Nutmeg asks for a Salmon Stick.

Nutmeg asks for a Salmon Stick., a photo by Cooperscats Spain on Flickr.

Nutmeg has an allergy, but we don't know what to. The vet is reluctant to do blood allergy tests because it would involve extracting 5ml blood, quite a bit for a cat, and the tests may well not give a positive result if what she is allergic to isn't tested for.

We don't use chemicals such as floor cleaners, polishes, etc, around the home, or detergents when washing the cat bedding, or have plants around that she could nibble, and we've tried different cat foods, etc, etc. We have been through everything we can think of, but can't determine the cause.

Her symptoms are that she nibbles the fur on her forearms leaving bald patches and to start with, when severe, she had itchy spots between her eyebrows and ears.

For this allergy, she has to have a quarter or a half steroid tablet a day, depending on how itchy she is. If she's not itchy, she doesn't have to have a tablet. Her fur has grown back fairly well, but we do have to keep an eye on her.

The easiest way we have found to administer tablets to cats is inside part of a soft salmon stick treat. It's a bit labour intensive:

•  Break 1cm off end of soft salmon stick treat.
•  With pointy end of half a toothpick make hollow in end of soft salmon stick treat, being careful not to go all the way through.
•  With blunt end of half toothpick, push tablet into newly made hollow in soft salmon stick treat.
•  Squidge end of soft salmon stick treat together with fingers to conceal tablet.
•  Excite cat at the prospect of soft salmon stick treats, then administer drugged soft salmon stick treat, followed rapidly by further soft salmon stick treats, so cat's mind is on next soft salmon stick treat waving in front of his/her face rather than oddly flavoured soft salmon stick treat  currently being swallowed.

NB:  This method fails if your cat does not like soft salmon stick treats.

For Nutmeg, this process occurs every evening around 9pm, after we've had supper and I've washed up. Everyone gets treats, whether she has to have a tablet or not.  When I come in from the kitchen, Nutmeg starts reminding me that it's treat time . . .