It’s been roughly a six-eight month journey, and I need help.

My kitty, 2FS, recently developed allergies to SOMETHING… I have been bringing her to the vet for months with every flare-up.

Initially, the vet went straight to “food allergies”, so we’ve been on a strict hypoallergenic prescription (pricey) diet with no treaties. But then the flare-ups kept happening.
Fast forward to a few hundred dollars in vet visits and steroids, I finally had enough and requested skin biopsies and bloodwork.. after an EVEN MORE expensive vet procedure for both biopsy and bloodwork, it turns out she has skin allergies… or something along the lines of “it’s something irritating her skin that’s causing flare-ups”.
Vet insisted on staying on strict diet, gave us both steroids and “A-topica For Cats” as a daily treatment (8lb dose for… forever).
We’ve been consistent with the meds(we have a routine down and everything.. before bed) and diet, and within the last week she’s begun to itch again. To the point we noticed she got a spot on her right-lower jaw itched a little raw. We put the cone on her and kept the area clean and maintained. Today, I noticed the healing and took her cone off at lunch, and when I got home I saw the cone on her again. When asked, my boyfriend said she got next to her eye. So I looked at her and did notice a little bit of purple swelling and went “okay, I’ll call the vet tomorrow and figure it out”.
Right as we’re off to bed, we go to give her the nightly dose of meds (A-topica) and I notice the bit more significant swelling and some green goo in her eye. Great, it’s infected. So we took pictures, I sent them to my vet and will be calling first thing in the morning.

I’m here, right now, so frustrated and crying over this because I feel as though I’m failing my baby. The six to eight months (it’s been going on so long idk the time frame clearly) my poor girl has depressingly lived in the stupid cone off-and-on to stop herself from itching her face, being stressed into the vets and medications, and eating flavorless vet-prescribed food just for it to keep happening. She’s only two. I just want her to be healthy and happy and I feel so bad for her.

I’ve analyzed and went over EVERY possible factor—could she have developed allergies to the dogs? Is it her cat litter? Is there something in the house? Could it be something in the water? Could there be something my boyfriend touches on a daily at his maintenance job that he gets on her when he picks her up?… is it me? My perfume? My shampoo? Our detergent for clothing?

I’m literally at a loss and I just don’t know where to go from here.

My “next step” is the litter. I know a lot of places are changing formulas, and I’ve been using the same “Purina Tidy Cats” for her whole life… maybe this is the problem?

I will also be looking into a “not-so-standard” litter pan—because maybe the plastic one is also contributing.

I’ve been doing a lot of research, but I’m having difficulties navigating what is actually a good litter for a kitty with skin allergies.
I cannot use walnut-based litters, because I am allergic to walnuts.
I keep coming upon “Boxie Cat”—and of course it seems appealing, the “hypoallergenic”, “99% dust free” and the “natural ingredients”… specifically the “Gently Scented or Unscented” versions.
The reviews are so mixed with literally every cat litter, even Boxie Cat, that it worries that I’ll be adding fuel to her allergy fire.

I guess I’m hoping SOMEONE here has a kitty with similar issues and litter recommendations.

I need help. I feel so helpless not being able to keep her from flaring-up… and ruining her life with the cone. I was really hoping the meds would just make things better for us all, and idk anymore. I’m at a complete loss.

(I want to add, that the thought of giving her up was and is never an option)

I’m 33f in the US, have been regularly going to the vet for this issue, and can afford the care…because apparently I need to include this information in the post..

Not long ago, I saw my cat's show teeth (the ones he chews with) and was surprised that they were covered in tartar, and some were blackened.

I started giving them a special toothpaste, but it obviously didn't fix the problem.

So, I'm curious to know if anyone has taken their cat to the vet to have the tartar removed, and if anyone is doing any preventative measures at home.

Over the last few months my little void has been loosing her fur on her flank. I don’t know if it’s her over grooming or her age (she’s 10). But does anyone have any suggestions to help with a regrowth of the fur? I started to give her something but I would love to hear other suggestions!

Hi everyone,

I am hoping to hear from people who may have experienced something similar with their cats. We have been dealing with this problem for almost two years, and we are feeling very frustrated and helpless.

