Allergies in cats

Allergies tend to become evident and intensify over extended periods of time and can take years to develop.

Allergens, ingested, inhaled, or airborne, can be seasonal or non-seasonal, similar to allergies in humans.

Symptoms can include both dermatological and gastrointestinal signs[3] such as itchy skin, hair loss and excessive scratching.

Common food allergens in cats include beef, dairy, fish, eggs, and chicken.

[9] In commercially available versions of these diets, producers usually include one protein and one carbohydrate source, in an effort to minimize reactions to any foods.

[11] Studies suggest that commercial elimination diets may still react negatively with a cat, even if they are devoid of the target protein/other problematic foods.

[9][11] Some drawbacks to a homemade diet are the time needed to shop for the ingredients and the potential financial setback.

[9] However, homemade diets are a great way to determine which ingredient is causing the negative symptoms in the cat.

[14] Common examples of novel proteins are lamb, rabbit, venison, duck, elk, kangaroo, ostrich, emu, goose and goat.