What are some common cat allergies?
There are two main categories of cat allergies. It's either food or environmental, with environmental being anything from fleas, dust, and things like that.
How do allergies impact the health and wellbeing of my cat?
Cats often have skin issues such as itchiness, infections, and ear infections. They can also have some asthma-related concerns.
What preventative care can I provide my cat to help avoid allergies?
Generally feeding them with a good quality diet. Also, you can avoid things such as smoke, dust, or harsh chemicals in the house.
What are some signs and symptoms that my cat may have allergies?
As I said, cats usually have skin issues, so they're licking and scratching quite a bit. You might notice a little bit of ear scratching or head shaking as well. Cats can also have some GI issues like vomiting or diarrhea related to allergies.
Why is it important to avoid self-diagnosing allergies in my cat?
Basically, the main reason to avoid self-diagnosis is that there can be some other underlying cause, something else causing the vomiting or diarrhea, or we need to treat a skin infection in a cat as well.
How will a veterinarian diagnose whether or not my cat has allergies?
We treat everything else that's wrong. We treat all infections, and we try to treat any sort of dietary issues with your cat. If nothing is really helping, we rule out everything else and call it allergies at that point.
What are some of the most common cat allergies?
Common cat allergies are food related, often a protein. Otherwise, they're more environmental or flea allergies.
What types of treatments can be used to relieve the symptoms of a cat that is suffering from allergies?
Oftentimes, cats respond pretty well to an antihistamine as people do. Otherwise, we have some other treatments available, depending on the severity and what's happening.
How effective are treatments for cats with allergies?
Most cats respond pretty well. Again, it depends on how severe the allergies are. We do discuss different stuff for the long-term management of cats as well.
If you still have other questions and you'd like to reach out to us, you can call us directly at (515) 224-9747, or you can email us at [email protected]. But please do reach out, and we'll get back to you as fast as we can. Don't forget to follow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/FamilyPetWest/, https://www.instagram.com/familypetwest
Cat Allergies - FAQs
What are some common allergies my cat may have?
Allergies in cats have a variety of causes, oftentimes food related. Otherwise, they can be caused by environmental factors, fleas, or just a sensitivity.
Can my cat be allergic to its food?
Yes, cats can be allergic to their food. It's not like in people, who have a big reaction to it, but they can have long-term diarrhea and vomiting because of their food.
Are there environmental causes for my cat's allergies?
Yes. There can be several environmental causes. A big one for cats is smoke or fleas, and sometimes just cleaners and stuff in the house.
What will my veterinarian recommend for my cat's allergies?
There's a variety of treatments. Obviously, we're going to treat any vomiting, diarrhea, or skin infections, and then we will start on a treatment for the allergies themselves to control that immune response.
Can my cat's allergies be related to feline asthma?
Yes, they can definitely be related to it. They're usually more reacting to smoke or some irritant, but they can have allergies that are worsened by asthma.
What should I do if I think my cat has allergies?
The first thing is to schedule an appointment to come in, so we can rule out any other causes of what's happening to your cat at the time and what is causing their symptoms.
Are there allergy medications my cat can take?
Yes, there are quite a few. We often start with antihistamines, but sometimes we start out with steroids, depending on the severity. There are also other long-term treatments for cats.
If you still have other questions and you'd like to reach out to us, you can call us directly at (515) 224-9747, or you can email us at [email protected]. But please do reach out, and we'll get back to you as fast as we can. Don't forget to follow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/FamilyPetWest/, https://www.instagram.com/familypetwest