Help! I need hypoallergenic cat food recipes!

[ladybrietta]

Hi! I live in Istanbul and I have a Persian cat. He has an allergy to cat foods. Hypoallergenic cat foods are so expensive in Turkey and I'm a student. It's hard to buy this for me. I've googled for recipes but didn't find in Turkish websites. So I found here. Do you know any recipe or do you have any advice? He has wounds on skin cause of itching. Veterinarian said that his liver tired of foods and thats why he is itching. I'm so sad. Please help.

[hazelrunpack]

If he's allergic, you might want to try a protein he hasn't been exposed to, yet. So if he doesn't do well on beef, for instance, try feeding chicken or fish or lamb or rabbit. Have you tried raw feeding? If you feed raw meat, it's easy to limit the ingredients to what you know is safe for him to eat.

[Winston]

A very long time ago I posted this recipe book. Feel free to go through it and see if there is something you can do at home. All the best!

Cindy

[ladybrietta]

Originally Posted by hazelrunpack

If he's allergic, you might want to try a protein he hasn't been exposed to, yet. So if he doesn't do well on beef, for instance, try feeding chicken or fish or lamb or rabbit. Have you tried raw feeding? If you feed raw meat, it's easy to limit the ingredients to what you know is safe for him to eat.

Should I add some vegetables or something else? Raw feeding? You mean raw meat?

[ladybrietta]

Originally Posted by Winston

A very long time ago I posted this recipe book. Feel free to go through it and see if there is something you can do at home. All the best!

Cindy

Thank you so much! I'll try them!

[Barkingdog]

Originally Posted by ladybrietta

Should I add some vegetables or something else? Raw feeding? You mean raw meat?

If add some vegetables made it's safe for cats to eat .

[hazelrunpack]

Originally Posted by ladybrietta

Should I add some vegetables or something else? Raw feeding? You mean raw meat?

Yes, raw meat. Cats are obligate carnivores so their diet should be meat-based. If you google raw-feeding for cats you should be able to find some good guidelines for feeding raw (if you see any vegetable-based diets for cats, avoid them). Unfortunately, I've never had cats, so I don't know the best ways to feed them on a raw diet other than to make sure they get enough taurine. But I suspect you'll be able to find some good groups online that can give you advice on how to do it. Just make sure you do some homework on the nutritional needs of felines before you take the plunge, if you decide to try raw-feeding.

[ladybrietta]

Originally Posted by hazelrunpack

Yes, raw meat. Cats are obligate carnivores so their diet should be meat-based. If you google raw-feeding for cats you should be able to find some good guidelines for feeding raw (if you see any vegetable-based diets for cats, avoid them). Unfortunately, I've never had cats, so I don't know the best ways to feed them on a raw diet other than to make sure they get enough taurine. But I suspect you'll be able to find some good groups online that can give you advice on how to do it. Just make sure you do some homework on the nutritional needs of felines before you take the plunge, if you decide to try raw-feeding.

I got it. I googled raw feeding. I can try it. You are right. Thank you so much!

[ladybrietta]

Originally Posted by Barkingdog

If add some vegetables made it's safe for cats to eat .

Of course. Thank you

[Reg]

Hello Ladybrietta:

Welcome to the forum.

I have a couple of suggestions that I hope will help you out. I do raw feeding and these are 3 sites that are worth taking a look at - there are a lot more of them, but these 3 I refer to quite often.

I am wondering with what little bit of info that you have posted, if your cat is suffering from food intolerance which is different than an allergy, and fits the symptoms that you have described better.

I would be tempted to work the cat into raw food over a period of time. Depending on the cats, some of them can take up to 3 months or better to transition to a raw diet. Hopefully a lot less time.

If it's a food intolerance, after a month or so, you should start to see improvement. If it is an allergic reaction, re protein problems, you're in the process of transitioning your cat to raw food and the ability to isolate all unwanted proteins and dwell on one protein at a time.ie. lamb, duck, etc.

It would be a wise idea to keep a running diary on the cat's food and its reactions to the food.

Something else you might want to consider is Milk Thistle to help rebuild the Liver cells. If you can, use a tincture made with a Glycerin extract rather than alcohol. Alcohol isn't good for cats, but in a pinch, it can be used. A rule of thumb for supplements is between1/8th to 1/10th of a human dose. For a cat of 10 pounds, you're looking at 1 to 3 drops. I would start at 1 drop and work up over a few days. Use it for 6 days, take one day off, to allow the system to rest and then do another 6 days, and see where you go from there.

I've used this before on a cat that had severe liver failure and was surprised at how well it worked. I would be trying to find a vet or someone in your area who is knowledgeable in alternative veterinary methods.

Re hypoallergenic foods, I have looked into them here and they are overly priced for what they seem to deliver. I've had a couple of vets recommend them and going over my feeding practices they felt I'd be better to stick with the raw food and one of the vets stated that they see less than a 50% cure rate with the hypoallergenic food.