**Required information:**

* **Species:** Cat
* **Age:** 3 years old
* **Sex/Neuter status:** Female, spayed
* **Breed:** Possibly a Nebelung mix / domestic longhair
* **Body weight:** Approximately 5 kg / 11 lb
* **History:** Severe recurring dermatitis and itching since mid-2024. She has been evaluated by several veterinarians, including a feline dermatologist, and has received multiple treatments with only temporary or inconsistent improvement.
* **Clinical signs:** Intense itching and scratching around the eyebrows, eyes, chin, whisker area, and occasionally the abdomen. She scratches until she causes open wounds. She also recently developed repeated vomiting after restarting cyclosporine.
* **Duration:** Since approximately mid-2024
* **Your general location:** Chile
* **Links to any test results, X-rays, vet reports, etc. that you have:** No links available at the moment. Her blood test results were reported as normal.

**Full history:**

My cat has had severe dermatitis since around mid-2024. She mainly scratches:

* Her eyebrows and the area around her eyes
* Her chin and whisker area
* Occasionally, her abdomen

She scratches so intensely that she causes open wounds.

Over this time, she has tried several treatments, including:

* Prednisone
* Dermisolona
* Chlorphenamine
* Cleaning the affected areas with chlorhexidine
* Mupirocin
* An Elizabethan collar

Unfortunately, none of these treatments managed to control the problem.

In December 2025, she was evaluated by a feline dermatologist. She improved significantly while taking Medrol, but the itching returned after the medication was stopped.

In January 2026, she began treatment with:

* Cyclosporine
* Pregabalin
* Medrol as a temporary bridge treatment

This was the treatment that worked best. She almost completely stopped scratching, and her skin lesions disappeared.

We later stopped the cyclosporine because of its cost. A few weeks later, her symptoms returned.

In May 2026, we restarted the same treatment plan with cyclosporine, Medrol, and pregabalin. However, this time her response was very different. Even after more than two months, she still had significant itching and skin lesions.

About two weeks ago, our veterinarian decided to try a different approach:

* Medrol again
* A completely strict Virbac HPM Allergy diet, with absolutely no other food, treats, or supplements
* Cleaning the affected areas with Prontosan

During the first few days, she seemed to improve. However, around day 10, she returned almost completely to her previous condition and began scratching herself until she developed wounds again.

As a final attempt, the veterinarian recommended adding:

* Cyclosporine
* Pregabalin
* Monthly Revolution Plus

However, after restarting the cyclosporine, she began vomiting repeatedly. The vomit was yellowish or transparent and sometimes contained small spots of blood.

Because of this, our veterinarian told us to stop the systemic medications again and continue only with topical treatment until her stomach stabilizes.

Some other important details:

* Her blood test results were normal
* She previously tried a rabbit-based diet for approximately one month, with no improvement
* She is now undergoing a completely strict hydrolyzed diet trial
* There have been no significant changes at home
* She has the same environment, routines, and other pets around her

We still do not have a definitive diagnosis. The main suspicion is allergic dermatitis, either food-related or environmental, but we have not been able to identify the cause or find a treatment that keeps her stable.

Has anyone experienced anything similar with their cat? Did you eventually find out what was causing it? Were there any tests, diagnoses, medications, diets, or environmental changes that finally helped?

I understand that Reddit cannot replace veterinary care, and she is still being treated and monitored by her veterinarian. I am mainly looking for experiences from people who may have gone through a similar situation.

Any experiences or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Watching her go through this for such a long time has been incredibly difficult. 😞

**Note:** English is not my first language, so I used AI to help me translate and organize this post as clearly and accurately as possible. All of the medical history and information described above are real.

my baby has asthma and our older vet said there’s not bunch can be done, she’ll always just have asthma. all my friends say that’s bogus and i would like some advice on where to start seeking help for my cat. thanks :)

My 5-year-old male Bengal has had respiratory issues since he was young. Before I adopted him, he had **multiple documented pneumonias**, chronic cough, and recurring respiratory infections that improved with antibiotics (Clavamox, Veraflox, doxycycline, azithromycin). FeLV/FIV, heartworm, and multiple respiratory PCR panels have all been negative.

About 2 weeks after I adopted him (he was 4 at the time), he started having strange “attacks.” The attacks are the same now as they were a year ago. They last about a minute and involve extending his neck low to the ground with snake-like head movements and noisy/gunky breathing. No typical coughing or wheezing but ya it’s probably an asthma attack.

Prednisolone stopped the attacks completely, but they return when steroids are stopped. Chest X-rays have consistently shown a bronchial pattern, and my vet diagnosed asthma. He’s now on inhaled fluticasone 2 puffs a day, but still has intermittent attacks despite treatment. Also have tried OTC stuff like lysine chlorpheneramine and cerenia. I’ve also changed litter like 10 times and have an air filter.

