Pet Skin Doctor

Cat allergies can be caused by a wide variety of different substances but are generally divided into four types. Flea allergies are the most common type of allergy in cats. Also, there are food allergies, inhalant allergies and contact allergies.

Cats are not usually born with food allergies, they tend to develop sensitivities to foods that they have eaten for quite some time. The most common sign of a food allergy in a cat is constant itching. The excessive scratching, chewing, and biting can sometimes lead to hair loss and or ear infections. Other typical symptoms involve signs of digestive problems, such as diarrhea and gas. Foods that frequently cause an allergic response from cats are beef, chicken and pork as well as eggs, yeast, dairy and rice. Food allergies can show up when a cat experiences a change in diet, or they can develop in response to food that a cat has been eating for an extended period of time.

The causes and triggers of cat allergiesare numerous and vary immensely.  Inhalant and contact allergies are often caused by pollens, mold and mosquitos. Contact allergies are the least common type of allergy to affect cats.