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Food Allergies in Cats

Food Allergies in Cats

Food Hypersensitivity

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Updated on September 26, 2024
SUMMARY OF CONTENT
A food allergy occurs when a cat is sensitized to a particular protein in the diet, which causes an allergic response, usually itching and scratching of the skin. Food allergies account for about 5-15% of all the skin conditions seen in cats. Gastrointestinal signs may also be seen in cats with food allergies.
SEVERITY:
Severity is mild to moderate to severe
  • Diagnosis Icon
    Requires a diagnosis by a veterinarian
  • Time to Cure
    • Resolves within months with an effective hypoallergenic food trial; food trials need to be at least 12 weeks in duration.
  • Treatment Icon
    Treatable by a veterinarian, by the pet parent
  • Prevention Icon
    No known prevention
  • Spread Icon
    Transmission is not possible between cats or between cats and people
  • Lab Icon
    Diagnosis requires history, physical examination, and food trial
VERY COMMON IN
Food allergies affect male and female cats, neutered or intact, equally, and occur in cats of any age.

Symptoms & Signs

The symptoms of food allergies are similar to those of most other allergies seen in cats. The primary symptom is itchy skin and may also include hair loss, excessive scratching, and a crusting or miliary dermatitis. The head, neck and shoulders are most frequently affected. Vomiting and/or diarrhea may be present in some cats. It is difficult to distinguish an animal suffering from food allergies from an animal suffering from atopy or other allergies based on physical signs. However, there are a few signs that increase the suspicion that food allergies may be present. When a cat suffers from allergies year-round and does not respond to steroid treatment, a food allergy is likely. Food allergies affect both male and female cats, neutered or intact, equally. Allergies to foods may develop as early as five months of age and as late as 12 years of age, though the majority of cases occur between two and six years. Many animals with food allergies also have concurrent inhalant or contact allergies, so non seasonal skin issues with seasonal exacerbations may be seen. Unlike atopy, there is no strong link between specific breeds and food allergies. Food allergy symptoms can occur immediately or days after ingestion of the allergen.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis for food allergies can be straightforward. However, many other problems can cause similar symptoms, and often animals suffer from additional problems, so it is essential that all other problems are identified and treated prior to undergoing a food trial to diagnosis food allergies. Atopy, flea bite allergies, intestinal parasite hypersensitivities, notoedric mange, yeast or bacterial infections, or seborrhea can all cause or exacerbate the same or similar symptoms as food allergies. Once all other causes have been ruled out or treated, then it is time to perform a food trial. Food trials and elimination diets: A food trial consists of feeding a cat a novel food source of protein and carbohydrate for at least 12 weeks. A novel food source would be a protein and carbohydrate that the animal had never eaten before. Examples could include duck and potato, or venison and potato, but depends on what foods the cat has been fed previously. . There are a number of such prescription commercial diets available on the market. In addition, there are specialized hypoallergenic diets that have the proteins and carbohydrates broken down into such small molecular sizes that they no longer trigger an allergic response. These are termed 'limited antigen' or 'hydrolyzed protein' diets. Homemade diets are often used, as the ingredients can be carefully restricted. Regardless of the diet used, it must be the only thing the animal eats for 12 weeks. This means no treats, no flavored medications; absolutely nothing but the special food and water. In addition, the cat should not be allowed to roam, which may result in him having access to food or garbage. Unfortunately, some commercial regular cat foods are now being sold using proteins such as duck and venison and even kangaroo. This reduces the number of novel proteins available that can be fed as part of a food trial. Veterinarians used to recommend that a pet only needed to be placed on a special diet for 3 weeks but new studies show that in dogs, only 26% of those with food allergies responded by Day 21. However, the vast majority of the animals responded by 12 weeks. The same may be true in cats, therefore, it is very important to keep the cat on the diet for the entire 12 weeks. If the cat shows a marked reduction or elimination of the symptoms, then they can be placed back on the original food. This is called 'provocative testing' and is essential to confirm the diagnosis. If the symptoms return after going back on the original diet, the diagnosis of a food allergy is confirmed. If there has been no change in symptoms but a food allergy is still strongly suspected, then another food trial using a different novel food source may be recommended. Food Trial Tips Only the recommended diet must be fed. Do NOT give: • Treats • Flavored medications (including heartworm preventives) or supplements • Flavored toothpastes • Flavored plastic toys • Table scraps • Catnip • Any type of food when giving medications If you want to give a treat, use the recommended diet. (Hint: canned diets can be frozen in chunks or baked, and these can be used as treats.) In multiple pet households, feed the others the same diet as the pet, if possible. If not, feed other pets in an entirely different location than the pet, and do not allow the pet access to "regular" food. Maintain a separate litter box for the pet if other cats are being fed a different diet, to avoid contamination with contact with the other cat’s stools, which could potentially contain some undigested protein to which the allergic cat could react. Keep your pet out of the room at mealtimes. Even a tiny amount of food dropped on the floor or licked off of a plate can ruin an elimination trial and require you to start over. Wash the hands and faces of any small children after they have eaten to avoid pets licking and ingesting trace amounts of food. Do not allow your pet to roam. Keep cats on leashes when outside. Keep a journal in which you can record the date and any foods, treats, etc. your pet may have accidentally eaten.