What confusing is on top of this he has:
\- Chronic sneezing
\- Green/yellow nasal discharge and boogers
\- Occasional high-pitched whistling when breathing through his nose
\- Symptoms that improve dramatically on doxycycline and or steroids but recur a few weeks after stopping it

He’s otherwise doing well:
\- Active and playful
\- Normal resting respiratory rate (20-30)
\- Attacks are brief and self-resolve
\- Never open-mouth breathes
\- Maintains his weight around 8 lb (vet says mildly underweight but stable)

My primary vet isn’t overly concerned because he sounds better on exams than he used to, but I feel like we’re treating “asthma” while something else may also be going on.

Some possibilities I’ve wondered about are:
Asthma plus chronic rhinitis
Chronic bacterial infection
Bronchiectasis from previous pneumonias
Structural upper airway problem
Something rarer like primary ciliary dyskinesia

My guess is an internal medicine consult with CT and bronchoscopy/BAL would likely the next step, but currently difficult financially right now.

Would CT or bronchoscopy actually change the diagnosis or treatment?

Does this sound like something that can remain stable for years, or should I be pushing for advanced diagnostics as soon as possible?

I’d appreciate any experiences or advice.

My 14 year old male cat presented to the vet yesterday with lethargy, decreased appetite and wheezing. Vet found fluid around his lungs and high white blood cell count in his blood work. Vet was unable to aspirate any fluid because it was a small amount and didn’t feel comfortable with how close it was to his lungs. So we didn’t get a full diagnosis, just some possibilities and congestive heart failure was pretty much ruled out because he is responding well to corticosteroids, along with antibiotics and a diuretic. We aren’t out of the woods yet, but the medicine is helping. We have a follow up appointment next week to check on how he is doing. But as I am doing more research this seems to be a very dangerous thing to happen to a cat and I have read a large amount of owners who have lost their cats to this. I am specifically looking for people to share stories about their cats who have had fluid around their lungs but were able to bounce back and live long lives. Also any advice is welcomed. Thank you.

Hi everyone. I’m looking for another opinion or advice about my cat’s situation. Before anyone tells me to go to the vet, I’ve already seen two different vets, and at this point I can’t afford to keep paying for appointments that end with vague answers.

I got my cat (short hair calico) when she was 8 weeks old (born September 2024). Before she was spayed (August 2025), she peed on my bed 2-3 times. I took her to the vet, and they ran a urine test, but the results were inconclusive. They prescribed antibiotics anyway, and shortly after that she was spayed.

Once she turned a year old after being spayed, I switched her from kitten food to adult food. After about a month, I noticed bright red blood in her stool. At the time I couldn’t afford another vet visit, so I spoke with the clinic’s front desk. They suggested trying probiotics because it might be colitis. I started giving her probiotics, and they seemed to help. The blood became much less frequent.

Fast forward to May/June this year, and the blood came back even though I never stopped giving the probiotics. I went back to the first vet, and they recommended blood work and a fecal test. I wasn’t ready to do those immediately, so they prescribed deworming medication and metronidazole instead.

For some background, when she got her vaccines I had asked if she needed to be dewormed, and they told me no, so she had never been dewormed before this.

I decided to get a second opinion from another vet that offers lower-cost care. Unfortunately, they also weren’t sure what was causing it. I went ahead with the blood work there, and everything came back normal. The only thing slightly elevated was her glucose, but they said that could have been because she was extremely stressed.

The second vet also recommended deworming medication. The problem was that it came as a liquid, and giving it to her was almost impossible. She would foam at the mouth, and if I mixed it with food she refused to eat it. I asked if they could prescribe a pill instead, and then they suddenly told me it was okay if I didn’t give it at all??!?!!

At this point, I’m heartbroken because she’s still having blood in her stool, and I feel like I’m not getting any clear answers. Both vets seemed unsure what was going on, and I left feeling like I was doing most of the talking instead of getting guidance.

Has anyone experienced something similar with their cat? If so:
\- What ended up being the cause?
\- Did anything help?
\- Is there anything I should specifically ask the vet to test for if I can afford another visit?

She otherwise seems like a happy, playful cat and eats normally. I also have pictures of the stool if that would help, and I’m happy to answer any questions or provide more information.

Thank you so much to anyone who takes the time to read this. I really appreciate any advice or experiences you can share.

My cat had fungus infection all over his body about 1-2 months ago, his infection is gone now but there hasn't been much progress in his fur growth, the doctor said it'll grow back eventually when the infection was gone but I just don't see it, will it take more time, or is there something else I have to do? Do I have to use a certain type of shampoo or an ointment or something else to help his fur growth? Or will it take more time than usual for it to grow?

