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Allergies in Cats and Kittens

Kittens/cats can suffer from allergies, just as we humans do.  The kitty allergy stems from coming in contact with a foreign substance which releases histamines in his/her body.  This allergy predisposition is often times hereditary.

Here are some of the common triggers for this allergic response:

• Pollen from nearby flowering plants
• Dust accumulating in the house
• Fungi, Mold – the spores can be inhaled by Fluffy

Some of the common symptoms your cat/kitten my experience:

• Torturous itching in their faces and feet and other parts of the body
• The emergence of sores and discharges
• Loss of hair
• Inflammation in different parts of the body

Watch for these symptoms, especially in spring and summer.  If you kitty starts to display any of the above, have your vet perform some skin test to determine if he/she is suffering from inhalant allergies.

The best treatment is ultimately prevention – in other words, remove the source of the allergy.  If the allergy is a resulting from dust or dust mites, this is easily remedied from a good cleaning.  If the allergies are from pollen, for example and your cat is an outdoor cat, this might be more difficult.

There are two main treatment methods:

• Medicines that suppress the histamine response.  This can be given orally or massaged gently on the affected area
• Allergy shots, which help to build the cat/kittens natural resistance to the allergens.

Cat Allergy
Cat Allergy

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