How to Diagnose Seasonal Allergies in Cats
Look for licking or chewing., Keep an eye out for hives., Examine your cat for redness and crusty rashes., Determine if your cat has eosinophilic granuloma complex (EGC)., Look for watery eyes., Check for sneezing., Keep an eye out for hair loss...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look for licking or chewing.
If your cat is licking or chewing its paws, abdomen, back, or legs, it could be simply engaging in regular cleaning and maintenance.
However, if the licking produces excessive hairballs or exposes the skin, your cat is itchy.This itchiness could be due to seasonal allergies.As a result of its licking or chewing, you might see open sores or wounds on your cat. -
Step 2: Keep an eye out for hives.
Hives are a series of small red bumps that break out on the skin.
Your cat’s hives might be localized to a particular region or they might be all over the body, so check carefully when looking for hives.Facial swelling might also accompany hives.
Hives are extremely itchy, so your cat might scratch its fur to the point that the skin is laid bare in affected areas. , Redness and crusty rashes (miliary dermatitis) commonly affect the neck, back, and head in cats with seasonal allergies.
These rashes are extremely irritating and itchy, and can be detected by watching your cat’s behavior, since in order to alleviate its itchiness, it will probably try to claw at the itchy areas or roll around on its back in an atypical way.If you see this behavior, part the cat’s fur if necessary to check the condition of the skin. , EGC is a condition which produces up to three distinct symptoms.
The most common symptom is eosinophilic granuloma, a cluster of pinkish-yellow lesions.Manifestation of these lesions vary widely.
For instance, your cat might have small bumps, or large tumor-like ulcers.A variation, eosinophilic plaque lesions, more closely resemble hives.
Look for small red bumps on the skin, especially near your cat’s stomach or thighs.
A final symptom that may appear is an indolent ulcer, a pus-producing sore that often appears along your cat’s upper lip. , If your cat is exposed to an allergen, their eyes might be irritated.
This irritation might cause them to shed tears or have a glassy shine in their eyes that is not normally there.
Additionally, you might see streaks or staining at the corners of your cat’s eyes., Just like in people, cats might sneeze or snort due to seasonal allergies.
If your cat is out of sight, listen for the sharp exhalation of breath that accompanies a sneeze., In order to remedy its itching, your cat might lick certain spots of its coat clean off, exposing the skin.
If the hair loss occurs in a hard-to-see spot like its abdomen, you might not notice it at first.
Look for other signs that your cat is suffering from seasonal allergies by checking for hair in the stool or large clumps of hair strewn about the house., Pollen – a microscopic powder discharged from flowering plants – is one of the most common causes of seasonal allergies.
You can get the pollen count in your area by checking the pollen forecast.
If the pollen count is high that day, keep your cat inside., Remove your shoes at the door to prevent bringing pollen all over the house.
If, for some reason, your cat does get outside, wipe its paws down gently with a cool, damp cloth when it comes in.
This will remove pollen from its paws and prevent it from tracking pollen and spores about the house.If you suspect your cat has more extensive pollen coverage on its fur or elsewhere on its body, give your cat a proper bath instead of just a wipe-down on its paws.
If your cat has a canine brother or sister, do the same when they come back inside. , If your windows are open, you’re more likely to get irritating pollen and mold spores in your home, and trigger an allergic reaction in your cat.
To prevent this from happening, keep the windows shut tight, especially during high-pollen periods., Pollen can get tracked inside from the outside and get stuck in carpets, on clothes, and on bedding.
Launder your bedding and clothes regularly, and vacuum your home at least once each week.Additionally, dust the tables and counters of your home to avoid dust buildup. , An allergy test administered by your vet will help identify the specific type of seasonal allergy your cat has.
Your vet might draw your cat’s blood and analyze it.
Alternately, they might use an intradermal skin test, which involves injecting your cat with allergens and looking for a reaction in a controlled environment.Armed with more precise knowledge of your cat’s allergies, you can identify the months when the allergens that impact your cat are at their peak and enact additional precautions to protect your kitty. , Hyposensitization therapy (allergy shots) reduce the potency of your cat’s allergic reaction.
These shots might not be appropriate for all cats and can take up to two years to become effective., There are several medications available for cats suffering from seasonal allergies.
Your vet might prescribe, for instance, an anti-inflammatory medication to reduce redness and swelling.
Your cat might also benefit from medications that suppress the immune system reaction that causes allergic attacks.
Steroids – especially corticosteroids – are also sometimes used to relieve itching and inflammation.These medications are typically ingested orally, though they might be injected, too.
Always use medication as prescribed. , Creams and salves have limited usefulness with cats, since they tend to just lick the lotion off.
However, if your cat has itching or inflammation on the top of its head, the back of its neck, or in a nearby location that is inaccessible to your cat, topical solutions could prove useful., Medications meant to fight allergic symptoms in humans are not always appropriate for cats.
You could harm your cat by feeding it human allergy medications.
Contact your vet to obtain a medicine that you can use to relieve your cat’s allergies. -
Step 3: Examine your cat for redness and crusty rashes.
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Step 4: Determine if your cat has eosinophilic granuloma complex (EGC).
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Step 5: Look for watery eyes.
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Step 6: Check for sneezing.
