Having allergies can be stressful for us humans, but we can’t imagine what it’s like for our furry little feline friends. Without the cognitive ability to understand what causes it, or the ability to communicate their discomfort, they’re truly stuck with the irritation. In fact, this may be a cause behind some of their rude behavior, and if you’ve ever suffered from allergies too then you will understand why. 

Modern medicine has not only revolutionized how we treat our own ailments, but also our pets. While this has doubtlessly helped countless cats and dogs around the world, there are still products out there which make big claims but may not follow through. If you’re trying to help your cat who’s suffering from allergies, it can be difficult to know exactly what’s right, and where to start.

Here is a look at what you can do to help treat your cat's allergies.

Professional Diagnosis

Before giving any allergy remedies for cats to whiskers, it’s important to know for sure that they are actually suffering from allergies. While most allergy remedies for cats are safe for them to consume, even if they don’t have allergies, it isn’t ideal. Antihistamines are also prone to reacting poorly with certain medications, so ensuring that you confer with your vet before giving them any medicine, natural or synthetic, is best.

Reduce Exposure

Depending on the kind of allergy they have, this may be easier or harder than expected. There are typically four categories of allergies in cats: environmental, flea, and food.

Environmental 

There are several environmental allergens which can cause an allergic response in your cat, including those which typically cause hay fever in humans such as pollen, grass, fungi, mold and dust. Although they may also be allergic to things like cigarette smoke, perfume, and some cleaning products.

As difficult as it may be, you may wish to keep your cat inside during those seasons where allergens are in the air, or outside while you are cleaning your house. Be sure to identify the allergens with your vet first to help you reduce exposure.

Flea

The saliva from a flea bite can cause an allergic reaction in your cat, not only where they were bitten but throughout their body. 

Work with your vet to find a flea prevention product which can help protect your cat.

Food

Certain foods can cause an allergic response in some cats, which can lead to skin irritation (as with environmental or flea allergens), as well as vomiting or diarrhea.

Unlike environmental and flea allergies, it can be easier to reduce exposure to food allergens simply by identifying the allergen and removing it from your cat’s diet.

Medicinal Treatment for Environmental or Flea Allergies

Depending on the severity of the allergy, and the subsequent atopic dermatitis that often comes with it, your vet may prescribe several kinds of medication to your cat. This can range from creams to help treat the dermatitis, to pretreatment such as antihistamines, to allergy vaccinations for immunotherapy.

Hypoallergenic Diet Treatment for Food Allergies

Even after you’ve identified the ingredients which may be causing an allergic response in your cat, they may still be prone to developing more allergies to other foods. Exclusively feeding them a hypoallergenic diet has proven to be highly effective in treating food allergies.

What Else Can Help?

In recent years we’ve seen more recognition of what our ancestors relied upon, namely natural and holistic remedies and medicines. Relying upon natural products can be safer for kitty, and more familiar than a pill down the throat or injection in the neck.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Despite there being variability in results, Omega-3 fatty acids have proven to be effective in helping cats stave off allergic reactions to environmental or flea allergies. As they take several weeks to have full effect, they aren’t helpful during sudden episodes, and should instead be introduced as a supplement to kitty’s diet. 

Holistic Treatment

There are natural holistic allergy remedies for cats which are effective at reducing all of the bothersome symptoms in your cats through the combination of a select few ingredients. Be sure to only source them from local providers (Made in the USA) to ensure they’ve been through the rigorous testing to get on the market. The following ingredients have proven to be effective in helping treat environmental allergies:

• Aloe Vera - an ancient medicine which has proven effective in soothing and treating skin issues, as well as promoting respiratory function
• Bromelain - a protein-digesting enzyme found in pineapple which has potent anti-inflammatory and anti-swelling properties.
• Magnesium Bentonite Clay - a negatively charged clay which attracts positively-charged toxins such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury and carries them out of the body.
• Slippery Elm - proven effective in soothing the lining of the stomach and intestines and reducing irritation