Common allergies in cats & treating them

Did you know that your cat can be allergic to things? Yep, just like their humans can have allergies to certain foods, environments, and allergens like pollen.

While some cats have similar symptoms to humans – think runny noses and watery eyes – it can sometimes be a bit difficult to figure out what they are allergic to. Let’s take a closer look at some common cat allergies in cats and some symptoms to keep an eye out for.

Cats can develop allergies to many different things, just like us. Some get hay fever in the spring, others develop an allergy to grains. It’s all down to your individual cat.

Some of the most common symptoms include: 

• Sneezing, coughing, and wheezing

• Itchy, running eyes

• Ear infections

• Vomiting or diarrhoea

• Snoring 

• Swollen, sensitive paws 

• Excessive licking (grooming) 

• Red or dry skin

• Scratching – either in one place, like the ears, or all over

The types of allergies cats tend to have can usually be broken down into 4 different categories.

One of the most common allergies that cats can have is a flea allergy. Everyone knows about fleas. And nobody wants them in their home. But there's a more important reason to stay on top of flea prevention: your cat could be allergic. But that’s not the only reason why making sure you keep on top of those flea preventatives is important. Your cat might be allergic.

When a flea bites your cat, it causes an allergic reaction. The reaction is to the flea’s saliva and causes intense itchiness. These irritating bites can affect your cat’s whole body, not just the localised area. Even one flea bite can cause your cat to scratch themselves. Some cats cause open sores or scabs from roughly scratching or chewing their skin.

Since flea saliva is what causes the reaction, the most important treatment for a flea allergy is to prevent your cat from catching fleas in the first place. Your vet will be able to offer a good flea preventative.

If your cat’s reaction to fleas is severe, your vet might prescribe them some corticosteroid cream to help stop the itching.

Some cats have allergies to certain foods. This can cause skin itchiness, vomiting, or diarrhoea. Lots of cats with sensitive stomachs might actually have an allergy to certain ingredients in their food, such as grains, corn, or other additives that they can’t digest well.

If you or your vet suspects that your cat has a food allergy, you will want to try a different food that doesn’t have any of the most common allergens (like our 100% fresh, human quality meat cat food). If their symptoms clear up, great! You can carry on feeding them their new food.

But some allergies need further investigation. Your vet may advise for an allergy test to work out the exact ingredient that doesn’t agree with them.

In humans, atopy is the scientific word for hay fever. Atopy and atopic dermatitis refer to allergic reactions to environmental allergens such as pollen, grasses, mould or mildew, and even dust mites. They’re usually seasonal but can also happen at other times of the year. But where we humans start sneezing and sniffling, cats will usually become really itchy.

You might notice excessive itching, hair loss, red skin or scabbing on their skin.

The treatment for atopy will depend on your cat and how long they suffer symptoms for. Some vets might not consider it severe enough to treat, preferring just to wait it out until the season is over. Others might put your cat on corticosteroids to help reduce itching or prescribe antihistamines to help minimise their reaction.

Contact allergies are pretty uncommon for cats. These are allergic reactions to certain things coming into contact with their skin, such as shampoos, flea collars, or certain types of bedding, such as wool. Itchiness is the biggest indicator of a contact allergy, but it can be difficult to identify what’s causing the reaction.

Treatment of contact allergies will be treated in the same way as other allergies, either by removing the allergen where possible or prescribing creams or antihistamines to manage symptoms.

If you suspect that your cat has an allergy or if you see them scratching a lot more often and intensely than normal, make sure you take them to the vet to get checked out. To limit those diet-related allergies, switch them over to KatKin. Made from 100% human-quality meat, our fresh cat food gives your cat more energy and is less likely to contribute to a sensitive stomach, leaving more time for doing the things they love – snoozing, grooming, and zooming around the house at 3 am.