Indoor allergens include dust mites chemicals mold spores drugs and dander from other pets.
What to feed a cat with skin allergies.
Whether you have recently changed your cat s food or not they may be experiencing an allergic reaction to it.
Natural balance limited ingredient is made from peas and salmon and is grain free.
Here are 6 things every cat owner should know about food allergies in cats.
However even feeding the same food some cats can develop a food hypersensitivity later in life.
Learn more about the causes symptoms and treatment of this condition in cats below.
These foods contain hydrolyzed proteins which are proteins that have been broken down into amino acids and are safe for cats with any allergy.
Food allergies are an immune reaction to an antigen in food.
Trees bushes grasses and weeds often cause cat skin allergies while your cat is outdoors.
New food can induce sensitivity.
The physical reaction is frequently excessive itchiness with resultant excessive scratching at the skin.
The cause of the skin allergy is analyzed by reviewing where and how the allergy manifested over the skin.
Allergic cats will over react to normal things in their environment and those with skin allergies will develop skin irritation inflammation and itchiness.
Cat skin allergy symptoms and causes are very similar to the symptoms and causes of human skin allergies.
Dermatologic food reactions are non seasonal reactions which occur following ingestion of one or more allergy causing substances in an animal s food.
Because it has only a single protein source and a single carb source there s less opportunity for your cat to develop allergies to the ingredients.
The only way to diagnose a food allergy is to feed your cat a prescription or hydrolyzed protein diet exclusively for 12 weeks that means no flavored medications or treats.
Allergy testing can take a while so in the interim you should feed your cat a cat food specifically designed for cats with allergies.
Determining the cause starts a review of where and how the condition manifests itself on the skin.
Cats with food allergies will usually scab and lose their fur around the face or neck.
While your cat may be reacting to their food it is also possible that they are allergic to other things in their environment such as grass house dust mites and fleas.
This diet will be free of potential allergy causing ingredients and will ideally have ingredients your cat has never been exposed to before.
Cat skin allergies have multiple causes including parasites such as fleas atopy or inhaled allergens skin contact irritants and food allergy.
In other words the cat s immune system is reacting to a specific protein found in a particular food item.
Limited ingredient foods are great for cats with allergies as they reduce the chance for your cat to be exposed to allergens.