Causation

A food allergy is an overreaction by an individual animal to a specific ingredient in their food. The entire process of a pet being sensitized to a particular agent in food and the complicated antibody response that occurs in the intestinal tract in pets with food allergies is not very well understood. Several studies have shown that some ingredients are more likely to cause food allergies than others. In cats, the most common offenders are beef, lamb, seafood, corn, soy, dairy products and wheat gluten. As you may have noticed, the most common offenders are the most common ingredients in both cat and dog foods. This correlation is not a coincidence. While some proteins might be slightly more antigenic than others, many proteins are similar in form and the incidence of allergic reactions are probably associated with the amount of exposure. Cross reactions can occur between different food items (e.g. different meats or vegetables) and environmental allergens such as pollens and storage mites. 

There is a distinction that needs to be made between food allergies and food intolerances. Food allergies are true allergies and show the characteristic symptoms of itching and skin problems associated with canine and feline allergies and may show gastrointestinal signs concurrently. Food intolerances can result in gastrointestinal signs such as diarrhea or vomiting but and do not create a typical allergic skin response. Food intolerances in pets would be similar to people who get diarrhea or an upset stomach from eating spicy or fried foods or have lactose .intolerance. Fortunately, both food intolerances and allergies can be eliminated with a diet free from offending agents.

Treatments

icon AT-HOME CARE
The treatment for food allergies is avoidance. Once the offending ingredients have been identified through a food trial, then they are eliminated from the diet. The owner of the animal has two choices long-term. They can choose to feed the animal a special commercially prepared balanced diet or a balanced homemade diet. If the owner chooses to feed the homemade diet, then they can potentially periodically challenge the pet with new ingredients and determine additional ingredients that are tolerated. When homemade diets are used, it is essential that they be balanced, with correct amount of ingredients, vitamins, and minerals. Homemade diets for such long-term use should be developed by a veterinary nutritionist. Most home-made diet recipes found online or in books are NOT balanced for cats and cause significant nutritional deficiencies or toxicities, some of which can be dangerous or even fatal.
icon SUPPORTIVE CARE
Feed an appropriate hypoallergenic diet and medicate as directed by your veterinarian.
icon MEDICATIONS
Some at least short-term relief may be gained with antihistamines and, steroids. Antibiotics and topical shampoos and mousses may be needed to treat secondary infections and inflammation. Omega-3 fatty acids and probiotics may be recommended to support the skin and immune system (these should not be given during a food trial).
icon DEVICES
None
icon SURGERY
None
icon SPECIALISTS
A general practitioner typically manages food allergic cats, although a veterinary specialist in dermatology may be needed for complicated or chronic cases.

Cost Of Treatment

Most cases of food allergies can be diagnosed and treated for under $500. In many cases, a special diet may be required for the life of the cat. This may cost as much as $100 per month. Medications to treat symptoms may cost up to $75 per month.

Recovery

Clinical signs associated with food allergies usually resolve within 12 weeks of eliminating the food allergen ingredient. Once a cat’s clinical signs have resolved on the food trial, then other foods, either the preferred commercial diet, or a single ingredient food, may be introduced to see if signs re-occur. Wait at least 2 weeks between new food introductions.

Monitoring

Cats with food allergies must be monitored for recurrence of signs as some pets with food allergies may develop allergies to new foods if they are fed those foods long enough. In addition, diet formulations may be changed by the manufacturer and ingredients added that the cat is sensitive too as well. Introducing new treats to the cat or allowing additional foods such as table scraps again can also cause symptoms to begin again. Other environmental or parasitic allergies may also occur. If you see signs of allergies returning, consult your veterinarian.

