Do you have a scratching cat or a cat whose coat is in poor condition? Have you wondered if your cat has allergies? Allergies in cats are a common cause of skin problems, but they can be frustrating to diagnose and treat.
What are allergies in cats?
Allergies in cats are an abnormal immune response to a harmless stimulus. When your cat’s body comes into contact with an allergen through the skin or after breathing it, a chain reaction is triggered that is disproportionate to the danger to your cat – a hypersensitivity reaction. Sentinel cells of the immune system release cellular signals that cause itching, swelling and redness.
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Cats are generally not born with allergies – they develop with age. Cats are usually diagnosed between six months and three years of age, but because diagnosis is often difficult, cats have been diagnosed up to 14 years old!
Most Common Cat Allergens
By far the most common allergy in cats is to flea saliva. This is called “flea allergy” or “flea allergy dermatitis” (FAD). Flea allergies are thought to cause about a third of skin problems in cats, and some cats are so sensitive that they may react even if you haven’t seen a flea.
Cats can also have hypersensitivity reactions to mosquito and other insect bites, but this is less common than hypersensitivity to flea bites.
Environmental allergies are the second most common allergy.
In dogs, we generally speak of “atopy” or “atopic dermatitis”, but in cats, we speak more of “non-food hypersensitivity dermatitis”.
It is an allergen to elements present in the environment: pollen, cleaning products, weeds, trees, mites, dander and cigarette smoke are all allergens to which your cat may have a hypersensitivity reaction.
Food allergies account for approximately 1-5% of cases of skin diseases in cats.
Food allergies develop over time – a cat may have eaten chicken foods all their life and still develop a chicken allergy!
The most common food allergies in cats are beef, chicken, and fish allergies , all of which are present in feline diets.
Symptoms of Allergies in Cats
Cats with allergies often experience a skin reaction called “miliary dermatitis.” This reaction causes hundreds of small, crusty lesions on your cat’s skin, especially on the back and neck.
Related: Best Practices to Get Rid of Cat Fleas
They are also itchy – you may see them itching with their paws or grooming themselves more often. Excessive grooming of their itchy skin can also lead to some hair loss. Some cats are more prone to ear infections.
Cats who are allergic to airborne allergens, such as pollen, may also exhibit allergy symptoms such as runny eyes, itching, sneezing, or even coughing and rapid breathing.
Finally, cats with food allergies may also experience gastrointestinal symptoms, such as loose stools, excessive gas, and occasional vomiting.
Diagnosing Cat Allergies
Diagnosing cat allergies is theoretically simple, but it can be time-consuming. Since flea allergy is the most common allergy, the first thing to do is to rule out flea allergy as the cause of your cat’s symptoms.
This means applying a prescription flea treatment to every pet in the household for at least 12 weeks continuously. This is necessary to ensure that the life cycle of the chips is interrupted. If, through good flea control, your cat’s condition improves, a flea allergy will be presumed – but not diagnosed, as it could be a coincidence.
If your cat’s condition does not improve despite flea control, the next possibility is food. To diagnose a food allergy, you must give a hypoallergenic exclusion diet.
This should be a prescribed hydrolyzed diet or a novel protein diet. This diet should be fed exclusively for eight weeks to see if your cat responds well. It is generally necessary to lock him up during this period to ensure that it does not eat at the neighbor’s house.
If your cat’s condition improves, it is likely a food allergy. Just feed him some of its old diet and watch for the return of allergy symptoms to be sure.
If food allergies have been ruled out, your cat must, by definition, be suffering from non-fungal, non-food hypersensitivity dermatitis (NNFHD), i.e. some sort of environmental allergy. Determining the exact nature of your cat’s allergy can be done through blood tests or skin tests using subcutaneous injections to test the response.
In some cases, it may be necessary to consult a veterinary dermatologist, especially if your clinic does not have the appropriate equipment for skin testing, or if your cat’s case is difficult.
Treatment of Allergies in Cats
Treating allergies in cats usually involves a combination of approaches. Allergen avoidance involves reducing your cat’s exposure to offending allergens – try keeping your cat indoors with the windows closed on days of high pollen production, make sure the house is mold free and use hypoallergenic bedding. Using dust-free litter boxes can also help.
A change in diet can help cats, even if they are not allergic to their food. A diet rich in fatty acids can help prevent allergens from making their way under the skin and causing problems.
For all allergic cats, flea treatment is essential. Even if your cat’s allergy isn’t to fleas, the extra itching caused by a flea infestation can trigger an attack. Ask your veterinarian to prescribe flea treatment.
Related: Cat Itchy Ears: Common Causes & Best Treatment
Finally, medications that prevent an excessive immune response may be necessary. These can include corticosteroids, antihistamines and cyclosporine, among others. They can be administered by injection (allergy shots) or in the form of tablets at home.
Conclusion
Allergies in Cats are a common cause of skin diseases in cats, but most can be cured with effective flea treatment. For those who cannot, proper diagnosis and treatment at the veterinarian should help reduce your cat’s symptoms.
Frequently asked questions
What are the symptoms of an allergic cat?
Most allergic cats suffer from itching and skin lesions (bumps on the back and neck). They may also have bald spots where they have pulled out their fur, or even have sneezing and runny eyes.
How to treat a cat with allergies?
Allergy treatment should be undertaken with your veterinarian. Most cats need a combination of allergen avoidance, fatty acid supplements, flea control, and medications to reduce the immune response.
What are the most common allergies in cats?
The most common allergy in cats is flea allergy dermatitis, followed by environmental allergens such as pollen and dander. Food allergies are relatively rare and represent 1 to 5% of skin diseases in cats.
Can a cat have seasonal allergies?
Yes ! Cats who have an allergic reaction to pollen often show signs of allergies in the spring and summer, and fewer or no signs in the winter.
