080 099 9239Why can your cat have Intolerances?
If your cat has some symptoms that have not been diagnosed it is possible that it’s suffering from an intolerance? It is very common that people have food intolerances. If humans have sensitive to some food and items, why your cat would not?. An intolerance is a body reaction, in most cases to food, but there are also some other items such as wool or dust that can also cause an adverse reaction. Some allergens can be found in our home and environment in general as well as artificial allergens may all affect the health of your cat. As a result your feline may be missing out on a better quality of life.
44 food and 29 non-food items tested
Find out if your cat reacts to a certain item such as food or artificial that may trigger a reaction in your feline pet. The cat test will analyse 44 food and 29 non-food items such as milk, dates and dust amongst others. The test will indicate which foods or other allergens are causing a reaction and therefore should be avoided:
Food Items
| Apple Juice | Banana | Beets (beetroot) |
| Buttermilk | Cabbage – Green | Caraway |
| Cheddar | Cod | Cranberry juice |
| Dates | Duck | Egg yolk |
| Fig | Grapes (White) | Halibut |
| Honey | Kiwis | Lamb |
| Lobster | Macadamia Nuts | Maize |
| Maple Syrup | Milk lactose | Mint (Fresh) |
| Orange juice | Oyster sauce | Pineapple juice |
| Pork | Potatoes | Rabbit – meat |
| Raisins | Raspberries | Red Leicester |
| Rice – Brown | Sesame seed | Sole |
| Soya | Spinach | Sunflower oil |
| Swede | Trout (Brown) | Venison |
| Wheat, whole grain | Whitefish |
Non-food items
| Barley (Hordeum vulgare) | Bee | Buckwheat |
| Buttercup | Cotton – plant | Dandelion (Taraxum duplidens) |
| Dust | Elder (Sambucus nigra) | Goats |
| Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea) | Hamsters | Hazel (Corylus avellana) |
| Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) | Japanese Millet | Lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus) |
| Peanut plant | Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) | Pine (Pinus spp.) |
| Plantain (Plantago major) | Primrose (Primulus) | Rabbits – animal |
| Ragweed (Ambrosia elatior) | Red fescue (Festuca rubra) | Sheep’s wool |
| Tall oat grass (Arrhenaterium elatius) | Wild oat (Avena fatua) | Willow |
| Wool | Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) |
Why you should test your cat for any sensitivity and intolerances?
Like humans, cats can suffer from reactions that can cause serious health problems. Some reactions can be easier to be detect, such as skin rashes or digestive problems that cause diarrhea. However, some reactions to environmental allergens may be more difficult to detect. It can turn out quite complicated to detect changes of mood in your cat which may end up being miserable without you knowing it.
Sample report
After receiving the sample in the laboratory, the results will be ready in 3-5 business days. The report will provide you all the information to understand any intolerances that your cat has to the items tested. It will also include a comprehensive guide on how to eliminate possible intolerances from the diet of your pet.
How is the sample collection process?
The laboratory will simply need some cat fur samples for the analysis. This is a self-collection process and therefore we will not be sending out a testing kit to you. The sample collection process for the test is very simple and easy and instructions are provided below. Bear in mind that if the hair is not collected as specified below, the laboratory will not be able to analyze the samples:
- It can be tested on any fur from the body of your cat.
- Ideally fur samples should include the root, if this is not possible cut it as close to the root as possible.
- If the hair is longer than one inch, we only require 5 individual strands of hair.
- Place the fur sample in a small sealable bag ensuring it remains dry and secure.
- Do not send the fur sample in any metallic packaging such as metal foil.
- Place the fur samples in a secure envelope or postage wallet before sending it to the address provided.
Treatment of intolerances in Cats
Once you receive the sample report it will determine the type of allergens that your feline is intolerant to. Some intolerances may require treatment and some it will simply need a change in the diet of your cat. Besides the report includes an extensive guide, we recommend you visit your veterinarian and discuss it with them to find what may be the best treatment for your cat.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an allergy and intolerance in cats?
The reaction to allergies is more severe than intolerances and it is usually felt immediately. Intolerances are usually less severe and can change over time. In addition, the symptoms of an intolerance are not immediate, manifesting anywhere from 10 minutes to 48 hours after the food has been consumed.
What is food allergy in cats?
Food allergy is an adverse reaction of the immune system to an allergen, which in most cases is a reaction to a specific food protein.
On the contrary, if your cat has a food intolerance the immune system will not be affected. Food allergy are less common that food intolerances in cats.
What is food intolerance in cats?
Food intolerance is a non-immunologic adverse reaction to any digested food. If your cat vomits after eating is probably suffering from food intolerance. In such cases it is recommended you seek professional advice, the difference between food intolerance and allergy is not always easy to distinguish. Both show similar reactions.
Is there a minimum age of the cat to run the test?
The test is suitable for cats who are on full adult meals, so this would normally be from the 6 months onwards.
Do drugs have an effect on the results of the cat allergy test?
Most drugs do not have an effect on the test as this is not an allergy test taken from blood. However if you are concerned about a particular test you can let us know and we can check directly with the laboratory.
Special Offers and Discounts
The price of a single Cat test is R1999.
We are offering our clients the opportunity to purchase multiple test and benefit from a great discount on each additional test. So if you decide to order a second cat intolerance test then this will cost R1900.
Other Animal Testing Options
We offer a range of different Animal DNA Testing which you may also be interested if you have other type of pets. We offer a particularly strong Dog DNA Test section with tests such as the Dog Allergy Test and the dog breed determination test. Please let us know if you are interested in any of these tests.
Feline PKD Testing