help with autoimmune problem with my cat

Question
Hi,

My cat has Pemphigus foliaceous - an autoimmune rare disorder that causes her skin to believe it is foreign and it attacks it causing blisters and sores mainly over the face area.

She has just had a dose of steriods to treat it and it cleared up but has come back again slightly.  The vet told me that it would take a couple of steriod shots and then it was possible that she would go into remission.  There is also a chance that she will not get better and will continue to get sicker.

I want to know what raw foods and diet I can give her to help improve her immune system.  She eats this kangaroo meat at the moment (a packaged pet food) which I have never liked but I took over the ownership of her and she was being fed that.  She loves prawns and will eat raw red meat. She loves tuna as well.

Are there any supplements I can give her to help her get through this and build up her immune system.

Please help, I don't want to lose her.  Her name is Priscilla.

Carrie

Answer
Hi Carrie,

Pemphigus foliaceous is indeed a very rare disorder.  Steroid treatment is the single, most common, form of treatment.  Many cats and dogs must continue steroid treatments throughout life.  You are a very conscientious cat owner to be concerned about her getting the necessary supplements and the best food.

First off, regarding foods, please read my main AllExperts expert page for some links to pet food brands.  
http://www.allexperts.com/ep/3490-83830/Cat-Food/KC.htm
You will also find quite a lot of additional food info in some of the past articles that I have posted.  I would strongly recommend getting her on a premium food (human-grade with no by-products).  These products will have few to no preservatives, fillers, artificial coloring, etc. that could possibly worsen her condition.  Many cats are allergic to ingredients in commercial pet foods (the non-premium ones) due to the numerous toxins that they contain.  However, the reaction to the products that the cats exhibit can be so subtle that owners never notice or relate it to the type of food they are using.  It is known that due to the protein structures in rabbit meat, rabbit based foods are one of the best for cats with allergies, as it is more easily digested.  I'm uncertain as to whether it would help with an autoimmune disorder, but it certainly wouldn't hurt her.  It is absolutely fantastic that she is eating raw meats as well.  However, feeding solely raw food can be harmful because cats need a lot of additional vitamins and minerals.  Feeding a premium raw, like Nature's Variety which comes in frozen meal size nuggets is excellent though because it contains all of the essential nutrients...and it is also available in rabbit!  
http://www.naturesvariety.com/
Feline's Pride is also an excellent raw:
http://www.felinespride.com/home/home.aspx

Actual premium foods are usually not available at huge pet product retailers, like PetSmart and Petco.  A lot of smaller, privately owned stores should be more than happy to order foods for you, if they don't already carry it.  You can check out this online store to see a wide selection of great foods.  Ordering online can be costly due to shipping fees, however it's a convenient option.
https://www.onlynaturalpet.com/account/Login.aspx

I usually recommend feeding only twice per day and feeding both canned and dry (or raw and dry) in any of the premium, human-grade foods.  However, due to Priscilla's condition, and being concerned that she stay in a healthy weight range (if she is underweight), I would feed her more often if she will eat it.  However, do not just leave food out for her to snack on all day, as carnivores were not meant to snack but to eat larger portions during meals.  'Grazing', particularly on dry food all day can lead to obesity, stomach/intestinal problems, and sometimes intermittent vomiting.  

However, if she is currently overweight, as steroids can often cause, then do keep her on a twice a day feeding with treats, raw, or tuna given as small snacks only once or twice between meals.  Steroids also causes a major increase in appetite, in most animals, so expect her to beg quite a lot.  If she is overweight, begging a lot, and on the two meal a day diet, giving raw or canned as treats will also be lower in calories than feeding any form of dry treats...as dry almost always contains more carbohydrates from sugars and starches in grains.

In addition, I don't usually recommend supplementation unless you are making foods at home and/or feeding primarily raw.  The premium foods usually contain ample nutrients and are excellent.  However, again, due to Priscilla's condition I would recommend supplements.  You should be aware that steroids do have long-term effects on the body.  The biggest effect is that it can leach calcium (among other things) from bones.  This is a big issues in humans and the proper supplements are always prescribed.  However, it's usually no so in animals, sadly.  Be cautious when trying supplements though, as with no regulations, there is no telling what quality you are getting.  One brand that I do trust and use is Platinum Performance:
https://www.platinumperformance.com/animal/feline/products/productcategories/product.cfm?category_id=310
The company is usually great at answering any questions or concerns that you might have.  I would write them a note asking about any additional calcium supplements, including those containing glucosamine and chrondritin.  I believe they make those for dogs but am not sure if they would recommend using them in cats.  However, if they do, I would strongly suggest trying them, as they have top quality products.

So...in a nutshell, get her on a premium human-grade food.  I love the Wellness and Nature's Variety brands.  Feed twice daily, unless she is underweight.  You may notice a difference on food containing rabbit meat.  However, you also might notice a difference just switching to any of the premium brands.  Avoid tuna (canned), if it contains a lot of preservatives and/or salt.  Do use supplements, even if it's only a calcium supplement due to the use of steroids and the problems that they can cause.  If you have a hard time finding one that you like, just compare some of the raw premium food brands, as some will be higher in calcium than others.  Also, most of the premium brands, will be more than happy to answer detailed questions that you may have about their ingredients and the vitamins/minerals that they contain.  I would also suggest occasionally bathing her in an oatmeal based or hypo-allergenic shampoo.  Nova Pearls is great for cats.  It might ease any discomfort that she is experiencing from the sores on her skin.  You can also apply a small amount of cortisone ointment (aka Cortaid) to the sores around her face, avoiding areas around her eyes.  

I hope some of this information helps.  If you have further questions just write back.
Good luck with Priscilla!