In Catinfo.org, Dr Pierson has an article on prescription diets that's worth the read - it's the 3rd one down on the index on the right hand side.

Hopefully some of this info will be of some value to you. By the way, I find feeding raw a lot less expensive than canned cat food. for instance, my 10 pound cats get 50 to 55 gms per feeding, and my 14 pound cat gets around 65 to 70 grams. If the meat is purchased at a special price, it's well worth the transition to raw. And it cuts away back on vet visits.

http://www.catinfo.org/

http://holisticat.com/en/

http://feline-nutrition.org/

[Barkingdog]

If you made raw food for your cat you could freeze in it an ice tray then put the cubes into a air tight container in keep it in the freezer . I did this when I made for my baby , it kept longer this way .

[ladybrietta]

Originally Posted by Reg

Hello Ladybrietta:

Welcome to the forum.

I have a couple of suggestions that I hope will help you out. I do raw feeding and these are 3 sites that are worth taking a look at - there are a lot more of them, but these 3 I refer to quite often.

I am wondering with what little bit of info that you have posted, if your cat is suffering from food intolerance which is different than an allergy, and fits the symptoms that you have described better.

I would be tempted to work the cat into raw food over a period of time. Depending on the cats, some of them can take up to 3 months or better to transition to a raw diet. Hopefully a lot less time.

If it's a food intolerance, after a month or so, you should start to see improvement. If it is an allergic reaction, re protein problems, you're in the process of transitioning your cat to raw food and the ability to isolate all unwanted proteins and dwell on one protein at a time.ie. lamb, duck, etc.

It would be a wise idea to keep a running diary on the cat's food and its reactions to the food.

Something else you might want to consider is Milk Thistle to help rebuild the Liver cells. If you can, use a tincture made with a Glycerin extract rather than alcohol. Alcohol isn't good for cats, but in a pinch, it can be used. A rule of thumb for supplements is between1/8th to 1/10th of a human dose. For a cat of 10 pounds, you're looking at 1 to 3 drops. I would start at 1 drop and work up over a few days. Use it for 6 days, take one day off, to allow the system to rest and then do another 6 days, and see where you go from there.

I've used this before on a cat that had severe liver failure and was surprised at how well it worked. I would be trying to find a vet or someone in your area who is knowledgeable in alternative veterinary methods.

Re hypoallergenic foods, I have looked into them here and they are overly priced for what they seem to deliver. I've had a couple of vets recommend them and going over my feeding practices they felt I'd be better to stick with the raw food and one of the vets stated that they see less than a 50% cure rate with the hypoallergenic food.

In Catinfo.org, Dr Pierson has an article on prescription diets that's worth the read - it's the 3rd one down on the index on the right hand side.

Hopefully some of this info will be of some value to you. By the way, I find feeding raw a lot less expensive than canned cat food. for instance, my 10 pound cats get 50 to 55 gms per feeding, and my 14 pound cat gets around 65 to 70 grams. If the meat is purchased at a special price, it's well worth the transition to raw. And it cuts away back on vet visits.

http://www.catinfo.org/

http://holisticat.com/en/

http://feline-nutrition.org/

I'm so sorry. I just understand half of your post. English is not my native language.

[ladybrietta]

Originally Posted by Barkingdog

If you made raw food for your cat you could freeze in it an ice tray then put the cubes into a air tight container in keep it in the freezer . I did this when I made for my baby , it kept longer this way .

Good idea. I tried new recipes for him. If it doesnt work I'll try raw feeding. I'll use it. Thank you

[RUSTYcat]

Hi ladybrietta and welcome, too !

There's an excellent online raw-feeding community right here: http://www.thecatsite.com/f/65/raw-home-cooked-cat-food

Now, I hope you understand that you MUST add TAURINE to home made meals...it's absolutely essential, because cats can not 'manufacture' it themselves. Without Taurine, severe heart disease and blindness will develop.....and, it only takes 2-3 weeks for the damage to start. (There are other essential vitamins too....those folks will advise you well.)

One CAUTION, though: DON'T FEED RAW FISH !!! (and, it's best to avoid cooked fish as well)

[ladybrietta]

Originally Posted by RUSTYcat

Hi ladybrietta and welcome, too !

There's an excellent online raw-feeding community right here: http://www.thecatsite.com/f/65/raw-home-cooked-cat-food

Now, I hope you understand that you MUST add TAURINE to home made meals...it's absolutely essential, because cats can not 'manufacture' it themselves. Without Taurine, severe heart disease and blindness will develop.....and, it only takes 2-3 weeks for the damage to start. (There are other essential vitamins too....those folks will advise you well.)

One CAUTION, though: DON'T FEED RAW FISH !!! (and, it's best to avoid cooked fish as well)

Taurine is 825 Turkish lira. More expensive than hypoallergenic cat foods :S

[hazelrunpack]

Is that per bottle or per dose, ladybrietta? I've never had to add taurine, but my guess is it's just a little per meal? It might end up to be quite economical...