Cat Foods That Trigger Allergies

An abandoned cat that I rescued was showing signs of a cat cold constantly even though he was current with all of his vaccines. When I asked how he could be sick the veterinarian informed me that the vaccines were like the human flu vaccines being that it did not protect you from all strains of the virus.

We were told that our cat may be sick from household stress and was advised to buy the Feliway products for our home and the veterinarian suggestions to give our cat Viralys L-lysine supplement to boost his immune system. After doing everything that we were asked our cat still had cold symptoms which included the feline herpes virus, coughing, sneezing and eye drainage.

Here is a video that is helpful in learning more about foods your cat may be allergic to

Our veterinarian was certain that these symptoms were coming on due to the stress of being abandoned, rescued and living indoors. They noted that it was common to have sick cats in multiple cat homes where there were also dogs and any changes to a cat's life could cause the cat to get colds due to the stress.

I can understand that BUT my cats and dogs all got along and normally when one cat is sick they all are and none of my other cats had symptoms of cold or another feline virus.

When none of the other cats got cold like symptoms I thought that what my cat may have is food allergies. So I changed the cat's food to Natural Balance limited ingredients duck flavor because if a cat is allergic to food then you should stay away from chicken, beef, grain, gluten, egg and seafood including salmon as these foods will trigger allergies symptoms.

After feeding the limited ingredients duck cat food for a week I noticed that the cats cold like symptoms went away. I am certain that the food I was feeding my cat was causing him to have an allergic reaction.

From Chewy.com website a quote: “If your furry feline has a sensitivity to fillers and additives found in most canned cat food, natural balance L.I.D. Green pea & duck formula is a perfect choice! duck meat, duck broth, duck liver, and real peas provide the vitamins and minerals needed, with no grains or fillers tiger wouldn’t eat in the wild. Limited ingredient diets are great for cats of any age with food sensitivities, or for owners that want a simple, wholesome, natural meal for their pet. They are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals needed for a long, healthy life”

Here are some shopping links for limited ingredient duck food formulated for cats. Know that you should always seek veterinarian care before making changes to cats lifestyle because your cat may have another health condition.

Chewy.comNatural Balance Limited Ingredients Cat Food

Cats Choose their People

Cats are social animals that will choose the people they want to be with and the yards that they want to visit. Some visits are daily and other visits seem like the cat will never go home.

Know that when neighborhood cats visit your yard that it means that the yard has a positive energy, Cats visit my yard daily, they drink from my pond, lie in my clover garden and lounge on my patio furniture. These cats are feral, stray and cats from the neighborhood. My neighbor has a pond and a natural looking yard but no cats go to their yard and I suspect it is due to the energy, they do not like cats and the felines sense this.

Here are some cat cards that I created from the photographs I took of the cats that have chosen my yard.

Beautiful Tabby Cat in Grass Garden Photo Postcard

Feral Kittens in Garden Postcard

My husband and I love cats, but that does not mean that we do not respect their space, as we make no attempts to bond with them because if we did they would not go home. We care for a feral and stray cat colony that is away from my home but we do not put out a bowl of cat food in our yard.

Know that over the years I have had two neighborhood cats decide that their visit would be indefinite. Both cats had no intention of going back to their homes. Both cats were from the same family and they were subjected to abuse. The cats decided that they wanted to live at my house and showed me that I was the chosen one by jumping up on the bench where I sat to lie next to me when I read my book in the garden.

Eventually, I did put out a bowl of food and fresh water for these cats. I also opened the kitty door on my shed so they could take shelter when the weather was extreme heat, cold and the rain.

Photo card of feral cat being fed in winter

Cat in Snow with Greeting Christmas Card

But before I did any of the above I researched the family and found that the mother was a hoarder and that she had many cats that did not get along. She trained her cats by allowing them to fight among themselves and work out their indifference. The cats that got beat up were put outdoors and the cats that ruled the house lived indoors.

Both cats that came to my yard, arrived with multiple bite wounds, and these cats were seniors, age 14 and 17. The cats choose to my yard as they are free to leave anytime between 6 AM and 7 PM ( the time when the cat shed is opened/closed.) The cats were always prompt to go in for the night because they choose their people.

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If you are thinking of adopting a cat or a kitten then I would recommend that you allow the cat to choose you. Whenever we have taken in feral or rescue kittens I have told the adopters to sit away from the kittens then wait for the kitten to approach them. To allow the kitten to check them out and the kitten that shows affection is the one that has chosen them as their person. These unions have been very good and no kittens were returned to me.

Where Do Cats Go When They Leave Their Yard

Many cat owners wonder where their cats go when they leave their yard. Some cats are gone for days and others for longer periods of time. Pet owners have no idea where their cats go but they assume that eventually, their cat will come home.

Kitten came to live with us, no pet owner ever found

Your neutered or spayed cat vocally tells you that they want to go outside and soon as you open the door they bolt past you and run out of the yard. You call for your cat but they do not look back. Where is your cat going and will it come back?

Lost kitten being cared for 

Cats are social and many times they will leave their yard to go hang out with other neighborhood cats. They will also go to neighbors house provided there is a cat food bowl on the porch or catnip growing in their garden. Cats will also hang out in a neighbor's yard or a vacant lot that has a natural setting overgrown grass, brush and trees. 

(If you cat is not neutered or spayed then they will leave to mate and come home only when exhausted and hungry or they may not come home because they wandered too far and got lost.  I recommend that all cats are sterilized) 

Overall cats will leave their yard to be social and to hang out elsewhere and then go home when they are hungry or want to sleep on their favorite chair with their best friend "the dog or other cats".

Here is a photo card I created of my socialized feral cat with my dog.  They are best friends and always sleep together.

Pit Bull and Tabby Cat Friends Forever Card

But….What about the cat that leaves their yard for days/weeks? There are two reasons why cats do this. One they wander too far and get lost or something in their home has changed and they do not want to live there anymore.  They find their home to be stressful and want to leave.

Know that I have had two of my neighbor's cats come to live in my yard for six months and one never went home. They one cat owner came looking for their cat after four months had past and told me that they had adopted a young female that was nasty to their older male cat, so they put the male cat outdoors, kept female indoors and assumed their male housecat would adjust. The cat left their home and decided they like my home better. Here is the article I published about one of the cats that left his people and came to live me.