Understanding Feline Diet And Cat Allergy

Cats are no different to humans in that they can develop allergies to a number of potential irritants, and once identified can easily be treated and controlled.

The most common feline allergies are connected to diet and parasites. Fleas can be a real problem, not only because of the irritation they cause but because a cat can be allergic to the flea bite and develop skin rashes and general malaise. Flea control is important for your cat of any age, and you should groom your cat regularly to see if you see any evidence of fleas and eliminate them on your cat and in the home environment

If you notice that your cat is developing an intermittent allergy, cat food may be the source of the allergen. Make an appointment with your veterinary surgeon to check your cat's immune responses and general health, and if it is the diet that is causing the problems you will be able to plan a diet to work out what exactly it is that is causing the allergy.

Treatment will consist of identifying the allergen by withdrawing food and then offering a hypoallergenic diet. These diets contain low allergy ingredients and incorporate animal proteins not commonly found in proprietary cat food. They also contain ingredients which are gentle on the stomach and intestinal tract, such as rice and soya. Once your cat shows no sign of allergy to any of those ingredients you can then slowly start to reintroduce ingredients from his previous diet and identify which it is that causes his allergy.

Another alternative is for you to start preparing tour cat's meals at home using a natural, raw diet, as this is the most likely way of ensuring that he isn't exposed to the additives in proprietary cat food brands.

The most common food allergies in cats tend to be fish and milk, simply because they are the least natural foods for them to eat. Milk from a cow or a goat is not suited to their digestive systems and they may show mild intolerance by having diarrhoea after drinking it, or they will develop a visible allergy. Fish too can be a source of irritants and if he is allergic to fish you would need to make sure that none of his supplements or food contain fish oil or derivatives.

It's possible for cats to be allergic to vaccinations and medication too, and following any course of treatment you should watch him carefully for any signs of reaction. Allergy in cats presents most commonly as a skin infection especially around the feet and claws. They may also sneeze frequently, or develop skin infections, abscesses or lesions. They may develop diarrhoea in order to expel the toxin from the system.

Your vet may also suggest supplements for boosting the immune system, such as Echinacea in drops or tablet form, but do not buy and administer these remedies before taking him to the vet. Giving him medication before he is seen will sometimes make clinical findings in the process of the disease harder to interpret, as the symptoms may change according to the remedy you give him.