Cat pollen allergy: Symptoms, tips and remedies

As ‘sniffing season’ approaches, you’ll find that it’s less common for your cat to sniffle. Here are a few tips and tricks How to deal with cat pollen allergies – including tracking if your cat has wandered into any pollinating areas around town.

Key Takeaways

Your cat may develop an allergy to pollenwhich can cause symptoms such as watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, and even hair loss due to scratching or excessive rubbing of the skin.

The best way to help your cat is to find out if it is sick. Then, try to keep them away from that particular pollen. This may mean keeping them inside when the pollen count is high or opening the windows only at night.

If your cat is wearing a Tractive smart cat collar, you can he looked at where they had been roaming outside. This can help you identify if they have been spending time in “high pollen areas” so you can help them avoid those areas and feel better.

Understanding cat pollen allergies

Allergies cause the body to react to something in the same way it reacts to diseases. (It works for cats and people alike.) So when your cat comes into contact with an allergen, its immune system goes into overdrive. immune system as a defense mechanism. This includes a substance called histamine, which helps fight the disease – but unfortunately, it can manifest as swelling, itching, watery eyes, and a runny nose.

In some cats, you may find them sniffing and biting all around spring – when pollen is in the air. This fine, powdery substance is released by plants that produce seeds to reproduce at this time.

What plants can cause allergies in cats?

Cats may regularly graze the grass or roam your garden, encountering flowers and plants everywhere. Any amount of pollen or parts of certain plants can end up brushing their fur or paws. (And it can make them sick while grooming.) That’s why it makes sense to stay aware of which plants are poisonous to cats. – and keep them away from your friend. Some include:

• Daffodils
• Tulips
• Lilies
• Peonies
• Ragwort
• Foxglove
• Chrysanthemums
• Hyacinths

That’s why it makes sense to find out what places around your neighborhood your cat likes to hang out the majority. It can help you determine if these fall into “high pollen” areas or not.

Which areas have higher pollen counts than others?

Only in the US, different regions may exist more “allergy spots” – others a little. So if you’re planning to move states or visit one with your cat, keep an eye on her pollen count this spring – and plan ahead how to prevent and/or manage it.

Does my cat have a pollen allergy?

Like humans, cat pollen allergy may present symptoms similar to ours. Contact your veterinarian, if your cat shows signs of:

• The eyes are full of water
• A runny nose
• The head is pounding
• Sneezing
• A cough
• Hair loss due to excessive grooming, or excessive rubbing or scratching of their fur, skin, or ears.
• Chewing with their paws
• Cleaning or discarding hairballs
• Sores on their skin

Just remember: it is important to give your veterinarian a full history of these symptoms. So keep track of how long they last and whether it’s a seasonal phenomenon.

Are cat allergies worse in the summer?

For many cats, yes, allergies can be worse in the summer. Summer is peak season for grass and weed pollen. Even if your cat is indoors, all that pollen gets blown in through open windows and, often, on your clothes and shoes. The more pollen counts outside, the more likely your cat will be exposed inside.

Cats who spend time outdoors are exposed to allergens – such as certain grasses, mold, and insect bites – in the summer compared to the colder months when they may stay close to home. So, if you notice your cat scratching a lot, losing fur, or grooming excessively as the weather warms, an occasional allergic reaction may be the cause.

⚠️ Some plants – such as ragweed and mugwort – can also release pollen in the autumn months. So it’s not just spring and summer to watch out for!

Can indoor cats smell pollen?

Yes, absolutely. It is a common belief that keeping a cat indoors protects it completely from outside factors such as pollen, but unfortunately, this is not the case. Pollen is a small powder that is incredibly easy to travel. Your inner cat may be meeting this…

• From you.
  The most common way pollen gets inside is by riding on yourself! Pollen sticks to your clothes, hair, and shoes every time you go inside, and you track it right into your home where your cat lives.
• Open windows and doors.
  While screens help keep out bugs, they don’t stop the tiny pollen particles that float through the air whenever you open a window or door for fresh air.
• Air vents and filters.
  Pollen can also be drawn in through your home’s ventilation system, especially if you live in a multi-unit building or if your air filters are not changed frequently.

When an indoor cat is allergic, it reacts to this build-up of pollen just as it would to dust or a food ingredient. Instead of sneezing like a human, a cat with a pollen allergy often shows symptoms like these itchy skin, excessive scratching, hair loss, and skin itching. So, while you’re doing a great job keeping your cat safe indoors, you may need to manage the environment and talk to your vet about seasonal allergies.

What to expect from your vet

Now before you go to your vet, you will find it helpful to prepare yourself to answer:

1. When did your cat’s symptoms start?
2. Did your cat have it before?
3. Have you made any changes to your cat’s diet, outdoor privileges or other habits recently?
4. Is your cat primarily an indoor or outdoor cat? How often do they go outside?

In addition to examining your cat for parasites such as ticks or worms, your vet may check for symptoms such as fever or food allergies.

Once your vet has ruled out these causes, he may also perform a blood test testing for antibodies, as in human immunodeficiency testing. From this, they should not only tell you that your cat has a pollen allergy but also what specific types of pollen your cat is allergic to.

Based on what is causing your cat’s pollen allergy, your vet may prescribe certain medications to help reduce the histamines in their body. (And reduce itching, sneezing, and inflammation.) Be sure follow their instructions to a T by using all medications – even if your cat seems to be getting better early on.

First things first, get the information. Check your local pollinator calendar to find out what time of year plants usually bloom. Many meteorological societies measuring pollen in the air every day and provide accurate live information on how much allergen is currently in the air in your area.

You are in good hands too knowing when your cat may be at risk for allergies.
So you can keep them in the house or keep medicines ready to give yourself relief. If you choose to keep your cat indoors while the pollen she’s allergic to is outside, be careful when ventilating your house.

A final tip: Avoid ventilating your house in the morning. Many plants that produce seeds and pollen bloom during the day, so you can help your cat by opening the windows after sunset.

Where a smart cat collar can help

Your outdoor cat may roam a mile-long neighborhood — likely encountering your neighbors’ pollinator-filled yards, a local park, or a nearby patch of woods. Even your indoor cat may come into contact with allergenic pollen, ticks, or worms from your yard. An attractive smart cat collar can help you find out where the problem is coming from.

Tied to your cat’s collar, you can now:

Find out where your cat comes into contact with pollen

Although most pollen gets on your clothes, outdoor cats often encounter areas with high pollen counts, such as certain overgrown gardens or fields. From your Tractive app, you can check theirs Local history to see where your cat spends its time. I Heat map it will highlight any wooded or grassy areas where they may be bordering plants with a high pollinator value. If you find a pattern, you can take action – by removing the area (if it’s your yard) or trying to redirect your cat away from that area.

Recognize potential health problems early

Severe itching (the main symptom of pollen allergy) will prevent your cat from getting a good night’s sleep. With a built-in motion detector, your Traktive tracker is too monitors their activity and sleep quality. You may not see them scratching all night, but the data will show you if their sleep is broken and weak. Or if they’re uncomfortable to the point of exhaustion, the tracker will pick up that slack.

If allergies cause a big, sudden change in their vital signs, activity or sleep pattern, you will find out quickly. Health Warning on your phone. This information can help your vet make a better diagnosis, as it gives them concrete data, helping them to prepare the right treatment.

Find the Good Ones

The health and well-being of your furry friend means as much to us as it does to you. So we have made it a priority to share only medical related content on our blog. This post has been vetted, double-checked, and clinically verified is a Georgia-based veterinarian, Dr. Dwight Alleyne.