Allergies in Cats Can be Eliminated
Allergies in cats are just like allergies in humans. They can be caused by a number of different things. The difficulty is figuring out what that cause is. In animals this may prove to be a patience testing event, because they can’t tell you what is happening. Just relax and begin investigating their environment to see what the cause is. Finding the culprit is the only good way to rid them of the problem.
Signs and Symptoms of Allergies in Cats:
When you cat is scratching his/her skin more frequently than normal, you should suspect allergies. Look for redness on the skin. It may be in on area or it may cover their entire body. Sneezing, coughing and wheezing are all signs of allergies. Vomiting and diarrhea can also signal allergies, especially food allergies.
Types of Allergies:
1. Flea Allergies---Just like dogs, during warmer weather cats can suffer from flea allergies. To rid your cat of this problem:
- Get a flea comb and comb your cat daily during the hot seasons. You may think this is too simple but it will help immensely with the problem. While you are combing your cat, have a bowl of water mixed with Dawn dish washing soap nearby. As the fleas come off onto the comb, drop them in the bowl. The Dawn will prevent them from jumping out.
- Bath your cat with a natural flea shampoo. Most people think that cats can’t be bathed. This is an ‘old wives tale.’ Bathing is healthy for your cat; just make sure to keep them very warm until they are completely dry. Some people even use Dawn to bath their cats during flea season. It is gentle and it gets rid of fleas.
2. Food Allergies--- Cats can develop food allergies as well as anyone else. Typically these allergies develop over a long period of time. After eating the same food for a long time an allergy develops. Usually cat food allergies are to the source of protein in the food. When this happens try switching to another meat base. If you were feeding beef, switch to turkey or salmon. Cat food allergies may type time to figure out.
3. Contact Allergy---This is when your cat is allergic to something they come in contact with in your home. This can include chemicals in your cleaning supplies, dyes and coloring in their toys, collars and bedding, certain types of fabric, etc….
4. Inhalation Allergies---These are the most common allergies that cats suffer from. It can be caused from inhaling dust mites, pollen or any other airborne allergen. It is usually seasonal.
Natural Treatment for Allergies in Cats:
For contact allergies, obviously you want to remove the item producing the problem. After doing this, you may want to bath your cat to get rid of all traces of the allergen. Use a mild, hypoallergenic shampoo. Oatmeal shampoo is a good hypoallergenic one.
Again, with flea problems use the flea comb daily to get rid of the fleas, and bath your cat in Dawn or a mild, natural flea shampoo. Do not use a harsh flea spray or harsh flea shampoo. This will cause other problems in the future. Toxic flea collars should be avoided as well. These may take care of one problem but cause another.
Always consult your vet for medical problems.
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