How to get rid of skin problems with your cat

In case of itching, you must first rule out that it’s not caused by parasites, such as fleas and mites. If the itching is not caused by parasites, it is important to find out exactly what the cat is and has been eating, including supplements, treats and snacks. Best is to keep this in some sort of a food diary for a period of a week. As a result, you can easily see or show to a vet what your cat has been eating or snacking on and how eating patterns differ from before.

Elimination period. On the basis of this diary a hypoallergenic (veterinary) diet be recommended. This can be products like VitalCare SENSITIVE Hypoallergenic as has been made available in Indonesia, or one of Prins dietary /veterinary product, such as Prins VitalCare Veterinary Diet SKIN & INTESTINAL Hypoallergenic or Prins VitalCare Veterinary Diet HYPOALLERGENIC Moderate Calorie. A hypoallergenic diet is also called an elimination diet. This veterinary food preferably contains an animal protein that the cat has not eaten before, such as duck or shrimp. The VitalCare SENSITIVE Hypoallergenic contains ikan herring.

Rice, potato or corn are often used as a carbohydrate source. These are the least likely to trigger a hypersensitivity reaction.

During the elimination period it is important that only the recommended Hypoallergenic nutrition is given!

Absolutely no snacks or in-betweens should be given. It is also important that your beloved cat does not find other food outside the house. Therefore, preferably do not let your cat outside temporarily.

Try different foods step-by-step

Provocation period. When all the symptoms of the food allergy have disappeared, you can carefully try adding other ingredients to the cat’s diet. This is also called the provocation period. A new protein source is then added for one to two weeks. Then, once symptoms return, it is clear your cat is allergic to that particular animal protein or gluten.

If your cat just really likes the Prins hypoallergenic food, you can safely continue to feed your cat with this product.

Additional advice in case of food allergy

It’s already hard enough to find out what exactly your cat is allergic to or has a hypersensitivity to. That is why the Prins CareTeam happily gives some additional advice to achieve faster results.

During the dietary period, do not give any extras such as snacks, in-betweens or table scraps. This also contains proteins, which means that the allergy may well be maintained.
Preferably divide the daily amount of food over several small meals per day. This way the hypersensitivity reaction is triggered less quickly.
If there are other pets in the house, feed the cat separately and prevent it from eating other foods. If it is not possible to feed the cat separately, it is advisable to temporarily put the other cats on the same food diet as well.
Do not let the cat outside (temporarily) to prevent it from scavenging something to eat elsewhere.
Take pictures of the skin and coat problems. It may take 6 to 8 weeks to see results. The pictures allow you to see and follow any improvements.
Let the rest of the family know that the cat is on a diet and ask them not to give the cat snacks.
Store the food in a cool and dry environment. This preserves the quality and preserves the palatability.