Hi y’all. My cat is a ~5 y/o boy who is FIV+ (neutered!). He was rescued like 5-6 months ago and is adjusting great to life with me for the last 10ish weeks. He’s super happy and playful most of the time, loves cuddles and attention.

He’s been having these periodic tummy ache spells for… I think this is the fifth or sixth time now? It happens almost ten days apart like clockwork. When it happens, he vomits three to five times, generally every two-ish hours or so. He gets very lethargic and sad, and has no interest in food—which is major, because he is always always ALWAYS hungry and follows me into the kitchen almost every single time I go in there. I try not to take him in until he’s puked three or more times and after one super unproductive midnight ER visit, only take him during my primary care vet’s regular hours.

At the vet, we’ve done X-rays, blood tests, and ultrasounds but the only things of note were incredibly low white blood cell count the first time and slightly elevated the next, as well as a slightly large kidney on one side (still within normal range) and slightly thickened intestinal walls. He’s had a very low grade fever two of the times I’ve brought him in. The vet said we could be looking at something like IBD or an unresolved infection best case scenario, and then there’s some nastier and/or sadder stuff for worst case scenario of course.

Anyway, it’s been about 11 days, going strong, until he puked again this afternoon. Based on the patterns, it’s unlikely it’ll just be the once, but I’ll be keeping an eye on it.

I’m not asking for anyone to diagnose him, but I’m wondering if anyone has had something similar with their cat? The befuddling part to me is the (in)frequency of it being like a week and a half apart every time and the low grade fevers. What gives?!

can i use nexgard combo spot-on treatment and a syrup/tablet dewormer at the same time? also, can i use tablet dewormer for my 3 month old kitten ?

for context, i’ve been finding small worm in my kitten’s stool for a month now and recently, i found what looked like golden rice on MY bed which i believe it to be tapeworm eggs. i’m very horrified because she always sleeps in my bed but i’ll feel bad if i suddenly make her sleep anywhere else. i need a very quick solution because i have an extreme fear of worms 😭😭😭 can i use both spot-on and oral deworming treatments?

p.s. i got her when she was 2 months old so she’s only been with me for a month now, and i’ve only dewormed her once since her next schedule is next week

I have had a cat for close to 17 years.

My first cat I got as a kitten. She adjusted very quickly.

When she was about eight years old, I rehomed another cat… this one an adult about five years old. From the same breeder as the first cat. It took her about a week to settle into the routine. She was very happy, loving and healthy and recently died at the age of 15.

Nearly 3 years ago I got another kitten. Despite many warnings from this different breeder…. I brought Home this fixed three month old male kitten, expecting that he would be hiding and be shy… as soon as I walked in the door and opened the carrier, he took a flying leap onto my 3 foot high scratching post. Standing atop of it, as if he were enacting a scene from The Lion King. He’s been ruling the roost since that first day.

My friend, the British shorthair breeder rehomed another cat with me. A week ago I brought home a six-year-old brown tuxie. The first thing I did upon bringing her home… after an eight hour ride… I opened the carrier in the bathroom. She used the litter box. And she vanished into the house.

I stuck around in the den. Figuring she would find her way into the kitchen and have something to eat. And I would be here to be with her. I fell asleep on the sofa. When I woke up…. She was sleeping behind me behind the sofa.

I talked to her. I tried to feed her treats. And she stayed behind the couch. She ate and used the litter box…stayed behind the sofa venturing out into the den the first day. She ate and use the litter box. I went upstairs and straightened up the house…came back down. She was in the downstairs bathroom tub.

I sat on the edge of the tub and petted her. My kitten came in and peeked into the tub.
My new cat leaked out of the tub and chased him.

I couldn’t find her a few hours later. She was hiding under the desk in my office.
I went to give her cookies… and she ran away again!

I found her in the cubbyhole of the cat tree the next morning. When I saw her again…. She ran away!

I do not know where she is. She is eating. She’s using the litter boxes…She has been upstairs in my empty master bedroom. I have searched high and low, and I cannot find her.

A week ago tonight I brought her home.

My 17 year-old cat and my two year-old kitten follow me room to room. And I do not know where my new cat is.

What should I do?

How long will it take my new kitty to settle in?

Thank you for any help you can offer.

My girl is 9 months old and weights 2.5kg, she is a small cat with a low appetite. She has never been food motivated, I’ve tried lots of brands and types of food and she always eats a few mouth fulls and walks off. Roughly half of her wet food goes in the bin daily. She free feeds kibble. I try to give her half a tub of kitten pate in the evening but have to spoon feed her to get her to eat it.

She has started shaking her head for the last week. I cleaned her ears with some Hypoclorous acid on cotton pads and the vet looked in her ears but couldn’t see anything. I will give her spot on flea and worm treatment tomorrow.

