Cat Allergy - Symptoms and Treatment

Author: Laura McKinney
Date Of Creation: 1 August 2021
Update Date: 1 November 2024
Anonim
All you need to know about cat allergies & what you can do about them!
Video: All you need to know about cat allergies & what you can do about them!

Content

I'm sure you've met or know someone who is allergic to cats, but did you know that cats can also have allergies to different things, including allergies to humans and their habits?

If you are a cat owner, then this article by PeritoAnimal is of interest to you as we will explain everything about the cat allergy, its symptoms and treatment. If you believe your cat has symptoms of allergy, don't hesitate to take him to the veterinarian for tests to receive a proper diagnosis.

What is allergy and what types can a house cat have?

Allergy is a physiological reaction in the body that arises when the immune system detects a substance that is harmful to the body. So it's a defense and warning system that something is harming our kitten's health.


Cats can be allergic to many different things just like us. Some of most common things that cause allergies in our felines are:

  • different plants
  • Fungi
  • Pollen
  • some foods
  • tobacco smoke
  • Perfumes
  • Humans
  • flea products
  • Cleaning products
  • Plastic materials
  • flea bite

Aggravating Factors of Cat Allergy

There are factors that can make the allergy more serious. These factors are:

  • The amount of allergens our cat is in contact with. For example, if you are allergic to pollen, in spring there is much more and our feline will be much worse than at other times of the year.
  • The association of other allergies. It is typical for a cat suffering from an allergy to have other allergies as they are very sensitive. For example, if you are allergic to pollen, you are likely to be allergic to some food as well.
  • The association of other diseases. This leaves the affected cats weaker and their immune system very low. Also, problems like skin infections will make the cat itch a lot more.
  • External factors. Excessive heat and the presence of things that stress the allergy-affected feline are other factors that make the allergy worse and its symptoms such as itching to continue.

Most common symptoms in cat allergies

As there are many types of allergies, there are many symptoms. Next, we'll explain the most common and easy-to-identify symptoms:


  • Cough
  • sneezing
  • Nasal discharge
  • eye secretion
  • itchy nose
  • itchy eyes
  • lack of fur
  • Itch
  • reddish skin
  • inflamed skin
  • skin infections
  • vomiting
  • Diarrhea

Remember that if you notice any of these symptoms or more than one, you should take your cat to the veterinarian immediately so that he can perform the relevant tests and indicate the appropriate treatment.

How to diagnose cat allergies?

Often it is not easy to find the cause of the allergy. Therefore, the veterinarian will have to carry out some tests. Therefore, in most cases, the allergen is detected by eliminating the possible causes until we find the cause. The most used ways to diagnose the origin of an allergy are:


  • At the veterinarian must be done different exams such as blood tests, skin scrapings from affected areas and allergy tests, among others.
  • In case of suspecting food allergy, to identify which food causes it in our pet, we must give the food we used to before the treatment again to stop the allergy. Once the allergy has passed with the treatment indicated by the veterinarian, we have to re-introduce the diet, one by one, the foods that are suspected of causing the allergy. That way we will be able to identify the causative food and therefore we have to avoid giving it again. For food allergies, this is a much more reliable detection method than blood tests, which usually do not have conclusive results. This manifestation of food allergy can appear in cats over seven years old, who have always been fed more or less the same way. This is because the allergy usually takes a long process for the body to show some symptoms.
  • at home we must remove objects suspected of causing the allergy of our cat's environment. If the allergy resolves and we want to know what is the trigger for it, we can introduce the removed objects, one by one, to see the symptoms in our cat until we reach the cause of the problem.

How to treat allergies in cats?

You should take into account that there is no medication that cures allergies, you can only administer the appropriate anti-allergic depending on the diagnosis and remove the object causing the allergy. That is why, the treatment to follow will depend on the type of allergy. that we think the feline suffers. Some of the steps to be followed regarding the treatment and solution of some allergies depend on each case:

  • If we detect that the allergy comes from food, the treatment is simple as the veterinarian will inject our companion with antihistamines that minimize the symptoms and recommend a hypoallergenic special food. These rations and cat food cans especially hypoallergenic, as their name implies, contain nutrients that do not cause allergies in cats and so in a minimum of 12 days we will see a clear improvement in our feline. In these cases it is recommended that the hypoallergenic diet is for life.
  • If we observe that it lacks fur and has red and inflamed skin on the loin, neck and tail, it is more likely that our pet is allergic to flea bites, specifically to flea saliva. The allergic reaction starts followed by our friend being bitten by a flea. In severe cases it can extend to the paws, head and abdomen. In addition, it will eventually trigger a miliary dermatitis with back and skin peeling. In this case, we should take him to the veterinarian so that they can provide him with the necessary medication to alleviate the allergy. Furthermore, as a treatment, they will recommend that we eliminate all the fleas from both the cat and its environment and give him baths with a special soap to calm the itching and help regain your skin's health. We must always use an anti-flea treatment, especially in the months when these are more active, thus preventing fleas from biting our cat allergic to them.
  • Sometimes cats are allergic to some plastic materials from which food and beverage containers are made that we use for them. You can detect this allergy because the skin and hair problems will occur on the head, face and more specifically on the nose. They will not be able to stop scratching themselves and will avoid eating or drinking from these containers. We must consult the veterinarian to treat the symptoms of skin allergy as in the previous case and we must remove these containers and provide some of stainless steel, glass or porcelain that do not cause allergic reactions in our feline.
  • In case the diagnosis made by the veterinarian reveals that the feline's allergy comes from the habits we have at home, we must change and leave these habits so that our cat does not suffer from allergies. In addition, the veterinarian should provide the medication needed to help with the allergy's remission. Some of these habits that cause allergies in domestic cats are the use of tobacco, perfumes, certain cleaning products and dust accumulation, among others. All these components cause a respiratory allergy and even asthma.
  • The case that most complicates the coexistence between cats and humans is the allergy that a cat can have to people, that is, to the dandruff and human skin peeling. In this case, the veterinarian will provide the appropriate anti-allergic treatment and we should try to keep our house as clean as possible with regard to dust, as this is where our flaky skin debris that causes allergy to our partner accumulates.

This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis.We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.