Asthma and Allergies

Allergic reactions in cats to certain foods and chemicals are a relatively recent phenomenon.

When a cat inhales, swallows, or is otherwise in contact with any "trigger" substance, the immune system responds by producing an antibody called immunoglobin E (IgE).

In allergic cats, IgE binds onto receptor sites on specialized immune cells called mast cells, which are located in the skin and the lining of the stomach, lungs, and upper airways.

These mast cells are like primed mines, filled with irritating chemicals, and the IgE causes the mast cells to literally explode, scattering irritating and inflammatory substances, such as histamine. Antihistamine drugs act to neutralize the released histamine.