Senior Devon Rex food allergy — novel protein fix

Cats age more gracefully than dogs in many ways, but once they hit their senior years they become genuinely prone to a handful of specific conditions — kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, dental disease, and arthritis are the big ones, and catching them early makes a real difference to quality of life. It sounds like your Devon Rex is also dealing with something else entirely: a reaction to their food. How old are they, what's been going on with the itching, and was it the food itself that triggered your search today?

Yes, exactly right — cats can develop food sensitivities at any age, and it's actually not uncommon for older cats to start reacting to proteins they've eaten for years. With Devon Rex cats specifically it's worth knowing the breed can have a slightly heightened tendency toward skin sensitivity anyway, so the combination of age and a high-exposure protein like chicken is a plausible trigger. The good news is that novel protein diets — proteins she's had little or no previous exposure to — tend to resolve this well. Before I point you to something specific: is she eating wet food, dry, or a mix? And has the vet suggested any dietary direction, or are you navigating this yourselves?

That's a sensible boundary to keep — senior formulas are worth maintaining at 13 because of the adjusted phosphorus levels alone, which matter a lot for kidney health as cats age. Given all of that, I'd point you toward Hill's Science Plan Adult 7+ with Rabbit. It's a proper senior formula with controlled phosphorus and adjusted protein levels for older cats, rabbit is a genuine novel protein for most cats who've been on mainstream chicken or turkey diets, and Hill's has good quality control around ingredient cross-contamination which matters when you're dealing with a sensitivity. The dry version is straightforward to find on Amazon UK. I'd give it a minimum of six to eight weeks before judging — skin reactions from food can take a while to fully clear once you remove the trigger.

At 13 there are a few things worth keeping on your radar. First, the itching resolved is the priority right now, but once you're through that, ask your vet about a senior blood panel if she hasn't had one recently — kidney disease and hyperthyroidism both creep up quietly in this age group and are much easier to manage when caught early. On supplements, omega-3s (specifically EPA and DHA from fish oil, not flaxseed) can genuinely help with skin barrier function and coat quality, and are worth adding once she's settled on the new food so you're not changing two things at once. Joint support is also worth thinking about in Devon Rex cats at this age — they're an active, agile breed and arthritis tends to sneak up on them. YuMOVE do a cat-specific joint supplement that's well regarded. But start with the food — get the itch resolved first.

That's the right call on both counts. The vet check at 13 is genuinely worthwhile regardless of the food situation — it'll give you a useful baseline. When you switch to the Hill's, transition gradually over about a week if she'll tolerate it, mixing increasing amounts of the new food in with the old. And if the itching hasn't improved meaningfully after eight weeks on the rabbit formula, go back to the vet — it's worth ruling out environmental allergens or other triggers if diet change doesn't fully resolve it. Hope she's more comfortable very soon.