Allergies in cats are a common problem. Many allergies are caused by environmental factors such as pollen, dust, or grass. Other allergies may be caused by food or contact with certain materials. Symptoms of allergies in cats can include itching, scratching, pawing at the face, runny eyes, and sneezing. In severe cases, allergies can cause problems with the skin, gastrointestinal system, and respiratory system. Treatment for allergies in cats will vary depending on the cause of the allergies. If you think your cat may have allergies, talk to Airvet about the symptoms your cat is experiencing, testing and treatment options.
An allergy is a hypersensitivity to a substance, ranging from pollen to food to chemicals and more. An allergy is considered an abnormal physical reaction involving the immune system’s response to that substance.
Allergies may be inherited, acquired, or both, and many cats experience an allergic reaction at some point in their lives. Allergies cannot be cured, but usually can be managed well enough to provide a comfortable quality of life for your pet. In the best case scenarios, allergic symptoms may be suppressed for long periods of time.
The allergies experienced by cats are rarely deadly. However, some of the most potentially dangerous allergies may arise from medication given to your cat. So always monitor your cat closely when she’s taking a new prescription.
To complicate things further, allergic responses can overlap; and may not seem to correlate to the origin of the problem. For example, a food allergy may trigger problems in the skin as well as in the digestive system.
Chronic allergies, such as an allergy to pollen, can reduce your cat’s quality of life. And they can be a gateway into other physical problems. Pollen allergies can be expressed in the respiratory system, digestive system, skin, or all three.
Skin allergies, also known as allergic dermatitis, is the most common allergy in cats. The three basic causes are allergies to fleas, food, or environmental particles. If symptoms are seasonal rather than year-round, it is likely that something in the environment, such as pollen, is contributing to the problem. Skin allergies in particular pose the risk of secondary infection. As your cat scratches and licks to soothe an itch, they can cause an infection. With this in mind, take care not to let possible signs of an allergy go untreated.
Flea allergy dermatitis is an allergic reaction to flea bites, most often to the saliva of the biting fleas. If you notice your cat scratching or licking frantically, especially around its neck or at the base of the tail, consider that your cat may have a flea-related issue. If left untreated, most cats with FAD lose hair at the tail base and down the rear legs, which sometimes is called “flea pants”.
Virtually every mammal on earth serves as host to a flea or two in the course of a lifetime. For cats with no particular sensitivity, an occasional brush with fleas is irritating, but not especially troublesome. However, for a feline with FAD, just one bite can set off a frenzy of extreme itching.
The term “food allergies” may be used casually (and incorrectly) by people who have cats with food sensitivity. The difference is that a sensitivity does not trigger a response from the immune system, but may produce the common symptoms of indigestion and gastric distress. A cat with a true allergy to a food ingredient (most often a meat protein) may develop GI symptoms as well as itching and inflamed skin.
Environmental allergies are the equivalent of hay fever in humans. Direct contact with an allergen, whether inhaled, swallowed or introduced via the skin, triggers the response. This is called atopy, a general term for your pet having a predisposition to overreacting to an ordinary allergen.
Common allergens include a wide variety of items that can be found indoors, outdoors, or are just part of our everyday lives.
Your cat may have a variety of reactions to an allergen. Look for the following signs and symptoms of a potential allergy in your cat:
“Miliary dermatitis,” may present as clusters of red, rash-like, raised lesions on your cat’s skin. It’s especially common along the back and neck, as well as the hind limbs and belly. This is a pretty extreme symptom that you can’t easily miss.
The tender, delicate tissue of your cat’s ears may become inflamed as a primary response to an allergen, or the ears may become the site for a secondary bacterial infection, because your cat has been scratching wildly. You may also notice excessive build up of debris within the ear canals, ranging from a tan to dark brown/black debris or even yellow pus discharge. The ear may also be hot and tender. If you observe any of these signs, schedule a vet visit pronto.
