food sensitivities in cats

#signs (anchor only visible for authoring)

Does your cat have signs of food sensitivities?

If a cat vomits frequently, has diarrhoea, irritated skin, a poor coat condition or hair loss, then they may have food sensitivities. The most common symptoms are digestive upset or skin irritation. These signs can be long-term, recurring and should be noted to your vet.

Here are a few signs a cat might be experiencing food sensitivities.

  • Red patches, spots or pimples
  • Dry, flaky or scaly patches
  • Hair loss
  • Scabs, crusts or thickened skin
  • Itching, scratching, licking and rubbing
  • Bad skin odour
  • Digestive upset

#causes (anchor only visible for authoring)

A brown-white cat sitting in a woman's lap

What causes sensitivities in cats?

One of the most difficult things on a cat’s path to improvement is determining what is causing their sensitivities. Food sensitivities in cats are caused by a reaction to a particular ingredient, usually a protein. Food sensitivities may last a lifetime so the ingredient must be permanently removed from your cat’s diet.

FOOD ALLERGIES CALLOUT ICON

Food Sensitivities

Cats may experience reactions to certain ingredients, and they are identified through food elimination trials conducted by your veterinarian. A food elimination trial is a process of finding and removing the food ingredient causing skin issues or digestive upsets. Luckily, food sensitivities are uncommon in cats.

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Environmental Sensitivities

A cat may react to certain substances in their environment — like grasses, pollen, mould or biting insects. Removing the offending substance along with a multimodal approach can help reduce the adverse signs of environmental sensitivities in cats.

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Managing a cat’s sensitivities

Managing a cat’s sensitivities can be a challenging process, and your first step should be visiting your veterinarian. They will help you find the right combination of nutrition, medication, and/or topicals for your cat.

Trust

Living with a cat with food sensitivities can cause you both to be restless, but the road to improvement will require time, patience and trust in your vet. Remember — just like humans, every cat is unique, and the best solution will come from working with a professional to address your pet’s specific needs. Together, you’ll get on the right track to helping your best friend feel like their best self.

A black cat licks a young girl's face

Nutrition

Clinical nutrition plays an important role in the management of signs associated with sensitivities in cats. The right nutrition can promote healthy skin from within and help alleviate your cat’s signs quickly and long-term. Even with treatment, some cats may have recurring signs that will require adjustments along the way, and your veterinarian will be a helpful resource in managing your cat’s sensitivities.

A brown white cat looks up to a bowl of dry cat food

Medication

A vet may prescribe medication to help alleviate your cat’s signs of sensitivities. If you are wondering what you can give your cat for sensitivities, only give medication as recommended by your vet.

A woman playing with her brown-white cat on a bed

Topicals

Topicals can be used for managing sensitivities in cats. There are various deliveries for topicals like shampoos, lotions, sprays, or ointments. Reach out to your veterinarian to ensure a specific topical is appropriate for your pet’s skin condition and life stage.

A grey cat lying next to a window looking at a cat toy

Find a Vet

#nutrition (anchor only visible for authoring)

A grey cat lying on a navy chair

Understanding nutritional support for food sensitivities

You’ll want to ask your vet about a few things when it comes to a suitable cat food for food sensitivities. Ask about clinical nutrition cat food with a novel protein or hydrolysed protein that is unlikely to cause a reaction.

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Novel protein refers to a unique protein not commonly found in pet food to help lower the risk of an adverse reaction.

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Hydrolysed protein involves breaking proteins down into smaller pieces to help avoid detection by the immune system.

Time to see a veterinarian?

If you notice behaviour changes or sense something is off with your cat, it may be time to schedule a vet visit.

You also may want to ask your vet if clinical nutrition would be appropriate for your cat. Hill's Prescription Diet is developed by a team of Ph.D. nutritionists and veterinarians. It requires a vet recommendation for purchase. Schedule an appointment so your vet can assess your pet's health and nutritional needs.

Find a Vet

Explore Clinical Nutrition

Hill's Pet Nutrition veterinary reviewing a cat

Talk to your vet about which nutrition is right for your pet.

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