Just like humans, your cat may be allergic to something in her environment or food.
“As your cat tries to process and get rid of these irritating substances, they may show a variety of symptoms,” says Fetch in webMD.com in “Cat Allergies: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, Diagnosis.”
Fetch said there are four common allergies in cats.
They are:
1 Environmental allergies. This kind of allergy is caused by environmental matters/materials such as pollen, grass, fungi, mold, and dust. Your cat may also be sensitive to cigarette smoke, perfume, and some cleaning products.
2 Flea allergies. Some cats develop an allergic reaction to a flea bite. It can be very irritating for the cat. “The saliva from a flea bite can affect a cat’s entire body, not just where the cat was bitten. Your veterinarian can help you choose the right flea prevention product to help protect your cat,” Fetch says.
3 Food allergies. Some cats may be allergic to some food. This can cause skin itchiness, vomiting, or diarrhea. Your veterinarian can help you find out which food causes irritation in your cat. After determining which food caused the allergy, you can then come up with an appropriate diet for your cat with the help of your vet.
4 Atopic dermatitis. When a cat experiences allergies, their body can develop a skin condition called at opic dermatitis. Due to this condition, your cat may develop skin sores, scabbing, hair loss, and redness.
“Environmental and flea allergies are usually treated by your veterinarian using the same meds, often including skin creams or a prescribed medication,” Fetch says.
What to do
Please bring your cat to the vet for assessment if you see any of the symptoms.
“Given that there are so many different kinds of cat allergies, your vet can help diagnose the cause of your cat’s issues and determine the appropriate treatment,” Fetch says.
Treatment depends on your cat’s situation. The vet will review her medical history and will recommend several tests.
“Cat allergy testing is done with either a blood test or skin test. For a blood test, the vet will take a sample of the cat’s blood and send it to a lab for evaluation. For a skin test, small injections are given to the cat just under the skin. If your cat is allergic to a particular substance, a hive will often appear on their body,“ says Fetch.
“Neither test is necessarily better than the other. At times veterinarians will complete both tests to gain a better understanding of your cat’s allergies. After the vet determines what’s causing the allergic reaction, they can then prescribe the right solution,” Fetch adds.
Treatment
The first thing to do is to prevent items or things that may cause allergy to enter your cat’s environment.
Fetch suggests you:
In some cases, your vet may prescribe some meds and some dietary supplements.
Medicine for cat allergies
“Always talk to your vet before giving a new medication to your cat,” Fetch stresses.
And yes, Fetch says cats with asthma are more likely to develop cat allergies.
“If your cat has both asthma and allergies, your veterinarian will likely prescribe a medication that can help open your cat’s airway temporarily. Long-term treatments may include medications like corticosteroids,” Fetch says.
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