Incessant scratching is annoying for your cat and troublesome to you. But how can you tell if it’s her food that’s the main culprit?

By Karen Commings

Nothing can be more frustrating for a cat owner — and annoying to a cat — than skin disorders.

Allergies may be caused by flea bites or environmental factors like grass pollen and ragweed; other causes may include food hypersensitivity.

Nutritional deficiencies or food hypersensitivity; parasites; fungal, viral and bacterial infections; and environmental allergens can cause problems that range from dry, brittle hair and coat to baldness and open wounds. “Most skin diseases are simple and straightforward,” says William Miller, Jr., VMD, professor of dermatology at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, “and common problems such as flea bite allergies, abscesses and ear mites are easily recognized, treated and resolved.” …

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