Fortunately with treatment from your vet and good flea control a cat with a flea allergy can live a perfectly normal happy life.
Allergy to fleas in cats.
Fleas are the bane of every cat owner s existence and they re no fun for the cat either.
Some cats are hypersensitive to flea bites and develop flea allergy dermatitis fad and will scratch and bite their skin causing hair loss and sores.
In fact fad is the most common skin disease in dogs in the u s.
Many flea allergic cats chew or lick the hair off their legs.
Plenty of things can help.
Adult fleas do bite but cannot survive long if they are not on an animal.
Fortunately there are home remedies to relieve symptoms and prevent future problems.
An allergy occurs when the cat s immune system overreacts or is hypersensitive to foreign substances called allergens.
Flea allergy dermatitis in cats occurs when the kitty s immune system overreacts to flea saliva mounting an over the top response to its presence in the cat s body.
If your cat has flea allergies it is important to take your cat to a veterinarian who can diagnose and treat the problem as soon as possible.
When a flea bites a cat to consume a blood meal some of its saliva is injected into the skin.
Flea allergies often spike in the summer and pets that have seasonal allergies are more likely to have an allergic reaction to fleabites.
Flea allergies usually develop when cats are young less than one and up to five years of age but can begin at any age.
Second you may need to treat any infections that have come as a result of the incessant scratching due to the allergy.
Flea saliva is actually believed to be the cause for the allergy or sensitivity.
Treating flea allergies in cats.
In an allergic cat just one bite can result in intense itching that can last for days.
The common symptoms of flea allergies also appear in cats affected by other skin conditions so diagnosis can be difficult unless it is performed by a veterinarian.
Many cats and dogs are allergic to fleas.
Flea allergic dermatitis explained most cats find fleas itchy and irritating but for some they are a much bigger problem because they are allergic to the bites or more specifically the flea s saliva.
The best goal for pets with this condition though is prevention of flea bites.
Flea allergies are generally treated in two phases.
The flea life cycle includes the adult flea egg larva and pupa.
And the best way to prevent flea bites is year round.
The histamine that is released during this response causes intensely itchy fluid filled bumps to appear on the cat s skin.
