Mysterious cat allergy

15 years ago

I need ideas, anyone you guys can give me...

More than a year ago, I spayed a kitty in a colony I was working on (doing TNR)...The kitty was friendly and the vet said she was kicked in the stomach (had bruising) She was also "forever" pregnant and always lactating - she would nurse her kittens, and then other cats' kittens...

She got spayed, and we decided to try to find her a home, since she was sweet and obviously vulnerable to nasty people in that area (whoever kicked her..)

After she got spayed, she proved to be an excellent help with foster kittens - she continued nursing them (actually lactating) for the time the kittens were around...It was great help with socializing

Once the kitten season was over, and all the foster kittens out of the house, she stopped nursing and lost her interest in kittens all together

And then came her allergy...She licks herself to blood and raw right under her front legs, symmetrically on both sides. Flea allergies are out...We asked a few vets, and no one seems to know for sure what is going on...We tried switching food, and it is weird that it would be food allergy since she was a stray eating very cheap food while living in the feral colony cared by an old lady....

She has been deflead, dewormed, and currently has no fleas - I have another cat who is allergic to fleas and mosquitoes, and the allergy manifests itself in a bit different way (besides, I take caution not to let fleas in the house since Pixel is allergic to them..)

She is on monthly shot (steroids) which only works for the first 2.5 - 3 weeks...Then, the last week she tortures herself, and then we give her her shot ...

What else is likely to cause an allergy like that? Itching in the same spots, over and over again? Both spots are symmetric in their position - mirror images of each other...

Could it be something as crazy as hormonal changes since she had kittens all the time, and after she got spayed, some sort of imbalance happened? I am trying to think of what has changed - she now lives inside, and she is not constantly pregnant/nursing - are the two things I can think of...

Ideas are very appreciated!

Thank you

Olya

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Comments (3)

Elly_NJ
15 years ago
I am sure other people here will offer ideas.

Since your vet has ruled out parasites, and food allergies usually show themselves in inflammation around the ears, I wonder if this is from stress and has become behavioral? Like a hot spot that becomes worse and habitual due to incessant licking?

Would your vet consider a topical antiinflammatory with an e-collar, to prevent ingestion due to licking? But I do not know if topical steroids are appropriate for cats, certainly not appropriate for ingesting!

I am interested in other's thoughts here.
cat_mom
15 years ago
One of our cats is very attached to my DH. When we'd returned from a family visit out-of-state, we noticed that she had missing patches of fur (about an inch long) on the undersides of both front legs. When a biopsy showed nothing, and cortisone injections really didn't help, and it got worse (tops of front paws, back legs, more missing fur from front legs), we pretty much felt that it was likely OCD behavior/separation anxiety.

We took her to a dermatology vet who agreed that our theory was pretty likely and started her on Elavil (amitriptyline). It's an antidepressant (for the OCD/sep anxiety) that also tends to have anti-itch properties, is generally well-tolerated by cats, with no side-effects (that we can tell), and the derm vet feels that there are no contraindications for long-term/lifetime usage.

It helped eliminate the "overgrooming," and our cat will likely need to remain on it for life (attempts to reduce her dosing schedule down to every 3rd day weren't successful, so we bumped her back up to daily dosing, and will go back to every other day in a week or so and see if she's ok on that).

We use a transdermal gel, and rub it inside her ear. Two hints if that's what they try on your cat next: we had the compounding pharmacy (Belvidere Pharmacy in NJ) compound it in a more concentrated formula so we can use less cream for the same medicine dosage (it's thicker and it takes less time to rub it in than the more watery and larger am't of the "regular" concentration). Also, I try not to go too many days before wiping out her ears with a wet piece of paper towel or gauze (the cream builds/cakes up over time). She actually likes when I do that--maybe she thinks I'm grooming her!

Good luck!
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olyagrove
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you so much for your suggestions! This month, Daisy is taking her time to start the licking herself, as she only lasts 3 weeks after the shot...
The only things that have changed...I dewormed her again with Drontal and I am fostering little kittens...She used to be the super foster mom and would clean and even nurse the kittens I fostered
We will see if she starts licking herself again - I hope not!

Mysterious cat allergy

Comments (3)

Elly_NJ

cat_mom

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olyagrove
Original Author

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Mysterious cat allergy

Comments (3)

Elly_NJ

cat_mom

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olyagroveOriginal Author

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olyagrove
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