Cat Pollen Allergy? Here’s How To Deal With It

As the springtime sniffles rear their heads, you might find yourself reaching out for the tissues…only to find your cat reaching out for them too! Turns out, it’s not too uncommon dealing with a cat pollen allergy – though unfortunately, there isn’t a permanent cure for it.

At the same time, there’s a lot you can do to help your cat enjoy the warmer days. So here are a couple of tips and tricks on how to deal with a cat pollen allergy – including tracking if your cat’s been wandering to any pollen-riddled spots around town – and handle it for good.

Find out where your cat spends their time.

Read more

Understanding cat pollen allergies

It’s not entirely known why some of us get allergies while others don’t. But what’s certain is that an allergy causes the body to react to certain substances in the same way it reacts to diseases. (Applying to cats and humans alike.) So when your cat comes in contact with an allergy-triggering substance, their immune system produces antibodies as a defensive reaction. This includes a substance called histamine, which helps fight disease – but unfortunately, also might turn up as:

• Swelling
• Itching
• Watery eyes
• Runny nose

For some cats, you might find them sniffling and itching more often around springtime – when pollen is in the air. This fine, powdery substance gets secreted by seed-producing plants for reproduction around this time.

What plants might trigger an allergic reaction in cats?

Cats do tend to be rather careful around plants – but that doesn’t stop them from nibbling on grass every so often either! Besides, any amount of pollen or even parts of certain plants might end up brushing against their fur or paws. (And can make them sick while grooming.)

Which is why it makes sense to stay aware of what plants are poisonous to cats – and keep them well away from your buddy. Some include:

• Daffodils
• Tulips
• Lilies
• Peonies
• Ragwort
• Foxglove
• Chrysanthemums
• Hyacinths

Read more: Signs of plant poisoning in cats

What areas have a higher pollen count than others?

In the US alone, different states may be more likely to be “allergy zones” – others less so. So it makes sense to check whether yours counts as a high-pollen zone or not.

💡So if you’re planning on moving states or visiting one with your cat, keep an eye out for its pollen count this spring – and plan ahead how you’re going to prevent and/or treat it.

Does my cat have a pollen allergy?

Just like humans, a cat pollen allergy may also turn up with symptoms similar to ours. Get in touch with your vet, if your cat shows signs of:

• Watery eyes
• Running nose
• Head shaking
• Sneezing
• Coughing
• Hair loss due to overgrooming, or excessive rubbing or scratching at their fur, skin, or ears
• Chewing on their paws
• Vomiting or throwing up hairballs
• Sores on their skin

Just remember: it’s important to give your vet a full history of these symptoms. So keep track of how long they’ve been persisting and whether it’s a seasonal occurrence.

What to expect at your vet

Now before you head over to your vet’s, you’ll find it helpful going prepared to answer:

1. When did your cat’s symptoms first appear?
2. Has your cat had them before?
3. Did you make any changes to the cat’s food, outdoor privileges or other routines recently?
4. Is your cat primarily an indoor or outdoor cat? How often do they head outdoors?

Besides thoroughly examining your cat to rule out pests like ticks or mites, your vet might also check for symptoms like a cold or food allergies.

Read more:

• Cat Food Allergies: What To Watch Out For
• How To Prevent & Get Rid Of Ticks On Cats (For Good)

Once your vet has ruled out these causes, they might also conduct a blood test to check for antibodies, just like in a human allergy test. From this, they should be able to not only tell you if your cat has a pollen allergy but also what specific types of pollen your cat is allergic to.

Based on what’s causing your cat’s pollen allergy, your vet might prescribe you specific medications to help reduce the histamines in their body. (And reduce the itching, sneezing, and swelling.)

• Make sure to follow their instructions to the T through the full course of medication (even if your cat seems to be getting better early on)
• Avoid giving your cat any medication built for humans. These may contain harmful substances that might poison them instead.

How to help your cat avoid contact with allergens

Now once you know for sure what kind of allergy your cat has, you know how to help them feel better. Here are a few tips:

How tracking your cat’s favorite spots can help you prevent an allergy

Now you vet’s allergy test might show up some interesting results. Like, for example, if your cat is allergic to a plant that doesn’t grow anywhere near you – but your poor buddy is still sneezing up a storm. Here’s where tracking your cat’s daily trips and adventures outdoors can be a lifesaver.

• Your outdoor cat might be wandering in a mile-long radius – likely coming in contact with your neighbors’ pollen-riddled backyards, the local park, or even a patch of woodland nearby.
• Even your indoor cat might come in contact with allergy-inducing pollen, ticks, or mites from your very own backyard!

💡Now rather than monitoring your cat’s wanderings 24/7, why not let a cat GPS tracker do all the work for you?

With a Tractive Cat MINI strapped to their collar, your cat can now wander past your neighborhood into the next one – or even further – and all you need to do is check where they’re at with a glance at your phone.

Because with a cat GPS tracker, you now have a whole sky full of satellites tracking your cat’s movements in real-time – plus over an unlimited range.

Track your cat wherever they go

Get real-time location information, wherever they go. Find out when they go somewhere they shouldn’t, with Virtual Fences. And discover their favorite spots with Territory.

Shop Cat Trackers

Still wondering how seasonal allergies in cats might show up? Here’s Dr. Christian Broadhurst from the Clay Humane Society sharing his take:

And if you’ve liked this post, share it with a friend or a loved one – and let’s help build a safer, kinder world for our furry friends together.

---

Your furry friend’s health and wellbeing means as much as to us as it does to you. So we’ve made it a priority to only share medically-relevant content on our blog.

This post was checked, double-checked, and medically verified by Georgia-based vet, Dr. Dwight Alleyne.

Originally from Long Island, New York, Dr. Alleyne began his career at a no-kill animal shelter before becoming a licensed veterinary technician. He graduated from Cornell University Veterinary College in 2006 and completed an internship at Purdue University.

Now practicing in Georgia, Dr. Alleyne specializes in soft tissue surgery and ultrasounds. He also writes pet health articles on his website, “The Animal Doctor Blog” (www.anmldrblog.com).