Approved by Dr. Dwight Alleyne, DVM Cat Pollen Allergy? Here’s How To Deal With It
Dealing with the seasonal sniffles is never fun - especially if you've got a cat pollen allergy at hand! Here's why it happens & what to do - including tracking where your cat's coming in contact with pollen in the first place.
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. 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,
Find out where your cat spends their time.
Read more- Understanding cat pollen allergies
- What plants might trigger an allergic reaction in cats?
- What areas have a higher pollen count than others?
- Does my cat have a pollen allergy?
- What to expect at your vet
- How to help your cat avoid contact with allergens
- Use a cat GPS tracker to figure out any pollen zones nearby
Understanding cat pollen allergies
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 might nibble on grass every so often or wander around your garden, coming in contact with flowers and plants everywhere. 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
💡A cat GPS tracker can help you figure out what spots around your neighborhood your cat likes to hang out in most – so you can figure out whether these fall into “high pollen” zones or not.
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 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.
| High-pollen US states | Low-pollen US states |
| Kansas | Utah |
| Texas | Arizona |
| Missouri | Colorado |
| Iowa | California |
| Oklahoma | Washington |
| Pennsylvania | New York |
| Florida | Ohio |
| South Carolina | Michigan |
| North Carolina | New Mexico |
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:
- When did your cat’s symptoms first appear?
- Has your cat had them before?
- Did you make any changes to the cat’s food, outdoor privileges or other routines recently?
- 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.
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:
| Prevent contact to allergen source | Just like with humans, the most effective way to protect your cat from an allergic reaction is to prevent contact with the allergens in question. |
| Get informed | Check out your local pollen calendar to figure out what time of year which plants usually bloom. Besides, many meteorological societies measure the pollen in the air daily and provide accurate live information on how much of which allergen is currently in the air at your location. |
| Make a choice | Knowing when your cat is in danger of an allergic reaction, you have the choice of:
|
| Keep your cat inside | If you choose to keep your cat inside while the pollen they are allergic to is outside, take extra care when airing your home. |
| Get fresh air | Most seed and pollen producing plants bloom during the day, so you can significantly help your cat by only opening windows after sunset. |
Use a cat GPS tracker to figure out any pollen zones nearby
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 they’re 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.
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).
