Hey all! Been a while! I had to login and just update this post: I FIGURED IT OUT! Also, I want to punch my vet in the head. So, for the past few years I've been dealing with this weird allergy/biting thing. Steroid shots helped, pills didn't really. I'd gone so far as to give Safari a shirt to wear and for the last few months I've been using a soft cone to help keep her from biting. January 2016 I made a change in her diet to a better, higher-end dry food and immediately saw an improvement in her skin condition. I told this to the vet and he, again, assured me it was not diet-related and basically told me I was seeing things. Anyway, a few months ago I decided to change her wet food to a better version and it helped a little. I spoke with a friend who is a vet tech and she mentioned that most dogs and cats, if they're allergic to food it's going to be chicken. Me, thinking I'd figured it all out, didn't realize that even my newer, better food was still using chicken filler in it. So, I decided to try single protein foods: Wild Calling and Natural Selections being highly recommended from the pet store. One day I came home from work and Safari had managed to wriggle out of her cone and it freaked. me. out. I thought I was going to see a chewed up, patchy-furred kitty! But, she was just hanging out on the bed like nothing happened! Long story short: it's been a month now (maybe a little more) and she is basically totally recovered. I'm dealing with just a couple little remnant spots from before but those are nearly finished and I'm so, so, so damn happy that she's OK. I have a feeling that maybe turkey has a small effect on her too so right now I'm narrowing the food down to salmon, venison, and rabbit. Perhaps, ironically, my cat is allergic to birds.
I'm pissed at the vet for being so adamant about it not being a food issue so I won't be returning to them anymore. Well, that about wraps it up. My little cat is doing much better and she's a nice happy little animal again! I do want to thank everyone that offered kind words and help earlier too. I feel awful that I'm basically completely responsible for this by not feeding her better food but I've learned and she's happy as a clam now.