Introduction
The type of skin allergy that a cat is experiencing is classified according to what is causing the allergy. Skin allergies can also be separated into mild, moderate, and severe types.
Types of Skin Allergies in Cats
Skin allergies in cats can be classified as mild types, moderate types, or severe types. Mild skin allergies often require no, or very mild, treatments. Moderate skin allergies can cause moderate symptoms, and they usually only require treatments on a seasonal basis. Severe types of skin allergies require continual medical treatment, cause severe symptoms, and often result in secondary bacterial and/or yeast infections to develop on the body.
Parasites
One of the most common types of skin allergies in cats are allergies to parasites. These parasites can include mosquitoes, fleas, ear mites, or ticks. Cats that are allergic to these parasites can develop a bite hypersensitivity reaction that includes raised bumps, intense itching, and sores on the skin. Once exposure to the parasites is eliminated, the allergy symptoms slowly go away.
Food
Food allergies can often cause periodic vomiting and diarrhea in cats, but they can also cause skin allergies as well when the allergy to a food ingredient causes allergic symptoms on the skin to appear. Cats may also experience allergies to pollens and grasses or to certain types of chemicals in the environment.
Feline Miliary Dermatitis
In some cases, a condition called feline miliary dermatitis can cause skin allergy symptoms to develop. While this condition can be caused by allergies, it can also occur as a result of malnutrition, hormonal disturbances, or underlying medical conditions.