A general allergy in a cat does not always present itself like a human allergy would with sneezing and coughing. In the case of a contact allergy, it typically presents itself as a skin issue that may vary in symptoms severity. For example, the allergy may be identified as chronic feet licking or it may be something more obvious like hair loss all over the body. When diagnosing wool allergy in your cat, it will be based primarily on clinical signs.
To begin her diagnosis, your veterinarian will start by performing a full physical exam on your cat. She will make note of all his symptoms and where it is primarily affecting him on his body. In addition to her examination, she will collect a verbal history from you in regards to your cat’s condition. She will want to know the details as to what your cat has ingested and had contact with recently. She will also want to know details such as when symptoms began and how they have been progressing.
To rule out other possible causes of your cat’s symptoms, your veterinarian may want to take a skin scraping sample from your cat or she may want to perform a skin cytology. These tests can rule out skin issues that may be affecting your cat. For example, she will need to rule out parasitic infections, fungal skin infections, or other likely skin ailments that can also cause the hair loss, itching, and other symptoms.
There is also an available blood serum test panel you can have completed on your cat in regards to environmental allergies. The results are very reliable and can offer you insight to your cat’s condition. If you suspect wool is the cause of your cat’s symptoms, you can request that it be included in the allergen panel. Your veterinarian will collect a blood sample from your cat and send it off for testing. The results will show what your cat is allergic to and how severely.