She also pants after intense zoomies, not all the time but I’ve seen her do it maybe 5 times now in the space of the last month. I’m worried she’s not eating / not growing / small because she has a heart defect or something? She is a sweet playful girl who just got spayed last week and is recovering from that so I’m trying not to over excite her but usually we play a lot. I have to put treats in her food to get her in to the idea of eating and she LOVES churu but I’m finding myself having to bribe her to eat and drink with them. Not great practice.

Does any of this sound normal or alarming?

We have a lovely 7 year old cat and have been told his canine teeth are dead and could be removed to prevent problems down the road. They could also do a cleaning at the same time. Question, is that a destructive procedure and necessary? I know cats don't show pain and are pretty stoic and I dont think its a problem now, but having dead canine teeth eventually can be an issue?

Has anyone done preventative extractions like that and it was a good idea or a bad idea?

Also is like $1500 but would rather do it if it helps him long run for sure!

If your cat has feline asthma, I would love to know what signs you notice and what made you take them into the vet. I would also love to know what test the vet did to diagnose.

What about if your cat has ever had a respiratory infection?

Note: I have a lot of anxiety about my pets, so please try to keep it more factual than terrifying or I will spiral in an unproductive way. We already have a vet appointment and whatever is happening seems relatively mild. Thank you!

My cat had fungus infection all over his body about 1-2 months ago, his infection is gone now but there hasn't been much progress in his fur growth, the doctor said it'll grow back eventually when the infection was gone but I just don't see it, will it take more time, or is there something else I have to do? Do I have to use a certain type of shampoo or an ointment or something else to help his fur growth? Or will it take more time than usual for it to grow?

Cat age: 13
Neutered, female
Main issue: Cat hasn’t been using the litter box like normal. She is eating and drinking normally but has begun to pee/poop outside the litter box. In our bedroom, on the bed and floor. She did this once before (last year) when we had been gone for two weeks and I figured she was just mad we left. We haven’t been around as much as normal with it being the summer time so the first time I thought it was because of that. But she has been doing it once a day the past two days. We recently moved her litter box bc we had guests over. We have since moved it back and are hoping this solves the problem. She is moving around normally, getting up and down from the couch and bed like normal. Any big issues we should be looking for? With her age is this concerning enough for a vet trip? I’ve never had a senior cat before so this is all new. Thank you for reading.
Age: 37
Country: USA
Vet accessible, can afford vet care

Hi, I’ve already set up a vet appointment but want to make sure this isn’t an emergency. My cat has these weird skin folds on her upper chest, a little bit in her armpits as well, and it just feels like loose skin. She’s around 8 months old, no known health issues, and has been acting totally normal. She was spayed when we got her around a month ago, but because she was in heat during the time of the procedure she had to have a larger incision and there was more swelling than usual (she’s healed completely from that though). This is my first time owning a cat so I’m just very worried and want to make sure everything is ok. I also tried looking up what it could be but everything just says primordial pouch despite it being in a different location. Also she is not dehydrated, she drinks enough water and her skin does not stay tented when pinched. Any advice is appreciated thank you

Edit: it totally could be her primordial pouch and it’s just moving(?) cause of whatever way she’s sitting, i just have no idea

i have two cats, one is male and one is female, they’re siblings. they’re currently 6 months old, the male cat is bigger than the female cat, double her size, is it normal? also what other things should i know especially being a first time cat owner? and what are your tips on taking care of them? i would really appreciate if someone answer my questions!

Hi everyone! I’ve had my petkit liter-box since March, and it’s been amazing. Recently though, we noticed a lot of flies in our home. Little tiny ones- I thought they were fruit flies but once I went to empty and clean the liter-box, I noticed there was tons of flies in there and little larvae all over the collection bin where the moisture absorbing pack was. I don’t have any more of those moisture packets so I ordered more, but they haven’t come yet. In the meantime, I deep cleaned every part, made sure there was no larvae and even added some baking soda to the liter. Well, I just went to go check it again and noticed there’s already more flies in there. I didn’t notice any worms in his poop or anything suspicious looking other than the flies and larvae. Do we think this is caused solely because of the moisture, or should I be more worried about a possible health issue with my fur baby?? Has anyone else had this issue? We only have this one cat, no other animals. And he’s not acting sick at all. But these flies seem to be never ending and I’m worried about his health and just grossed out by there being flies in our place! We keep everything VERY clean so it’s shocking to me and I’m just wondering if that little bit of moisture really can cause this many flies so fast! Thanks everyone