Could Your Cat's Food Be Causing Their Health Issues?

Understanding Feline Food Allergies

The most common food allergens for cats include chicken, beef, fish, dairy, and eggs. Protein sources are the most frequent culprits because allergies occur when the immune system mistakenly identifies a particular protein as a threat and overreacts.

Since proteins are a major component of a cat’s diet—especially in commercial foods—chronic exposure to the same protein source over time increases the risk of developing an allergy.

Factors that contribute to food allergies in cats include:

- Chronic exposure to the same protein.

- Genetics (Siamese and Oriental breeds may be predisposed).

- Immune system dysfunction.

- Gut microbiome imbalance (often caused by antibiotics, illness, or diet changes).

- Environmental stressors (can weaken immune tolerance).

Food allergies can affect any breed, but Siamese and Oriental breeds may be more prone. They can occur at any age but are most common in young adult to middle-aged cats. Unlike seasonal allergies, food allergies usually develop gradually and persist year-round.

Diagnosis involves a strict elimination diet trial:

- Feed a novel or hydrolyzed protein diet for 8–12 weeks.

- Eliminate all other foods (no treats, flavored meds, or table scraps).

- Monitor for improvement in symptoms (itching, GI issues, ear infections).

- Optionally, reintroduce the original food to confirm diagnosis.

There are no reliable blood or skin tests for food allergies. Be wary of over-the-counter or online tests—they’re often misleading.

Food allergies can mimic other conditions like environmental allergies or GI disease, so an elimination diet is the gold standard.

If your cat has unexplained itching, chronic GI issues, or recurring skin problems, talk to your vet about a food allergy workup. Identifying and eliminating the trigger can lead to major improvements in quality of life.