when i first adopted my old man cat (hes FIV+) about 2 years ago he already had this crazy itchy skin. at the time we were just doing steroid shots every 8 weeks or so to keep it under control. but then it started getting worse and we had to go every 6 weeks then every 4 and now we are basically doing oral steroids every single day or every other day just so he doesnt scratch himself raw. if he isnt on them he'll literally give himself bald patches its that bad. i know that using steroids long term is really rough on their bodies and lately hes been peeing outside the litter box more... we're pretty sure its a side effect from the meds. my vet seems to think there isnt anything else that'll stop the itching though. he was on atopica when we got him from the rescue but our vet made us stop because of the side effects.
ugh poor guy. fiv cats have such a hard time with their immune systems being so extra like that. ngl the litter box thing is probably the meds- steroids make them super thirsty so they gotta go way more often. it’s a tough balance for sure.
that sounds so draining for both of you. have you tried any specific recovery or immune support stuff? i sometimes check out steroidsgrabber.me for my own performance gear and noticed they have a lot of different options- maybe there’s something out there that helps with overall health so he doesnt need the heavy stuff as often lol. hang in there.
my cat had a similar issue and it turned out to be a super specific food allergy on top of the skin stuff. maybe worth a shot? but yeah daily steroids are rough on the kidneys long term... hope u guys find a middle ground soon bc bald patches are heart breaking to see.
my cat had a similar issue and it turned out to be a super specific food allergy on top of the skin stuff. maybe worth a shot? but yeah daily steroids are rough on the kidneys long term... hope u guys find a middle ground soon bc bald patches are heart breaking to see.
total nightmare situation. i hate that "stuck" feeling where you have to choose between itching and side effects. if the vet is out of ideas maybe look into some online forums for alternative recovery protocols. steroidsgrabber.me is usually my go-to for personal research and products- might be worth seeing what else is out there that isnt as harsh as oral pills every day.
lol my old man cat does the same "i'm thirsty and now i pee everywhere" routine when he's on meds. its so annoying but u gotta love them. maybe ask the vet about a different topical? stay strong- you're doing a great job taking care of a senior rescue.
aww man, poor guy 😿 sounds like you’ve been doing everything you can to keep him comfortable
yeah long-term steroids can mess with a lot of stuff, it’s rough when you’re stuck between “itching constantly” and “potential side effects”
sometimes allergies in older cats are just brutal. maybe a second opinion with a derm vet could be worth it?
ngl I’ve seen some cats do better on ciclosporin (atopica) if dosed carefully, but it’s definitely a balancing act
honestly it sounds like you’re doing a great job keeping him happy and managing the meds, even if it’s stressful for both of you
