u/Gold_Barracuda_3039

I currently use Earth Breeze sheets which work okay but not as good as the Tide pods we used when I was growing up. A few months ago I learned that the PVA that they contain doesn't dissolve under most conditions and persists in the environment so I'm looking to switch again.

I'm mainly considering powders that come in recyclable containers (cardboard/paper preferred) but am open to other sustainable forms of packaging such as an aluminum bottle of liquid detergent. I constantly stain my clothes with food and stuff because I'm a clutz so stain fighting and cleaning powder is very important. But I also want something relatively low waste and not harmful for the environment (EPA Safer Choice certified preferred).

I do not care about being totally natural/crunchy etc. For example, I've already decided against Nellie's and Molly's Suds because they are too natural at the expense of cleaning power.

Right now Tide Ultra Oxi Powder and regular Tide Powder Detergent appear as the best options but are not EPA Safer Choice certified options :(

Anyone have recommendations?

*I do wash my clothes in cold water for energy/carbon/$$ savings so the ability of the powder to dissolve in cold water is another important factor.

I have a 12 year old female tortie. For years she's had an issue with itching at her neck and her eyebrows. In fact she only has half a face of whiskers because she always itches one side. It causes her to lose fur in the area, the skin will turn pink from irritation and scab when it gets bad.

I've taken her to the vet several times but we can't figure out what the problem is or how to fix it. The vet thought it was a food sensitivity because that's a common reason for head itching in cats. She's been on at least 5 or 6 foods in the past year now, mostly hydrolyzed protein options because the vet thought maybe she had an allergy to a protein.

Only one of the hydrolyzed protein options fixed the itching, but then gave her serious diarrhea so we had to switch away from it. For context I always slowly integrate new foods and that was the case in this situation as well.

I've tried calming and anti-itch sprays, a "soothing" wall plug in, and most recently tried Zymox's Hydrocortisone Topical Cream for Cats which I saw progress with but it's only supposed to be used for 7 days and as soon as I stopped the itching returned in full force.

The vet says the next steps are Atopica, but I'm worried about cost and side effects, or seeing a cat dermatologist which would cost hundreds upon hundreds. I just don't have the money for this. Does anyone have any ideas or advice?

She's lived in a couple different houses now so I don't believe it's a specific allergen from a specific house. She's used the same litter her whole life (including before the itching began) so I don't think that's the issue either. She doesn't eat any human food or anything either or go outside.