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Step 7: Keep an eye out for hair loss.
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Step 8: Check the pollen count in your area.
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Step 9: Avoid tracking pollen inside.
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Step 10: Keep your windows closed.
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Step 11: Clean regularly.
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Step 12: Get your cat tested.
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Step 13: Give your cat allergy shots.
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Step 14: Use prescribed medication.
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Step 15: Try a topical solution.
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Step 16: Do not use human allergy medicine.
Detailed Guide
If your cat is licking or chewing its paws, abdomen, back, or legs, it could be simply engaging in regular cleaning and maintenance.
However, if the licking produces excessive hairballs or exposes the skin, your cat is itchy.This itchiness could be due to seasonal allergies.As a result of its licking or chewing, you might see open sores or wounds on your cat.
Hives are a series of small red bumps that break out on the skin.
Your cat’s hives might be localized to a particular region or they might be all over the body, so check carefully when looking for hives.Facial swelling might also accompany hives.
Hives are extremely itchy, so your cat might scratch its fur to the point that the skin is laid bare in affected areas. , Redness and crusty rashes (miliary dermatitis) commonly affect the neck, back, and head in cats with seasonal allergies.
These rashes are extremely irritating and itchy, and can be detected by watching your cat’s behavior, since in order to alleviate its itchiness, it will probably try to claw at the itchy areas or roll around on its back in an atypical way.If you see this behavior, part the cat’s fur if necessary to check the condition of the skin. , EGC is a condition which produces up to three distinct symptoms.
The most common symptom is eosinophilic granuloma, a cluster of pinkish-yellow lesions.Manifestation of these lesions vary widely.
For instance, your cat might have small bumps, or large tumor-like ulcers.A variation, eosinophilic plaque lesions, more closely resemble hives.
Look for small red bumps on the skin, especially near your cat’s stomach or thighs.
A final symptom that may appear is an indolent ulcer, a pus-producing sore that often appears along your cat’s upper lip. , If your cat is exposed to an allergen, their eyes might be irritated.
This irritation might cause them to shed tears or have a glassy shine in their eyes that is not normally there.
Additionally, you might see streaks or staining at the corners of your cat’s eyes., Just like in people, cats might sneeze or snort due to seasonal allergies.
If your cat is out of sight, listen for the sharp exhalation of breath that accompanies a sneeze., In order to remedy its itching, your cat might lick certain spots of its coat clean off, exposing the skin.
If the hair loss occurs in a hard-to-see spot like its abdomen, you might not notice it at first.
Look for other signs that your cat is suffering from seasonal allergies by checking for hair in the stool or large clumps of hair strewn about the house., Pollen – a microscopic powder discharged from flowering plants – is one of the most common causes of seasonal allergies.
You can get the pollen count in your area by checking the pollen forecast.
If the pollen count is high that day, keep your cat inside., Remove your shoes at the door to prevent bringing pollen all over the house.
If, for some reason, your cat does get outside, wipe its paws down gently with a cool, damp cloth when it comes in.
This will remove pollen from its paws and prevent it from tracking pollen and spores about the house.If you suspect your cat has more extensive pollen coverage on its fur or elsewhere on its body, give your cat a proper bath instead of just a wipe-down on its paws.
If your cat has a canine brother or sister, do the same when they come back inside. , If your windows are open, you’re more likely to get irritating pollen and mold spores in your home, and trigger an allergic reaction in your cat.
To prevent this from happening, keep the windows shut tight, especially during high-pollen periods., Pollen can get tracked inside from the outside and get stuck in carpets, on clothes, and on bedding.
Launder your bedding and clothes regularly, and vacuum your home at least once each week.Additionally, dust the tables and counters of your home to avoid dust buildup. , An allergy test administered by your vet will help identify the specific type of seasonal allergy your cat has.
Your vet might draw your cat’s blood and analyze it.
Alternately, they might use an intradermal skin test, which involves injecting your cat with allergens and looking for a reaction in a controlled environment.Armed with more precise knowledge of your cat’s allergies, you can identify the months when the allergens that impact your cat are at their peak and enact additional precautions to protect your kitty. , Hyposensitization therapy (allergy shots) reduce the potency of your cat’s allergic reaction.
These shots might not be appropriate for all cats and can take up to two years to become effective., There are several medications available for cats suffering from seasonal allergies.
Your vet might prescribe, for instance, an anti-inflammatory medication to reduce redness and swelling.
Your cat might also benefit from medications that suppress the immune system reaction that causes allergic attacks.
Steroids – especially corticosteroids – are also sometimes used to relieve itching and inflammation.These medications are typically ingested orally, though they might be injected, too.
Always use medication as prescribed. , Creams and salves have limited usefulness with cats, since they tend to just lick the lotion off.
However, if your cat has itching or inflammation on the top of its head, the back of its neck, or in a nearby location that is inaccessible to your cat, topical solutions could prove useful., Medications meant to fight allergic symptoms in humans are not always appropriate for cats.
You could harm your cat by feeding it human allergy medications.
Contact your vet to obtain a medicine that you can use to relieve your cat’s allergies.
About the Author
Carl Long
With a background in lifestyle and practical guides, Carl Long brings 5 years of hands-on experience to every article. Carl believes in making complex topics accessible to everyone.
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