Cats are so stinking cute! With those big round eyes and a little dot of a nose, who could resist? Well, those faces have adapted to serve an important function and purpose other than being cute. Their noses are well suited for the desert and our modern cat friends are no match for seasonal allergies. That’s right your cat gets seasonal allergies just like we us!
Cats' eyes are large and round enabling them to see long distances, to spot prey and predators in an arid desert environment. They have double eyelids. The outer eyelid closes vertically like ours, and the interior one closes horizontally. This gives cats an extra layer of protection from sudden sand storms and protection from venomous spitting snakes, scorpions. However, those double eyelids are great for trapping finer particles such as dust and pollen.
Those cute tiny noses are designed to prevent dust and sand from entering their sinus passages. They are adapted for filtering out allergens. As a result, the nose and sinus passages of a cat’s face are very small and mucus (boogers) rarely leave their noses. Instead, the fluid excretes almost solely from their eyes. Yes!! That means boogers don’t come out of their noses but out their eyes.
Essentially, cats' noses and eyes are poorly equipped for seasonal allergies. Cats can be more sensitive to daily household items especially perfumed products; such as scented cat litter, cleaning agents (which can be very toxic), perfumes and candles. Outside pollution can also trigger allergic reactions. For example, car and factory exhaust, excessive smoke from wildfires and seasonal discomfort caused by pollen from flowering plants and mold blooms. All of this compounded can overwhelm your cat. We will go over some quick diagnostic tips to help you decide if your cat is suffering from allergies or something else.
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