You might usually hear someone allergic to cats, dogs, or different foods. But your cat can be allergic to cleaning products, foods, pollen, cigarette or kitchen smoke, perfumes, etc.
Cats can also get allergic because of insects, other cats, and dogs. They become more vulnerable to allergies in warmer months. You can use home remedies, medicines, vet’s treatment, and other options to treat these allergies.
I will tell you about different allergies, symptoms, treatments, and more in this blog.
Types of Allergies and How do cats get them?
Several types of cat allergies are there, but the most common ones are
Environmental allergies
Cats can get environmental allergies because of substances like grass, mold, dust, fungi, and pollen. Your cat might also be allergic to perfumes, cigarette smoke, cleaning products, etc.
Flea allergies
Fleas are tiny insects that bite your cat and cause an allergic reaction. These allergic reactions can be very irritating because the saliva from a flea’s bite affects the entire body of your feline.
One of the best steps is to use flea prevention products with the help of your vet. However, you can also give medicines to your cat if it is already suffering from an allergic reaction because of bugs or flea bites. Several vets recommend a Benadryl dosage for cats because of its primary ingredient, Diphenhydramine. I will discuss its other usage in the end.
Food allergies
Several cats are allergic to certain foods. It can cause vomiting, skin itchiness, or diarrhea. You need to consult your vet to find the exact food items your cat is allergic to. You can also create an appropriate diet plan after that.
Atopic dermatitis
Cats’ bodies can react with Atopic dermatitis often after experiencing allergies. Felines can develop scabbing, hair loss, skin sores, and redness with this condition.
You can treat flea and environmental allergies by your vets using medications like skin creams and others.
What are the symptoms?
Several symptoms are there for different allergies. There is never a surety that your cat will get particular symptoms for particular allergies. Every cat can show different reactions or symptoms to individual allergies.
Here are the most common ones.
- You will see red or itchy skin mainly on the face, head, neck, ears, limbs, belly, paws,
- You will also notice bumps, hives, rashes, swelling, or scabs on the skin,
- Infections or skin wounds will be more visible,
- You can also find ear infections,
- Hair loss or fur is one of the most common symptoms of allergies. Expect more hairballs because of increased hair ingestion,
- You might also find your feline’s eyes red, watery, or itchy,
- A runny or sneezing nose is also a common symptom of allergies,
- Wheezing or coughing is also common in kitties with asthma,
- Mouth or lip ulcers are also symptoms of allergies, but they are not as common as others,
- You can also notice symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, or digestive symptoms, but these are also less common,
How to Treat Allergies
One of the primary things to do is talk to a vet as soon as possible. You can also try these suggestions if you think the allergy is not too severe.
- Grooming is an essential task to avoid allergies. You can follow a routine and follow it as strictly as you can. Individual cats need different grooming routines according to their skin, hair, coat, etc. You can learn more by clicking here,
- Nasal sprays or inhalers can reduce symptoms,
- Immunotherapy is also one of the most used options in treating cat allergies. These shots reduce the severity of allergies and their reactions by exposing the body to a tiny amount of allergens over time,
- Avoid using carpets and rugs as they can trap cat allergens,
- Avoid too much kissing and hugging your cat,
- Use vacuum as much as you can.
Wrapping Up
You can avoid cat allergies by maintaining a balanced diet, hygiene, grooming routines, etc. Visit your vet as soon as possible remains one of the best options to treat allergies.