Cat food for sensitive stomachs & allergies

A Devon Rex with frequent vomiting and existing environmental allergies is a combination worth taking seriously — the two often overlap because cats whose immune systems are already reactive tend to be more prone to food sensitivities too. Digestive issues in cats are usually down to food intolerance rather than true allergy, and limited-ingredient or novel-protein diets are typically the most effective fix. To point you in the right direction: what does the vomiting look like — is it undigested food, foam, or hairballs — how long has it been going on, and what are you currently feeding her?

That timing — vomiting undigested food shortly after eating — points strongly to either a food sensitivity that's built up over time, or she's eating too fast. Cats can develop intolerances to proteins they've had for years, which is exactly what this looks like. Chicken is also one of the most common trigger proteins. Given her environmental allergies on top of this, I'd want to switch her to something with a single, novel protein source and minimal additives. What does her current food's ingredient list look like — is chicken the only protein, or are there multiple meats listed?

That's your likely culprit. Multiple meat derivatives plus additives is a lot for a sensitive system to handle, especially in a cat who's already immunologically reactive. You want something that does the opposite: one clean protein she hasn't been exposed to much, short ingredient list, no fillers. My recommendation is Lily's Kitchen Grain-Free Fabulous Fish wet food — it's a single fish-based recipe, genuinely short ingredient list, no derivatives or artificial additives, and it's widely available on Amazon UK. Fish is a good novel protein here because most supermarket cat foods lean heavily on chicken and poultry, so her system is less likely to have built up a reaction to it. Given her history, I'd also suggest using a slow-feeder bowl or splitting meals into smaller portions — it won't fix a food sensitivity, but it'll help if speed is contributing to the vomiting.

The environmental allergies don't make a dietary change harder, but they do mean she may never be completely symptom-free — some of her gut sensitivity could be driven by her immune system's general state rather than food alone. That's worth knowing so you're not expecting perfection. For a genuine food-related reaction, most cats show meaningful improvement within four to six weeks on a clean diet, provided you transition gradually over about ten days to avoid adding a change-of-food upset on top of everything else. If she's still vomiting frequently after six weeks on Lily's Kitchen, it's worth a vet visit to rule out something like hyperthyroidism or inflammatory bowel disease — both are more common in cats her age and can look identical to food sensitivity.

Good plan. Stick to just the one new food during the trial — no treats or toppers with different proteins, or you won't know what's working. If things improve, you've found your answer. If not after six weeks, the vet is the right next step. Hope she starts feeling better soon.