Cats and Food Allergies: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Understanding Food Allergies in Cats

Food allergies in cats occur when the immune system incorrectly identifies a harmless food ingredient as a threat, sparking an immune response. This reaction often manifests as skin issues such as dermatitis, but digestive symptoms can also appear. Common allergens include proteins from beef, fish, chicken, and dairy products. It’s important to recognise that food allergies may develop even to foods your cat has eaten for years without trouble.

Historically, feeding cats cow's milk was common, but many cats today are actually allergic or intolerant to milk, resulting in digestive upset like vomiting and diarrhoea. Other triggers include wheat and eggs. Understanding and managing these allergies helps maintain your cat’s comfort and health.

Common Symptoms and Signs to Watch For

Signs of food allergies in cats primarily involve chronic itching and skin irritation. Affected areas often include the face, ears, neck, paws, belly, groin, armpits, and legs. Cats may excessively lick, scratch, groom, or bite themselves, leading to hair loss, redness, crusting, sores, and sometimes secondary infections. Swollen, infected ears are also common.

Digestive symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and changes in bowel habits occur less frequently but are important indicators to consider if accompanied by skin problems. Because these symptoms overlap with other conditions, a veterinary assessment is essential.

Diagnosing Food Allergies: The Veterinary Approach

Diagnosing food allergies in cats requires careful veterinary evaluation to exclude other causes such as parasites (fleas, worms, mites), infections, and diseases of organs like the kidneys or liver. Your vet may recommend strict flea control to rule out flea allergy.

The definitive diagnostic method involves a controlled elimination diet trial, typically lasting several weeks to months. During this trial, your cat eats a diet containing novel proteins and carbohydrates your cat has never consumed, such as rabbit, duck, or venison. No additional foods, treats, supplements, or vitamins are permitted to ensure accurate results.

Elimination Diet Trial and Reintroduction

If symptoms improve during the elimination diet, your vet will guide a gradual reintroduction of previous foods one at a time. This helps identify the exact ingredient(s) causing the allergic reaction. Once identified, it’s vital to avoid exposure to offending foods permanently.

Managing a food allergy means maintaining a consistent diet safe for your cat, including informing boarding kennels or catteries and visitors about your cat’s special dietary needs. Keeping your allergic cat indoors during this period prevents accidental ingestion of inappropriate foods from neighbours or other pets.

When to Seek Specialist Advice

If symptoms persist despite dietary changes, referral to a veterinary specialist, such as a veterinary dermatologist or gastroenterologist, may be necessary. Advanced diagnostics like endoscopy and biopsies can identify inflammatory bowel disease or other complex causes of food allergy and related symptoms.

Food Intolerance Vs Food Allergy

Food intolerance differs from allergy in that it does not trigger the immune system. Instead, it typically causes digestive discomfort such as vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain without skin symptoms like itching or sores. Milk intolerance is a common example.

Diagnosis for food intolerance also involves elimination diet trials but can be trickier to pinpoint. Your vet will help determine the best approach.

Responsible Ownership and Ongoing Care

If you notice signs consistent with food allergy or intolerance in your cat, a prompt veterinary consultation is essential. Early diagnosis and management support your cat’s wellbeing and comfort. Pet insurance may cover many vet fees if arranged before symptom onset, though special diet costs may not be included.

Overall, understanding, diagnosing, and managing food allergies in cats requires patience, veterinary partnership, and a commitment to your cat’s health. This will help ensure a happy, healthy life for your feline companion.

For those seeking a new feline friend or kitten, you can find kittens for sale from reputable breeders, ensuring you start off with proper care and advice.