Definition

Allergies in cats occur when a cat has an immunologic hypersensitivity reaction to a specific environmental, contact or food allergen.

How Allergies Affect Cats

The signs of allergies in cats are skin inflammation, constant itching, continual grooming, restlessness, increased number of ingested hair balls, skin pustules, hot spots and coughing, vomiting, wheezing or diarrhea. In some cases, cats develop areas of small crusty scabs and lesions. Secondary bacterial and yeast infections on the skin may cause additional skin wounds, increased incidences of ear infections and a foul yeasty smell on the cat’s skin.

Causes of Allergies in Cats

Most allergies in cats result from external parasites (especially fleas), contact with or inhalation of particular allergens or ingestion of allergens in food.

Preventing Allergies in Cats

There is no real way to “prevent” allergies, other than avoiding the particular allergens that cause the hypersensitivity reaction. There are ways to treat allergies in cats, including removal of known allergens and using prescription medications and shampoos to treat inflamed and irritated skin. Prescription oral or injectable medications may also be used to suppress the allergic immune reaction if the cause of the allergy cannot be determined.

Special Notes

The diagnosis of allergies in cats normally is done through assessment of the cat’s symptoms, medical history, blood tests and response to treatment. A skin patch test also may be performed to determine what specific allergens are causing the cat’s symptoms. The prognosis for cats with allergies is very good. Once the allergen is removed from the cat’s environment, the symptoms and irritations should decline. In severe cases, long term prescription medications may be necessary to suppress the immunologic reactions.