Is your cat always scratching and seems all itchy and miserable? It’s entirely possible that they are showing cat allergy symptoms. If your kitty has cat allergies then she is allergic to something in her environment such as grass, or pollen or they could have an allergy to fleas and need some sort of cat flea treatment.  Cats can have allergies just like humans do and be just as unhappy about it. Cat allergy treatment depends on the kind of allergy that the cat has.

Kinds of Cat Allergies

Lots of things can cause a cat to get an allergy to something. The types of cat allergies that are seen the most by veterinarians include those caused by inhalants, contact with certain items or allergies to certain foods in a cat diet.

Just like us, our cats can be allergic to airborne particles of dust or pollen from ragweed or other plants, mold or dust mites, or even the grass under their feet.  If a cat only seems to be sneezing, itching and scratching during certain times of the year, it is likely she is allergic to pollen or a particular plant that grows during that period.

Cats may also be allergic to fleas.  It is not the bite that causes this allergy; it is the flea’s spit touching the animal’s skin. If it is a bad reaction, the cat can even end up with nasty open sores or scabs or an infection. If you treat your cat with some sort of cat flea control product such as Frontline cat, which is a topical treatment used once a month to both keep fleas away and kill existing ones or Advantage cat, which is another brand of a topical flea treatment for cats. Remember! Never use flea products for dogs on cats as it will kill them because it is a stronger dose.

Some cats are allergic to the food they eat, so if that fits your cat’s symptoms, then part of the cat allergy treatments would be to switch her to a different brand or kind of food. When it comes to a food allergy, it can cause the cat to have digestive issues like vomiting or bowel issues and may show signs of respiratory issues as well. You may see things like coughing, sneezing or a runny looking eye.

A contact allergy is not very commonly seen in cats. It is usually caused by a product like wool or certain collar materials, etc. It will cause skin irritation and redness, but it not usually serious and is easy to cure. Just keep the cat away from that material he is allergic to and you will be good to go.

Cat allergy treatments

Treating an allergic cat depends on what she is allergic to. Sometimes initially the cat receives steroids to get rid of the initial symptoms. Other times special shampoos are used. Since a lot of cats don’t like to get baths, this should be done with someone to help you to hold and calm the animal.

Allergies may or may not be covered by cat health insurance, it depends on the type of coverage that you have. Be sure to read the fine print when you buy pet insurance so you won’t be surprised if you have to foot the bill for the whole amount.

One of the other ways cats are treated for allergies is with a type of antigen shot. The shots contain a tiny portion of the substance the cat is allergic to and it is given once a week in the form of an injection. This is done in order to get the area to be desensitized to whatever the substance is. This is a very long process and has been known to take a couple of years to get the cat over this problem. It is used a lot in respiratory related allergies in middle aged cats who tend to have issues the whole year. It works in about half the cases to clear up future allergic reactions.

Most of the time the cat’s allergies can be treated just by keeping the thing it is allergic to away from your pet or by doing things like treating her for fleas and ticks or buying a different kind of cat treats or cat food for her cat diet.

All in all, cats are subject to getting allergies just like people. They will be miserable and itchy unless you find out the reason for the problem and treat it accordingly. So be sure to take your cat to the vet if you suspect he may be allergic to something or is showing symptoms of itching, scratching and respiratory symptoms.

Cat Allergy Symptoms – Cat Allergy Treatments