Respiratory symptoms such as runny, itchy eyes, sneezing, wheezing, coughing, rapid breathing, and panting are often signs of airborne allergens. If your cat’s sneezing, wheezing and coughing is “unproductive” — meaning that your cat is not expelling any phlegm or other material from its mouth or nose — this signals an allergy versus a standard respiratory infection. Often, cats with allergic inflammation in their airways have fits of wheezing and/or coughing with a hunched, low-to-the-floor posture and full neck extension. This behavior is commonly confused with attempting to “cough up a hairball,” but actually may be signaling lower respiratory inflammation.
Inflammation of the conjunctiva can signal an allergy. The conjunctiva is the soft, wet scarf of protective tissue that surrounds the eye. When the eyes are itchy, burning, red, and producing discharge, it’s usually a condition called conjunctivitis. Secondary infection of the conjunctiva is common, and can endanger your cat’s vision if left untreated.
Passing gas, vomiting, loose stools and diarrhea, all signal distress in the digestive tract. Cats, like ourselves, occasionally have imperfect digestion and elimination, but if these uncomfortable symptoms persist, you may be observing signs of an allergy-related issue.
While some people think snoring and drooling in cats is cute, it can be a sign of allergies or another issue, including dental problems.
Your cat’s fur should ideally be soft, sleek and dense. Bare spots indicate hair loss or excessive scratching, both signals of possible allergic activity.
An occasional bout of indigestion or sneezing is probably nothing to worry about. However, if these symptoms begin to form a pattern, you are most likely looking at a condition which needs to be addressed. Skin issues like dermatitis can escalate quickly into infection, which usually requires antibiotics. Ear infections require prescription treatment and, if untreated, may impair your cat’s hearing.
The first step is to visit your vet in person with your cat. Your vet will help determine whether your cat is experiencing an unpleasant sensitivity or a true allergy. Many allergic conditions present multiple symptoms, involving both the skin and the digestive system, so a bit of detective work may be needed.
They might perform a skin scrape to look for mites, lice and bacterial infection. Since fleas don’t spend much time on the cat, they may use a flea comb to look for flea feces, which looks like black pepper. Since cats are such fantastic groomers, sometimes they lick away signs of fleas on their bodies.
Even if no evidence of fleas is found, your cat will likely be treated with a topical or oral flea killer and prevention for many months, but the effort against fleas doesn’t stop there. If you have other pets, they will need to be treated as well. Finally, your home environment will need to be thoroughly cleaned and vacuumed daily. In extreme cases, a professional exterminator may need to treat the inside of your home.
In chronic allergy cases, your vet or a veterinary dermatologist may conduct allergy testing to identify the offending substance, by examining blood or skin samples. The purpose is to find out whether your cat is a candidate for desensitization. This is done by giving small doses of the allergen through injections or orally for months or years.
The first line of defense against allergies will often aim to reduce inflammation.
Your cat’s diet is an important place to explore when figuring out how to control allergies. Even though your cat may have enjoyed a certain food for years, they can still develop a food allergy or sensitivity.
Food allergy or food hypersensitivity can develop in response to almost any protein or carbohydrate. Your vet may suggest a hypoallergenic food trial with prescription hydrolyzed diet or a novel protein diet. Your kitty will need to stick to this menu exclusively for 12 weeks or more, to see if symptoms improve and/or clear.
The bottom line is that substances that were previously benign – from a once-favorite lambswool sweater to that turkey-licious cat treat that literally had your cat eating out of your hand – can suddenly turn from friend to foe. Some cats inherit a genetic predisposition to allergies. However, it’s virtually impossible for a cat parent to know this in advance of symptoms.
As always, observe your cat carefully. Early intervention is the key to recognizing a potential feline allergy and preventing any long-term negative effects to your cat’s health. The veterinarians at Airvet can assist you with any questions you may have about your cat’s allergies – and much more. Have you downloaded the FREE Airvet app yet? If not, what are you waiting for?
