Food allergy in cats
What food components can your cat be allergic to, and how do you recognise and treat a food allergy?
What is a food allergy?
With a food allergy, your cat has a hypersensitivity reaction to certain food. Its immune system reacts excessively. You also sometimes hear the term "food intolerance". With such an intolerance, your cat is also hypersensitive to certain food, but the complaints are caused by the absence of an enzyme to properly digest the food. The symptoms appear later than with an allergy, sometimes not until two days later. This makes it harder to link them to the food your cat has eaten.
What food often causes an allergic reaction in a cat?
Your cat can be allergic to any food, but cats are more often allergic to a specific protein in beef or lamb, soy and wheat gluten. Most cats do not react well to plant-based food, as this does not form part of their natural diet. In addition, these animals have a lactose intolerance; they cannot tolerate cow's milk.
What allergic reactions can a cat get?
Just as every cat can be allergic to something different, they all show different symptoms. The most common symptoms:
- skin conditions
- diarrhoea
- vomiting
If your cat has one or more of these symptoms, this does not necessarily indicate an allergic reaction. They are also seen in many other health problems. They are, however, always a reason to take your pet to the vet.
Allergic skin reactions
Skin conditions are a common symptom of an allergic reaction in cats. They cause itching. Sometimes so severe that the cat scratches itself until it bleeds. The wounds this creates allow bacteria to enter your cat's bloodstream more easily. Therefore, never underestimate itching in your cat and take action immediately.
An allergic reaction often causes dandruff and occasionally red bumps. The skin condition usually starts in one place and then spreads over your cat's body:
- head
- ears
- armpits
- belly
- groin
- skin folds
- paw pads
Skin inflammations as allergic reactions also occur, including ear infections. In addition to the scratching, you will quickly notice a skin condition from your cat's coat, which looks poor. In some conditions, bald patches appear in the coat.
What should I do if my cat has an allergic reaction?
If you suspect your cat is having an allergic reaction, take it to the vet. The vet will first provide relief, for example against the itching, so that your cat has fewer complaints.
Note: The symptoms present with a food allergy may also indicate another problem. Only the vet can determine whether it is indeed a food allergy.
How does the vet test my cat for a food allergy?
When symptoms may indicate a food allergy in your cat, the vet first rules out other causes. To do this, they examine your cat thoroughly and may take a blood sample.
Once other possible causes have been ruled out, the vet uses an elimination diet. This is a diet with foods your cat does not normally receive in its daily nutrition. Once the symptoms have diminished, the vet tests by adding one ingredient at a time to the diet. In this way, the vet determines which food triggers an allergic reaction in your cat.
Sometimes an elimination diet does not provide clarity. In that case, an allergy test on the blood taken from your cat is a must.
Is a food allergy age-related?
A food allergy is not age-related. Some cats have a food allergy as a kitten, while others develop one later. It can therefore happen that your cat turns out to be allergic to food it never had problems with before.