Just like with
dogs, there are several allergens that can cause allergic reactions in
cats. However, the symptoms shown in
cats are a little different than in dogs.
Cats are more prone to showing respiratory symptoms, including: runny
nose, runny eyes, coughing, and wheezing.
This is because cats are more sensitive to inhaled allergens than dogs.
Food Allergens:
Cats
can be allergic to ingredients in commercially available cat foods, such as
fish, corn, chicken, wheat, and soy.
Cats with food allergies will often develop dermatitis (inflammation of
the skin) around the face and ears.
However, the skin lesions can occur anywhere. Similar to dogs, diagnosis of food allergies
is done by putting the cat on a restricted ingredient diet for several months
to see if the skin lesions clear up.
Generalized Allergens: As I stated previously, there are
several allergens that can cause reactions in cats. These include, dust, mold, pollen, fleas, and
cigarette smoke. Cats who are exposed to
cigarette smoke will often develop asthma and have difficulty breathing. In addition to the respiratory symptoms, cats
can also develop localized inflammation of the skin that causes the cat to
continuously groom that area. This is
usually on the belly or inside the back legs.
They will often groom themselves to the point of creating severe inflammation
of the skin in that area.
Flea allergies
cause skin lesions referred to as military dermatitis. These are tiny, scabbed bumps usually located
on the face, ears, and rump.
To determine
what allergens your cat may be sensitive to, a dermatologist will need to
perform intradermal skin testing. Once
you have an idea of what is causing the issues, the next step is to limit the
exposure to the allergens. This could
include: keeping your cat in a room that is smoke free, treating for fleas, or
eliminating possible food allergens from your cat’s diet. Your cat may also need medications such as
oral anti-histamines or steroid injections.
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