If it's not something you know a lot about then personally I wouldn't recommend you try and put together your own food, it's very easy to get wrong. Have a look at the thread below which should give you some pointers to commercially available foods that would be suitable:

Food allergies? What foods to use/elimination diet

You are best to use a protein source your cat hasn't encountered before and during the trial she should have no other food stuffs whatsoever

I already make the dog's food so working with the vet to try to do the same for the cats. At least that way i know everything she's eating.

Will check out the link though.

Honestly, I don't want to put you off, if you want to do it it can be done but cats aren't dogs and have much more specialist requirements. It's very easy to get wrong and end up causing more harm than good. Unfortunately most vets wouldn't know where to start, you may be lucky and yours may specialise in feline nutrition although on the basis of the salmon and potato suggestion I very much doubt that is the case.

If you are going to do it yourself have you thought about raw feeding? Have a read of the link below:

Thinking about raw feeding - a basic guide

I realise it's not for everybody but it is easier to get the correct balance with raw. Once you start cooking things key vitamins and minerals are destroyed, which will not only need replacing but at the correct levels, you need to find a replacement calcium source as you can't use bone, you will need to replenish taurine depleted by the cooking process etc etc.

I hope you can get to the bottom of her problems soon and find something that helps

Dexter had the EXACT same symptoms. Turns out he had Harvest Mites. They don't suck blood, so Frontline spot on does not touch them. They are prevalent throughout the summer months and die off when it gets cold. Does this sound familiar:

Symptoms
The mites tend to principally affect cats, although humans, rabbits and dogs can also get them. They can cause very few problems, but sadly a lot of animals become allergic to the fluid injected by the mite, resulting in reddening and crusting of the skin. Often the animal will then scratch at the mites, worsening the inflammation and introducing bacterial infection.

The mites tend to attach just in front of the ears, at the base of the ear flap or between the toes. Less frequently the chin, lips, armpits and tummy can suffer.



Ian F.

__________________
"Always turn and look when your cat gazes behind you with that intent look in her eyes. Some day there might actually be something there." - T.S. Eliot

No its not those. PLus the scrapings by the vets showed no mites or anything. In theory her skin is relatively healthy, and her whole body is covered. She's just scabby around her head and neck as thats where she can scratch.

I would also like to point out the vet stated a salmon and potato based food that i can buy, not make salmon and potato for her. Hence why i said i would do my research not just start chucking together food. I realise cats are different to dogs, i have three of them. And i don't want to feed them raw. Like i said, i am looking into how to do this properly.

Glad to hear your going to look into doing it properly, I hope it didn't come across as though I was having a go, that wasn't the intention. It's just that I've read so many times about people thinking they are doing good by feeding home cooked diets of chicken and rice or fish and potato etc, in the long run these diets will cause considerable problems.

As I said previously, personally I wouldn't but if you are set on using a cooked homemade diet then it might be worth considering using a pre mix such as Felini complete or one of the TC premixes. Basically this has all the right vitamins, minerals and trace elements in the correct quantities, you just mix the correct amount with a set amount of water and add to cooked meat, you could then add a small amount of pumpkin or such like a couple of times a week for added fibre if needed.

It did come across as a little bit of a go, but that could be how i read things!

The only reason i originally kept bought for the cats is i know that you need vitamins, esp taurine for the cats. Its easier to give the dog what she needs so thats why i make hers (its cheaper too). The cats are currently on Natures Menu and James Wellbeloved, so they have a variety of foods. I also regularly give them a mix of raw meat (chicken or beef when i am cooking it), plus cooked chicken, beef and fish (usually tuna, salmon or cod). they sometimes have prawns too.

I was looking through the link you sent. i think the problem i may have is the food items they haven't had before - i have fed them venison and rabbit in the past too (not that they are spoilt ). So def looking into this properly.

We are also going to try the de-sensitization process the vet mentioned. Its gonna be an expensive new year!

Expensive but well worth it

Completely. She's always been a sickly cat since i had her (reacted to her vaccine the first year she had it, was rushed into the vets on Christmas Eve, which was a sunday). I wouldn't change her for the world. In her first 6 weeks of life she wasn't shown any love or affection and she is the most cuddly and loving cat. I am more than happy to spend what it costs to get her sorted and well again.

Bit of an update for anyone who may be interested!

We changed vets for the dog (traumatised from vaccination experience) and as we were having a check up at new vets today, mentioned my Lucie cat. The vet mentioned they have a consultant dermatologist who was there today, did we want to see her. I figured we may as well as i am still waiting on my current vet to phone me to discuss food options for the food trial!

Spent AGES discussing Lucie's history and going through her file (vets faxed it over) and she then had a look at her. She actually stopped the overgrooming when i got pregnant (but i miscarried so expecting it to start up again) so not as bald as she usually is. She said that she had evidence of allergy (fair enough) and it was presenting 2 types of dermatitis. She thinks that we should put her on a new drug for cats (been licenced in dogs for years, now licenced for cats too) as she felt we should try to get her better first (she does look bad). She also said given that she has been exposed to most of the protein groups and she wont eat dry (therefore the hydrolysed they rec is no good) that we should wait before trying a food trial.

So we have a new plan of action:

She had to have bloods taken before she could go on this drug (Feline aids, leukemia and toxoplasmosis). As they were taking this, they also took blood to do an allergy screening.

In the meantime we are to move her on to stronghold (aloong with other animals in house) and treat every 2 weeks for 6 weeks, then move to monthly. Do the house as normal. this will help make sure its not a flea allergy.

We should soon get test results back and to start her on the drug. We can also assess the allergy testing and see aboutstarting desensitization testing once she's a bit more normal. Feeling more confident about this.

So need to speak to the insurance about claiming for all this as it looks like it will be expensive - today's appointment cost £600!!!