Cat and Chicken Allergies
People can be allergic to many foods; nuts, seafood and dairy are just a few of them. Just like humans, cats can also have food allergies, including allergies to chicken. A veterinarian can diagnose a food allergy and help the cat's owner manage it.
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Food Allergies
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Just like humans, cat can have allergies. When a cat has allergies, its immune system reacts to an allergen as though it is a threat to the cat's health. The immune system's efforts to expel the allergen from a cat's body lead to the symptoms of an allergic reaction. Food allergies affect cats of all different breeds, according to the ASPCA. A cat of any age can develop a food allergy to chicken, even if it has been eating the same food for some time.
Symptoms
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A cat with a chicken allergy that eats food that contains chicken or chicken protein will experience an allergic reaction. The owner will see it scratch often at its face and head, according to the ASPCA. The cat develops an itchy rash that spreads over its head, and its eyelids could become swollen. Because of all the scratching, the cat could experience hair loss and oozing sores. Some cats also experience vomiting and diarrhea, states the "Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook."
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Diagnosis
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To diagnose a chicken allergy in a cat requires a visit to a veterinarian. She can recommend a prescription diet with special proteins. The cat must eat the prescription food for 12 weeks. After that, the owner can begin introducing foods into the cat's diet that it had eaten previously to see which one triggers the allergic reaction. If a food containing chicken or chicken protein causes the reaction, then the cat has a chicken allergy.
Treatment
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The best treatment for a cat that is allergic to chicken is to avoid giving it any food that contains chicken or any chicken-derived products. A veterinarian can help recommend foods with protein from other sources. Some cats with severe food allergies require home-cooked meals to ensure that no chicken products enter their diets, but most are fine with a commercial hypoallergenic diet, according to the "Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook."
Considerations
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Some cats have trouble digesting chicken protein. This can result in a cat experiencing vomiting and diarrhea every time it ingests chicken products. If the digestive problems are not accompanied by itching, a rash or swollen areas on the face, then the cat is not actually allergic to chicken. Instead, it has a food intolerance for it. Like a food allergy, the best way to manage the problem is to remove chicken from the cat's diet.
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References
- Photo Credit cat 2 image by Dragan Saponjic from Fotolia.com
