Food sensitivity in cats with chronic idiopathic gastrointestinal problems

The objectives of this study were to investigate the prevalence of food sen sitivity in cats with chronic idiopathic gastrointestinal problems, to iden tify the food ingredients responsible, and to characterize the clinical fea tures. Seventy cats that presented for chronic gastrointestinal signs under went diagnostic investigation. Fifty-five cars had idiopathic problems and were entered into the study. Diagnosis of food sensitivity was made by diet ary elimination-challenge studies by using commercial selected-protein diet s as the elimination diet. Sixteen (29%) of the 55 cats with chronic idiopa thic gastrointestinal problems were diagnosed as food sensitive. The clinic al signs of another 11 cats (20%) resolved on the elimination diet but did not recur after challenge with their previous diet. The foods or food ingre dients responsible for the clinical signs were dietary staples. Fifty perce nt of affected cats were sensitive to more than 1 food ingredient. The clin ical feature most suggestive of food sensitivity was concurrent occurrence of gastrointestinal and dermatological signs. Weight loss occurred in 11 of the affected cats, and large-bowel diarrhea was more common than small-bow el diarrhea. Assay of serum antigen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) had lim ited value as a screening test, and gastroscopic food sensitivity testing w as not helpful. In conclusion, adverse reactions to dietary staples were co mmon in this population of cats, and they responded well to selected-protei n diets. Diagnosis requires dietary elimination-challenge trials and cannot be made on the basis of clinical signs, routine clinicopathological data, serum antigen-specific IgE assay, gastroscopic food sensitivity testing, or gastrointestinal biopsy.