Not only humans, cats can also develop allergies. It is often difficult to find out what the cat is allergic to.
An allergy is an excessive activity of the immune system. A harmless substance, the allergen, provokes a strong immune reaction in the form of inflammation. Contact with the allergen, whether in the air we breathe, through skin contact or in food, leads to a strong immunological defense reaction. In cats, the skin is often affected. They then suffer from itching and scratch themselves sore or lick themselves bald. Some cats also show chronic digestive disorders, which can be recognized as diarrhoea, vomiting, flatulence and loss of appetite. If the respiratory tract is affected, this leads to sniffles, watery eyes, coughing and asthma.
Treatment of an allergy
The treatment of an allergy usually consists of cats avoiding the allergen in question. A precise diagnosis is essential for this. It is often difficult and time-consuming to identify the allergen in question. In addition, it must first be ensured that it is actually an allergy, as many other diseases can cause similar symptoms. Unfortunately, there is no simple and reliable allergy test. It is important to carry out a careful examination to rule out other illnesses. If the suspicion of an allergy is confirmed, a systematic attempt should be made to track down the triggering allergen (e.g. triggered by fleas, pollen or grasses). If the allergen comes from the food, a so-called exclusion feeding is the only way to confirm the diagnosis.
Course of allergy treatment
A lot of patience is often required: depending on the severity of the allergy, it can sometimes take many weeks for the symptoms to subside and the diagnosis to be confirmed. In persistent cases of food allergies, it can take up to 12 weeks before the cat responds to treatment. However, once the allergen has been identified, the animal has a good chance of a complete recovery if the food allergen is avoided in future by following a special diet. In the case of grasses and pollen, an attempt can then be made to help the animal with desensitization. And flea bites can be prevented with flea repellents from the vet.
Diagnosis of food allergy
If an elimination diet has provided evidence of a food allergy, the next question is which food can be given as an alternative. Although the cat can now tolerate the elimination diet, it is often not a permanent solution. The allergenic food ingredient must be identified so that all foods containing this ingredient can be avoided in future. To do this, suspicious food ingredients are gradually added to the elimination diet. If no itching has occurred after two weeks, the test can be continued elsewhere. If the cat reacts to an ingredient, it must be strictly avoided in future. Other ingredients can of course only be tested after the signs have subsided. The elimination diet must therefore be given again until the cat is symptom-free.