I recently reviewed Merrick’s Purrfect Bistro line, and mentioned at the end of that review that I was excited about their brand new Limited Ingredient Diet line, which wasn’t available yet at the time. Why was I so excited about it? Because it is made by a company who, in my opinion, does almost everything right when it comes to pet food sourcing and manufacturing, with one exception: the Purrfect Bistro line contains carrageenan. The new Limited Ingredient line does not.Continue Reading
food allergy
Can You Trust Cat Food Labels?
Pet food labels should be a useful tool to help cat guardians decide which foods to select. Unfortunately, unless you know how to interpret the often confusing information on the labels, they may only add to the confusion. I’ve previously written about how to read a pet food label, but it turns out that you may not be able to trust the information on the label. Continue Reading
Food Allergies in Cats
Cats can develop allergies or “intolerances” to ingredients commonly found in commercial cat foods. The most common ingredients that cause allergies are chicken, fish and corn, as well as grains and dairy products. However, an allergy can develop to any protein to which the cat is repeatedly or constantly exposed, and sometimes, allergies develop over time.
Symptoms of food allergies
Food allergies may manifest as itchy skin, rashes or excessive grooming, or as digestive symptoms, including vomiting or diarrhea. Digestive symptoms often mimic those of inflammatory bowel disease.
Diagnosis of food allergies through a food elimination trialContinue Reading
Feline Allergies
Allergies are an extreme reaction of the immune system to common substances in a cat’s every day environment. Feline allergies can be a vexing problem for cat guardians and veterinarians. This article provides an overview of allergy symptoms, and of how feline allergies are diagnosed and treated.
Feline allergy symptoms
Allergies can manifest with a wide array of symptoms:
- Sneezing, coughing and wheezing
- Itchy skin/increased scratching
- Itchy, runny eyesContinue Reading