Poor Blackbeard

I have a male cat, about 6 years old.  For his entire life, he has thrown up his food once or twice a week.  For the past 6 months, his vomiting has gotten so severe, almost every time he eats.  He also began to lose his fur on his entire hind area and fronts of arms.  I had taken him to the vet who told me that the hair loss was probably fleas and he was 11 pounds and otherwise appeared very healthy.  While he has not lost weight, I switched his diet to things I cook for him, (such as a boiled meat or canned light tuna in oil, and then I mix that with rice), as I suspected some kind of allergy.  At first, he did pretty well.   Now it seems like he throws up almost every time he eats.  He still has not lost any weight, but the hair loss is out of control and the vomiting is as well.  Do you have any suggestions?   Also, his temperment has stayed wonderful, he is feisty and happy and loving.

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

It could very well be food allergies.  You must place him on a diet composed of a totally novel protein source and either a small amount of potato's, sweet potato's, green pea, pumpkin or other green leafy vegetable that your cat find's palatable.  Cat's do not have a requirement for grains of any kind in their diets.  

There are a number of prescription foods that meet this requirement such as Hill's Z/D diet, Royal Canin Rabbit and pea, or venison and pea for instance.  If you used one of the prescription diets you would not have to worry about vitamins and minerals since they are included in the diets.  Only use canned cat food.  Never dry food.

You must continue the diet without cheating for a minimum of 8 weeks.  You should also use a probiotic such as RX-Biotic, I-Flora, or Culturelle sprinkled in his food, which helps with digestion.

Other causes of intermittant vomiting are hyperthyroid disease, and other metabolic diseases, Inflammatory bowel disease and others.

Hair loss could also be a result of food allergies.

There is a good allergy medication that may be able to help called Atopica.  Ask you vet about it.  Good Luck!