Cats and Kittens

Our feline friends nuzzle and rub up against us as a show of affection. If your friend has seemed exceptionally affectionate lately, showering you with rubs against your ankles and nuzzling at your hand for a scratch, you may not be as popular as you think. Your cat may have an ulterior motive. He may be seeking relief from the annoying itchiness that accompanies a skin condition.

Cats commonly develop a number of different skin conditions. Although the underlying cause can be quite different between the various conditions, most have very similar symptoms. You may not be able to identify the exact condition, but knowing the symptoms will alert you that there is a problem. The actual diagnosis can be made with a trip the vet.

COMMON SYMPTOMS

* excessive licking

* excessive chewing on skin

* hair loss

* redness of skin

* inflammation of skin

* vigorous scratching

* rubbing against objects

* scabs

* bald patches

Skin conditions can be the result of a number of different factors. They can be environmental, diet related or the affects of a parasite. These are just a few examples of conditions that can afflict your cat.

FOOD ALLERGIES

This is one of the itchiest skin conditions. Scabs and other signs of itching will be present around the face and neck. Cats eat a variety of processed food protein, fillers and colorings, which are further processed within the body once ingested. These may be identified as foreign invaders by the immune system. The body’s defense mechanism of inflammation presents itself on the skin. People mistakenly think this is the result of a recent diet change. Food allergies actually take time to develop. Most cats have been eating the offending food for years, with no problems. treatment usually consists of feeding your cat a hypoallergenic diet for a set amount of time. If the symptoms subside, the original diet is started again for two weeks, to see if itching resumes. If the test diet relieves symptoms and the original diet brings on symptoms, then a food allergy is diagnosed. The cat will return to the hypoallergenic diet or another appropriate diet.

INHALANT ALLERGY

This results from pollen, dander, grass trees and fabrics. Any airborne particle can be the culprit. This allergy is seasonal and your cat at certain times will be symptom free. Development of inhalant allergies usually occur between the ages of one and three. The irritation is mostly facial with signs of hair loss. A rash of