Is your Cat Suffering with Allergies?

If you have a kitty who is suffering form allergies you know how miserable this can be for them!  For cats, allergies are typically a combination between environmental (outside grasses/pollen etc.), food insensitivities/intolerances, or sensitivities to cat-litters like pine, paper, wheat, nuts, corn.

What are the symptoms of cat allergies?

Typical Symptoms of allergies in cats are: 

• itchy, watery eyes / red, irritated, puffy eyes. 
• sneezing / runny nose / nasal congestion.
• itchy / flakey / dry skin.
• skin discoloration / pigment changes (seen on hairless cat skin).
• recurrent skin rashes, or lesions which break open.
• GI troubles; consistent loose stool, diarrhea, vomiting. 

 *please note that red, watery eyes and sneezing or runny nose can also be a sign of upper respiratory infection, and infectious causes should always be ruled out before determining if symptoms are due to allergies. A feline 'Upper Respiratory PCR Test' is best recommended for a certain diagnosis. 

How to Naturally TREAT your Cat's Allergies?

There are a wide variety of natural treatment options, and sometimes takes a bit of trial and error, and patience, to slowly narrow down the exact causes of your cat's allergies, as well as find the right solutions. 

In general however, following the outlined approach below will generally bring complete remission of allergy symptoms in about 90% of cats, when followed carefully and thoroughly. 

• Add a quality Pet Probiotic into your cat's daily meals:    

• Add a quality herbal Allergy Remedy into your cat's daily meals: 

• Add a quality Digestive Enzyme into your cat's daily meals: 

• If dealing with sinus congestion, ReNewedPet 'Sinus Health Solution' can be extremely helpful. 

• It is also incredibly helpful to run a 'Cat Food Sensitivity / Intolerance Test.' These tests utilize top-notch new scientific measures to detect exactly which foods your cat may be sensitive/intolerant to, then removed from their diet.  Thousands of pets worldwide have been healed of allergy-symptoms through the use of this testing.

• Important to note; this test is not the same as the test available from your vets office. Generally, the tests conventional veterinarians use are entirely un-helpful because they only test for what is known as 'true allergies'  which is the life-threatening (IgE) responses to environmental or food allergens producing hives, swelling of face, mouth, tongue, airway with difficulty breathing. 

• In contrast the more common symptoms as listed in the opening of this blog are derived from 'sensitivities / intolerances.' (IgM & IgA reactions).   

• Switch to a hypo-allergenic cat litter like Dr. Elsey’s 'Respiratory Relief Litter', or Dr. Elsey's 'Crystal Attract Litter'. The "Pretty Litter' cat litter brand is also a great option.

• All organic litters (paper, wood, corn, wheat, yuca, soy, grass… etc.) have potential to cause allergies, as well as any clay litter with synthetic “odor controls” which are most on the market, Dr. Elsey’s clay litter is the only I know of which uses only light natural scenting.

• Switch to all natural cleaners / laundry detergents to prevent your dog from coming into routine contact with chemicals used to clean floors, counter-tops, bathrooms, toilets etc. 

• Switch bath products to ReNewedPet® "Restorative Shampoo & Conditioner" line; available for both Hairless Cats, or Furred Cats. 

• Thousands of pet parents have seen success with these shampoo formulas for their cats; eliminating many different rashes, as well as general pigment discolorations. 

• Slowly switch your cat to a quality Fresh Diet; either Gently Cooked, or Frozen Raw. The quality of ingredients in processed foods like kibble or canned foods are often very low, and over-processing of ingredients themselves can lead to allergy-symptoms in cats.

• You might also wish to learn how to make your own Balanced, Fresh, Home-Made Cat Food to give your cat the best diet possible, as well as save money. 

• If you have taken all the above and if there are still some lingering allergy symptoms, a prescription allergy medication like cyproheptadine or Atopica have proven very safe and effective for many cats.

If your cat continues to struggle with symptom of allergies, or any other chronic health issue, please feel free to schedule a private 'Pet Health Consultation' with me. 

Keep giving your pet's the best of the natural life!

~PetCoachApril

April Arguin A.S., C.P.N., M.P.H.