One of the common medical conditions affecting cats is allergies. To manage allergies in cats, you should work with a veterinarian to determine the cause and create a treatment plan.
Per the Human Animal Bond Research Institute, nearly a quarter of cat owners in the U.S. suffer from cat allergies. Just like humans, your cat can also get allergies. An allergy happens when your cat's immune system overreacts to foreign substances.
Unfortunately, allergic reactions in cats are more difficult to diagnose, treat, and manage. Early intervention helps protect the health of your pet.
What Are the Common Allergies in Cats?
If you believe your cat is showing signs of an allergy, you must first determine the type. Here are some common allergies in cats:
Flea Allergies
Cats with flea allergies exhibit a severe reaction even to a single fleabite. This response is activated by the antigens present in the flea's saliva.
When a flea bites your cat, it can cause intense itching. As a result, your cat will vigorously scratch or chew itself, leading to hair loss. If you don't offer feline allergy treatments on time, it will develop a bacterial skin infection.
Food Allergies
The American Veterinary Medical Association confirms that in 27% of reported food allergies in cats, the onset of clinical signs happens before 12 months of age. Food allergies develop in response to the protein component of the food, such as meat.
Vegetable proteins and food additives can also cause allergies. Ensure you perform a food allergy test if clinical signs persist for several months.
Atopic Dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis is an allergic reaction to environmental allergens like mold or pollen. These allergies often happen seasonally, such as those triggered by grass pollens. Meanwhile, other environmental reactions persist year-round, such as reactions to house dust mites.
Contact Allergies
Contact allergies in cats may manifest as reactions to materials, such as shampoos or types of bedding, like wool. If your cat is allergic to these materials, they will experience skin irritation and itching at the points of contact.
What Are the Symptoms of Cat Allergies?
Allergies in cats can occur in different ways. Here are common cat allergy symptoms you should watch out for:
Excessive Scratching, Licking, or Grooming
Allergies will make your cats scratch intensely, especially on their face, neck, and belly. Flea allergy can cause obsessive scratching at the site of flea bites.
Hair Loss or Bald Spots
If your cat has allergies, it will experience hair loss or bald spots in their fur. The hair loss often happens due to excessive scratching.
Skin Redness, Bumps, or Sores
Flea allergies can cause irritation and redness on your cat's skin. You will also notice bumps, flaky patches, and open sores.
Chronic Head Shaking
Ear infections are a common sign of cat allergies. If your cat is constantly shaking its head, it is due to the discomfort of ear infections.
Watery Eyes or Nasal Discharge
If your cat has environmental allergies, assess their eyes and nose. They will often have watery eyes and nasal discharge from pollen or dust.
Sneezing or Coughing
Sneezing and coughing are also signs of environmental allergies. You can mistake these symptoms for respiratory infections.
Vomiting or Diarrhea
Cats with food allergies can have digestive symptoms like diarrhea or vomiting. However, food allergies are rare in cats.
How Do You Treat Allergies in Cats?
Managing cat allergies depends on the underlying cause. Here are some ways you can offer cat allergy relief:
Dietary Management for Food Allergies
If your cat has a food allergy, a lifelong prescription diet is ideal. It involves strictly denying your cat treats and human food with problematic ingredients. If you do, it may lead to flare-ups.
Medications for Immediate Cat Allergy Relief
To control intense itching and inflammation, veterinarians often prescribe medications. You can give your cat:
- Prednisolone
- Injectable Depo-Medrol
- Atopica (cyclosporine)
- Antihistamines like chlorpheniramine
These medications work quickly to suppress your cat's immune system's overreaction. However, the effectiveness will vary from cat to cat.
Immunotherapy
Allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT), or allergy shots, is the most effective long-term treatment. Your vet will create a custom vaccine based on your cat's skin test results.
Once you know which vaccine to take, give it to your cat in increasing doses to desensitize the cat's immune system over time. While it's time-consuming, this therapy can improve your cat's quality of life.
Supplemental and Supportive Care
Supportive treatments for cats can improve comfort and skin health. Omega-3 fatty acid supplements help strengthen the skin barrier, reducing irritation and itching. You can also use CBD oil for cats for its anti-inflammatory and calming properties.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Will a Cat Allergy Last?
Once you're no longer exposed to cat allergens, your symptoms start to lessen within a few hours. However, for cats with sensitivity or severe allergies, these uncomfortable symptoms can persist for several days. The duration depends on the intensity of your first allergic reaction.
You can speed up your cat's recovery by taking proactive steps. Ensure you wash your cat thoroughly to remove allergens from its skin and hair. Also, wash the cat's bedding.
How Do Veterinarians Diagnose Cat Allergies?
If your cat is scratching, it doesn't necessarily mean you have allergies. Your vet can conduct a skin test to figure out the problem.
They can take skin and hair to look for evidence of bacterial and fungal infection. Additionally, skin scraping and DTM can help determine skin allergies. Blood work and food trial for 12 weeks can also help you find out if your cat is suffering from allergies.
Can Cat Allergies Go Away?
Cat allergy symptoms can never go away completely. However, they're manageable. You can use strategies like consistent medication and environmental controls to reduce allergens.
For long-term solutions, try immunotherapy. Most cat owners can effectively control their cat's reactions and live comfortably.
Protect Your Cat from Disruptive Allergies
With time and commitment to your pet, allergies in cats can be managed. You can also maintain a close relationship with your veterinarian. With proper management of allergies, your cat can enjoy comfort and quality of life.
If you want more tips and insights on pets, subscribe to our newsletter.
This article was prepared by an independent contributor and helps us continue to deliver quality news and information.
