Cats are very alert and sensitive creatures, so sometimes our furry friends may experience magical phenomena that mimic human allergic symptoms. Unfortunately, it's hard to determine what causes them to be allergic – you must be unhappy when they feel obviously uncomfortable looking at your kitten feeling uncomfortable.
Next, we will discuss what causes cats allergies, what they allergies look like and how to treat them effectively.
What is the cause of cat allergies?
Just like humans, cats can also have allergic reactions to pollutants in the environment, such as dust and mold. Certain types of therapeutic drugs may also cause allergic reactions in some cats. Food-related cat allergies may also occur unexpectedly at any time in a cat's life, just as some humans are allergic to eggs and seafood. Fortunately, cats’ regular diets usually do not trigger allergic reactions. Food intolerances that seem less severely are often mistaken for allergies, such as lactose intolerance. Therefore, it is very important for us to be able to distinguish between food intolerance and food allergy .
When your cat's allergies are actually related to food, the problem is that its food contains a small amount of specific secondary ingredients. If you suspect your cat is allergic to food, consult your pet doctor before changing your cat's diet. This problem may also be independent of their food intake. For example, overcombing hair can be a sign of food allergy, but it can also be the result of flea infection. Unfortunately, it is difficult for even experienced pet doctors to diagnose cat allergies confidently, as there are no specific tests for them, and the triggers and symptoms vary from cat to cat.
What are the symptoms of cats’ allergies?
Cats that are contaminated in the environment may find themselves sneezing uncontrollably for several days, just like some people are allergic to pollen, cats who are allergic to specific foods or drugs may experience symptoms such as inflammation, redness in the skin and severe itching. They can scratch or lick themselves so strongly that they can extremely wipe off the fur from specific parts of the body and even break the skin. This may also lead to problems with hair ball accumulation in the body, because cats may swallow more fur than usual when they are overly active in combing their fur. Other symptoms of cats' allergies may include vomiting, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal problems. Ear infections and respiratory problems can also occur.
How should we treat cat allergies?
Always communicate with your pet doctor when trying to determine if your cat's allergies are related to food. Most likely, your pet doctor will first try to rule out other possible causes of the cat, such as environment or medication. Once the more likely possibility is exhausted, your pet doctor may conduct dietary trials in an attempt to find out the exact food or ingredients that are causing the problem. The dietary testing process usually starts with excluding diet, i.e. cat food, which focuses on light foods that provide all the essential nutrients a cat needs, but does not include a large amount of protein , which may cause allergic reactions. The length of time the dietary trial is excluded depends on the symptoms your cat shows. For example, cats with skin problems may need to limit their diets for up to three months or more. Under this diet, cats who have been having stomach problems may recover faster:
- Observe your cat during the exclusion diet
It is important to remember that when your cat diets like this, they shouldn't eat anything else at all. This includes special treats from family members, but also food your cat may get when you are away, such as leftovers in the garbage or grass in the backyard. During this part of the treatment period, you need to pay more attention to the cat's activities than usual. If you find that your cat has managed to break the exclusion of diet or refuse to eat lighter foods in your diet, be sure to let your pet doctor know so that they get all the information they need to continue treatment.
- The next step after excluding diet
Once your cat has finished the best trial period determined by your pet doctor, it is time to talk to your pet doctor about your cat's current symptoms. If these symptoms do not change, it is very likely that your cat’s diet is not the cause of the problem. Your pissist can still help you investigate other possible treatment paths. If your cat seems to perform better after the probation period, you have strong evidence that you are close to the quarantine problem. Most likely, you will be reintroducing protein into your cat's diet with your pet doctor. Eventually, you may run into a problem that causes the allergic reaction to occur again, at which point you know exactly what you can't feed your cat again.
Usually, this is a simple process to find cat food, which can avoid specific ingredients you and your pet doctor determine after excluding diet. However, in some cases, your cat's allergic problems may be due to less obvious food interactions. That's why it's important to work with your pet doctor throughout the process rather than trying to figure it out on your own.
