too. You will want to get one that is in a malt base, it has a good flavor and full of vitamins. The extra vitamins will aid the metabolism and will help keep the weight from dropping.

You can add chicken or beef broth to your pets food as well. Again, without knowing the exact allergy you will have to make a judgement here. The broth has extra vitamins and minerals and will help to fill her up and will help with weight increase.

Clean her facial sores with Witch Hazel, this is an anti-septic and will help heal it faster and will kill any bacteria present, so infection cannot set in.

Feel free to contact me again - I would be happy to help you and your pet with natural remedies and alternatives for the food allergy, I just need to know more.

I hope this information has helped you and your pet.

If you would like information on natural and herbal remedies for human and animal concerns please contact me at wintersaurora@yahoo.com and I will be happy to assist you. I also offer a catalog of specially formulated herbal remedies which I would be happy to send to you as well.

Thank you and best wishes to you and your pet.

Sincerely,
Sharon Hubbs, AHG
Certified Natural Health Consultant & Herbalist