Feline skin allergies, also known as atopy is a condition caused by substances present in the air or the environment the cat lives in. The symptoms include itchy skin, licking of skin accompanied by sneezing or watery eyes. The treatment may be with traditional medication including antihistamines or steroids, but the cat may also be treated with natural remedies. These natural cures have the advantage of not causing any side effects, strengthening the cat’s immune system at the same time.
Causes of Skin Allergies
The skin allergies are mostly present during times of year when the allergens are in the air, but if the cat is allergic to household chemicals, he will be display skin allergies all year long.
Cats may be allergic to:
- Weed pollens, present during fall
- Tree pollens, in the spring
- Grass pollens, in the spring and summer
- Feathers
- Mold
- Dust
- Smoke
- Plants
- Household chemicals
Symptoms of Skin Allergies
The skin allergies will be manifested through rashes, itchy skin, swelling or excessive licking of the skin. The cat may also sneeze and have watery eyes and rub his face against walls, carpets. The skin can become raw due to the scratching and this may lead to lesions and infections.
Natural Remedies for Skin Allergies
There are natural remedies available to treat skin allergies in cats. You may opt for several reasons for natural remedies; most importantly, natural remedies do not cause side effects. Most traditional medication will cause side effects, as they contain small amounts of materials that are toxic for cats.
Natural treatments will focus on the symptoms as well as the general health condition of the cat. Being a negative reaction of the immune system, allergies will be treated by focusing on strengthening the immune system first and the allergy symptoms after. The natural remedies employ herbs, plants, roots and other natural ingredients.
A solution that includes arsenicum album can be used for skin allergies, as this will reduce the swelling and the itchiness; a stuffed nose can also be cleared with this solution.
Sabadilla is a great remedy for itchy skin and will also relieve symptoms such as sneezing or watery eyes.
If the cat has watery eyes in addition to skin irritations, he should get a solution containing allium cepa.
The natural treatment may include one or several ingredients, depending on the symptoms and the cat’s condition. The treatment should also include some immunity boosters, which can be administered as dietary supplements. You may also opt to give your cat fats (fish oil, sunflower oil), which will keep the skin’s pH balanced; fatty acids will strengthen the immune system of the cat. You may find fatty acids in natural sources such as fish oil or sunflower oil.
If you opt for natural remedies, you should know that it will take weeks or even months until you see any improvement. For this reason, natural remedies are not effective for cats that have severe allergies (i.e. develop anaphylaxis).
Natural remedies will work slowly, but will give efficient results in time.