The cat has allergies!!! Are there anti-histamines for cats?

[flingaling]

Cat has been scratching at ears and has had sore eyes for some time. It comes and goes. I've put off a vet visit because she gets so distressed but today bundled her into the basket and did it. Vet says she has allergies - possibly pollen or possibly dust mite.

I'll haul out the filters and we were going to sort out carpets soon anyway, but the vet gave her a steroid injection and said that longer term options if it didn't abate were monthly steroid injections or immune suppressants.

Feels a bit extreme and she won't cope with being dragged to the vet monthly. Has anyone successfully used anti-histamines for their cat and can recommend anything?

Mine has 1/4 tablet of Piriton as required

Our cat has allergies in the summer months and our vet prescribes steroid tablets - I give him 1/2 every other day and it's working well at the moment. But I would like to know about alternatives to steroids too.

Thanks both. Toddlerteaplease is that just normal human Piriton?

seekingwaxwings what are the side effects of the steroids? I didn't realise tablets were an option - there's no way I could go through getting her into a box to take her to the vet every 4-5 weeks.

My cat had bad allergies, treated as environmental for a few years and had long action steroid injections. Saw a different vet once who suggested it could be food - allergy test revealed severe allergy to dairy, pork, lamb and beef. He is now on an allergenic diet and no issues and no more steroids.

I had a cat with an allergy and he was given Piriton, the vet told me it was cheaper for me to buy it over the counter and I did.

Iwouldratherbemuckingout - thank you. What do you feed your cat now out of interest?

jessstan2 - liquid? What kind of dose?

Yes. HumAn Piriton.

My cat had long term allergies that in the end needed weekly steroid injections. The vet showed me how to do it and I did it at home so we didn't need to keep dragging the cat to the vets. It was really easy and the cat didn't mind at all.

I can't remember, flingaling. Whatever the vet recommended, it was the same stuff as he prescribed. It was a long time ago but I think maybe one tablet twice or three times a day for a week. Anyway it worked. My cat had an allergy that caused bits of his skin to go bare on his face and always after a few days on Piriton it was back to normal.

Thanks so much everyone. Some things to think about and try and talk to the vet about. It didn't even occur to me that cats could have allergies but yes why wouldn't they!

I haven't noticed any side effects of the steroids OP, but I know they are not great long term so would prefer to avoid them. I'm scared to give him human piriton, I know that's probably daft!

Food allergies are the most common allergies in cats talk to your vet about exclusion diets.

seekingwaxwings yes I feel the same!
Lonecatwithkitten I used to see a vet who was very clued up on diets etc so I might go back and see him, thank you.

Many years ago I had a horse who was allergic to certain types of hay! Vet back then said Piriton (and change the hay over of course)