When people think of cats and allergies, they assume it’s the human who suffers. Actually, cats can be allergic as well and to many of the same things that affect our own bodies.

As with us, feline allergy symptoms often mimic the common “cold” or URI, with chronic sneezing, coughing, and runny eyes and nose. Even snoring can be a sign of something amiss with your pet.

More severe reactions can include frequent scratching and itchy skin, vomiting, diarrhea, swelling of various body parts, hives and paw-chewing. Mouth ulcers can indicate a food allergy along with itchy rashes on the head, neck and back. The scariest of all allergic reactions is anaphylactic shock which can be brought on by penicillin, bee and wasp stings, and occasionally booster vaccinations.

To have an allergic reaction to something, the animal must have been exposed to that particular allergen at least twice. This is the same for us and why we suddenly may find ourselves sensitive to something we’ve eaten all our lives or a drug we’ve taken before.

Common allergens for cats include: foods (especially chicken, fish, corn, wheat and soy), plant pollens, dust and mold, fleas and their control products, Rx meds, perfumes, cleaning products, cigarette smoke, fabrics, rubber and plastic, and even feathers.

Dermatitis, small itchy, crusty bumps on the skin often accompanied by raw or bald areas due to scratching, is a common sign of allergic reaction. It commonly appears when your cat is exposed to environmental or drug chemicals, pollens, fleas, or any other thing in the list above.

If you suspect your cat has allergies, it is wise to schedule a trip to the veterinarian for testing before attempting to home treat symptoms, just in case there is another underlying cause for them. Your vet may suggest blood and skin tests and elimination diets for possible food allergy. Sometimes cortisone medication is prescribed to combat the itchiness tormenting your pet.

Advances in veterinary medicine have been remarkable in the last few decades, and pet care companies have responded with many product choices. Both feline and human alike have benefitted from these breakthroughs.

Gone are the flea collar and powder being our only defense against the hopping, biting menace. The shelves groan with pet foods in a myriad of flavors and ingredients. Even kitty litter is no longer just clay, but can be found in pressed paper, sawdust pellets, corn and wheat; scented and clumping, or not. One has to consider that perhaps allergies and sensitivities in our cats have increased due to some of these manufactured products, especially ones containing perfumes and other scents meant for our noses rather than your pets’.

Just a reminder to those humans out there allergic to cats…, Russian Blues with their dense fur (not hair) and the hairless Rex are great choices as they are the hypoallergenic species of the feline world. So maybe you really can have your cat and pet it too!

In Memoriam: This column is dedicated to my mother who passed away April 26. She taught me the love of animals and writing and was my biggest cheerleader to the very end of her 105 years.