Treatment for allergies in cats

So you think your cat might have an allergy…

Are they licking or scratching all over their body? Or even focusing on certain parts of their body?

Are they scratching their ears or shaking their head?

Have you noticed fresh wounds appearing practically over night? Repeatedly?

Are they overgrooming to the point of hair loss?

…Then your cat might have an allergy.

When should I see a vet?

If scratching lasts more than a few days, you’re noticing bald patches appear, you’ve tried flea treatment but it hasn’t made a difference, or it’s starting to affect their normal day to day habits, then it’s time to have a check by the vet.

Luckily here at PowisVets we offer Flea and Worm checks free of charge to our clients. Unfortunately,  we find that most over the counter flea products are ineffective, but our team is more than happy to perform a health check to ensure your cat is fit and healthy for prescription strength flea treatment, and see if there could be another cause for the scratching at the same time!

Can we test for specific allergies in cats like we can in people?

Short answer: no. Studies have shown that even healthy cats will demonstrate an allergy to X in an intradermal skin test but never actually show any sort of reaction in their day to day life, making these tests largely unreliable. However, allergy testing can be useful to formulate a bespoke allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) based on the individual triggers. This form of allergy management is typically only used as last resort as not all cats respond, it can take several weeks or months of expensive medication to see any difference, and cats usually respond much better to other forms of allergy management.

How can allergies be treated?

Parasite treatment

The most common cause for itchiness in cats is a flea allergy. Most of the time we can’t see any fleas (especially tricky in black cats!), but this doesn’t mean your cat doesn’t have fleas! Even cats raised completely indoors can suffer from flea allergies just from people tracking them into the house from our shoes and clothes, and fleas will always prefer a warm fluffy animal to their naked human counterparts. A single flea bite is all it takes to trigger a full allergic response in particularly sensitive animals, for this reason we will always start by prescribing prescription strength flea treatment for any itchy cat we see.

Immunomodulator drugs

Medications like corticosteroids are highly effective anti-inflammatories that can stop the itch within 24h of treatment with just an oral tablet or injection. In severe cases we may prescribe these to help get their itchiness under control while we treat the underlying cause (if there is one!). Owners notice a significant difference in their cat’s demeanor once these medications are on board. When we see your itchy cat, the vet will consider prescribing these based on physical exam and historical findings.

Antimicrobials

Very often itchy cats develop secondary infections or wounds from traumatizing their skin or ears. In these cases we may prescribe a topical antimicrobial, or oral antibiotics in particularly severe cases. The vet will decide at your appointment whether any additional testing or antimicrobial therapy is warranted.

Food elimination trial

Cats can suffer from food allergies, just like us! They most commonly present with diarrhea and vomiting or scratching themselves to the point of causing self trauma. Usually itchy cats are allergic to something in their environment, and the vast majority of the time we never learn exactly what they’re allergic to. But in some cases it all comes down to food, which is the easiest way to control their allergies. If you suspect your cat may have a food allergy, make an appointment with your vet and we can discuss the next steps to get on top of a food allergy.

Supplements to improve the skin barrier

For itchy cats with poor coat quality and scaley fur they might benefit from dietary supplementation with EFAs (Essential Fatty Acids). Be aware not all supplements are created equal! Unfortunately dietary supplements do not fall under the same level of scrutiny as prescription drugs, which means supplement companies may not undergo any testing to prove that their products contain the levels of vitamins or minerals they say they do. Save your money on the supplements on Amazon and always go with a veterinary recommended product that you can trust. If you think your cat might benefit from a skin supplement, talk to your vet about it at your next appointment and we can provide you with specific recommendations that meet our standards.

Allergies can seriously impact your cat’s quality of life, from the outside it may just look like your cat is a little itchy, but if it’s getting to the point where they’re losing hair or creating wounds all over their body, this needs to be taken seriously. Contact your vet if you have any concerns about your cat’s well being, and together we can help them be on their way to feeling comfortable in their own skin!