Prevention

There is no known prevention for food related allergies. No testing can be done to determine if a cat will develop food allergies.

Questions about Food Allergies

I have a cat that as a kitten was very ill. We got him from 7 months old. We knew he’d had cat flu prior to him coming here. He is now nearly 5 yrs old. He picks huge fights with our other cat. He keeps urinating and scratching at doors and windows around the house. We allow him to go out via the cat flap unlimited. What is happening to him

I'm glad to see that Pippin has been neutered because this eliminates that possibility of hormone-fueled behavioral changes and aggression. Behavioral changes in cats can occur at any point in time, and could be related to anxiety or stressful situations (even rearranging furniture or introducing new people to the home can be stressful to cats). Without a lot more information and observing Pippin's behaviors, I can't precisely tell you why these changes are occurring. It may be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist in your home so that they can observe everything firsthand. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Feliway is one example), and discussing the use of anxiety medication with Pippin's vet. I hope that all goes well!

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Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He’s taking insulin and taking antibiotics for a Uti. It’s been 4 weeks and he wobles when he’s walking. He can’t jump up on the bed like he used to.He’s blood sugar is 250 it’s better than it used to. I don’t understand why he’s so wobbly.

Cats can develop what's called diabetic neuropathy, where their hindlegs become progressively weak. The best thing to do is try to get his diabetes under control as quickly as possible. Here is a link describing the conditon: http://www.diabeticcatcare.com/DCCCOK/Neuropathy.htm

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My senior cat has metastized cancer.17 yrs old. My vet gave her predizone1 and one half tabs a day.i wanted to know if i can just stop the meds.

Is there a reason you want to stop the prednisone? I would recommend not stopping it and if you feel it is better to stop the prednisone then I would recommend weaning off of the prednisone. I would discuss how to wean the prednisone with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.

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My dog has an ear infection

Sorry to hear Marley isn't doing so well with his ears. It is not possible to tell from tge picture tve exact nature of the irritation but if it is indeed infected (typically red, hot, painful and smelly), he will need prescription medication from his regular vet. In the meantime I recommend gently cleaning tge outer war with cotton wool and a pet safe ear cleaner to reduce the build up of wax/discharge

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My dog vomited a pinkish colour. Does this look like blood vomit? She doesn’t have diarrhoea or anything else. Yesterday i fed her plain chicken with rice.

That is very red vomit, however, this color could be linked to a number of things including blood in the vomit, inflammation of the GI tract, having chewed on a toy this color, eaten a food item this color, or gotten into a plant or other item this color. If the vomiting continues, worsens, or other symptoms appear such as a painful or bloated abdomen, diarrhea or blood in the stool, or severe distress, I would schedule a veterinary appointment right away to rule out more severe issues. In the meantime I would continue the bland diet for 24 hours, and monitor for any additional vomiting or illness symptoms.

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My 3 year old long haired tuxedo female pees just fine in the litter box, but she preferred to poop on the bathroom rug or on the carpet behind the sofa. Then, she will go weeks and everything is fine only start pooping outside the box again. I have 4 litter boxes and 3 cats. I clean all several times a day. She is the youngest. I've put wee wee pads down and she lifts them up and poops under them. Any ideas to help? Thanks!

A good first step, if you haven't already, is to rule out any health issues with your vet such as arthritis that may be causing the accidents. Secondly, making sure none of the other cats are bullying her away from the litter box may also alert you to any issues. Thirdly, a good enzymatic cleaner may help reduce the smell/discourage use of these areas in the future. That said, if you've done the above and the issue is still happening, it's probably time to call in a veterinary or animal behaviorist that can visit in person to see what may be going on. They may be able to check for stressors that could be causing the accidents where they are, look for issues with refusal to defecate in the box, or see if there is a cycle that is happening that is triggering this reaction. From there they may be able to set up a more tailored plan to help reduce the accidents and encourage use of the litter box at all times. If you're in the US, you can use this website to help find someone available in your area: https://www.dacvb.org/page/about

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Disclaimer

The information contained on this page is for educational purposes only. This medication should only be given under the advice of a veterinarian who has examined your pet under the laws applicable to your state of residence.