Hi,
My cat:
Berli, black cat, short hair, Female, approx 2.5 years old, 12 lbs
B = usually very mellow and sweet
E = on the low side
A = high
M = usually content, currently angry as of yesterday
Food - wet: canned Ziwi brand beef, venison, limited ingredient brand rabbit - Dry: - was Natural Balance Salmon and Pea, then switched to Stella and Chewy rabbit kibble a few weeks ago, until yesterday when I stopped cold turkey
Berli has had chronic ear infections since about 2 months after we got her. We adopted her and grey tabby sister at about 6months old (2 years ago.) Lulu (grey tabby) has NONE of these issues although she has eaten the same food and been on all the same medicines since we got them. Being new cat owners, we did what the vets told us and both were given several medicines right away as the vet claimed they had ear, eye and nose infections on their first well check. They were both also fixed before we got them.
Berli has had chronic ear discharge which causes severe itching - we have tried everything, the vets ran every test and are still puzzled and assume "allergy." We took both cats off of chicken (which Berli LOVED) 10 months ago and went only fish for both cats. The itching did not stop. Recently we have dialed down the fish and tried beef, vension and rabbit. But Berli has continued to develop severe hot spots above both ears and now around her face. The only thing that made her better was daily prednilisone. But she hated the administration of the medicine and after taking her off it it, the itching comes right back. I have kept her off of it but she looks worse and worse. Her hot spots are red and sometimes bleed.
After speaking with @Dr. Jeff I took her off of the dry food completely (Stella and Chewy Rabbit) and ONE day later, our sweet, loving kitty is angry, aggressive, is biting us and scratching at us. I know she LOVES the dry food so much more than the wet and it makes me so sad that we took away another thing she loves. @Dr. Jeff - you and I discussed her happiness as part of the healing process but she is NOT happy and is scratching herself even worse. I have spent more time with her to compensate, petting her, my daughter plays with her but she's clearly not happy or content.
It is so hard to watch her be so bummed and also difficult to be around her because she is aggressive and destructive - which is a brand new issue since we took away the dry food. Very unlike her. I know the dry food is the worst but it also seems like one of the few things she really likes...
Any advice or support will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Aileen
My cat:
Berli, black cat, short hair, Female, approx 2.5 years old, 12 lbs
B = usually very mellow and sweet
E = on the low side
A = high
M = usually content, currently angry as of yesterday
Food - wet: canned Ziwi brand beef, venison, limited ingredient brand rabbit - Dry: - was Natural Balance Salmon and Pea, then switched to Stella and Chewy rabbit kibble a few weeks ago, until yesterday when I stopped cold turkey
Berli has had chronic ear infections since about 2 months after we got her. We adopted her and grey tabby sister at about 6months old (2 years ago.) Lulu (grey tabby) has NONE of these issues although she has eaten the same food and been on all the same medicines since we got them. Being new cat owners, we did what the vets told us and both were given several medicines right away as the vet claimed they had ear, eye and nose infections on their first well check. They were both also fixed before we got them.
Berli has had chronic ear discharge which causes severe itching - we have tried everything, the vets ran every test and are still puzzled and assume "allergy." We took both cats off of chicken (which Berli LOVED) 10 months ago and went only fish for both cats. The itching did not stop. Recently we have dialed down the fish and tried beef, vension and rabbit. But Berli has continued to develop severe hot spots above both ears and now around her face. The only thing that made her better was daily prednilisone. But she hated the administration of the medicine and after taking her off it it, the itching comes right back. I have kept her off of it but she looks worse and worse. Her hot spots are red and sometimes bleed.
After speaking with @Dr. Jeff I took her off of the dry food completely (Stella and Chewy Rabbit) and ONE day later, our sweet, loving kitty is angry, aggressive, is biting us and scratching at us. I know she LOVES the dry food so much more than the wet and it makes me so sad that we took away another thing she loves. @Dr. Jeff - you and I discussed her happiness as part of the healing process but she is NOT happy and is scratching herself even worse. I have spent more time with her to compensate, petting her, my daughter plays with her but she's clearly not happy or content.
It is so hard to watch her be so bummed and also difficult to be around her because she is aggressive and destructive - which is a brand new issue since we took away the dry food. Very unlike her. I know the dry food is the worst but it also seems like one of the few things she really likes...
Any advice or support will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Aileen
