Atopy in Cats: An Overview

Dog Breeds

Atopy, also known as allergic inhalant dermatitis and atopic dermatitis, is an allergic reaction in cats which causes intense itching on the body, hair loss, and continual ear infections. This type of condition can be extremely frustrating to cat owners, not to mention the pets themselves.

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Definition of Atopy

Atopy, also called allergic inhalant dermatitis and atopic dermatitis, is a clinical syndrome involving immune-mediated hypersensitivities to one or more normally innocuous environmental allergens that are either inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

How Atopy Affects Cats

Atopy is thought to be a genetically-influenced disorder causing cats to become hypersensitive to things that normally would not cause an allergic reaction. The mode of inheritance is not known, and factors in addition to heredity may well influence the development of the disease. The hallmark of feline atopy is intense and chronic itching, scratching, licking, biting, chewing and hair loss, which can be seasonal or non-seasonal and tends to affect the feet, face, ears and underbelly. Atopy can be associated with self-trauma and secondary skin infections, although this is less common in cats than in dogs. Atopic cats are prone to developing respiratory tract disease that mimics feline asthma. They also often develop symmetric hair loss and other skin lesions not typically seen in affected dogs. Recurrent malodorous ear infections are frequently seen in cats with atopy. Cats with seasonal atopy often develop chronic, non-seasonal disease as they age.

Causes of Atopy in Cats

As mentioned above, atopy is a genetically-influenced abnormal reaction to contact with normal things. Common suspects include pollen, grasses, weeds, trees or other plants, mold, household cleaners, dust mites, animal dander, chemicals, kitty litter and countless other environmental allergens. There is no clear sex or breed predilection for feline atopy. Clinical signs of atopy normally are evident between 6 and 36 months of age.

Preventing Atopy in Cats

As with other hypersensitivity reactions, atopic reactions can be prevented by eliminating or at least minimizing the cat’s exposure to the inciting allergens. These can be identified through intradermal allergy testing if they are not otherwise obvious. Other prevention techniques include minimizing other causes of itchiness (fleas, ticks, food allergies, etc.), so that the itchiness caused by the atopic reaction is not compounded.

Special Notes

There is no simple diagnostic test for feline atopy. Instead, a diagnosis of atopy is based upon the nature of the cat’s clinical signs, its history and its response to treatment. There are a number of possible treatments for atopy, but the “right” treatment protocol depends upon the cause of the condition, the cat’s overall health and the severity of its symptoms. Feline atopy cannot be “cured.” Fortunately, it normally can be controlled with medication, diet and life-style management. Atopy is not life-threatening but does require life-long management to maintain a good quality of life for affected animals.

Symptoms and Types