Could Oliver have allergies?

Spring has sprung here in Chicago, and I am suffering big-time with allergies...major sneezing and post-nasal drip! No fun!

Today I noticed Oliver seems a bit runny and sneezy as well. He's still his wacky self, so I'm thinking rather than jump the gun and take him to the vet I would wait to see if it persists--he's still eating like a piggy, drinking, litter box-ing and beating up on his sister as usual.

Could he be dealing with allergies as well? I know cats can have skin problems related to allergies, but didn't know if they would suffer similar symptoms as human allergy sufferers...

Could be allergies, especially if you've used a new cleaner, air freshener, etc. Lots of members have reported their cats sneezing immediately after using Febreeze, for example.

Cats are very sensitive to all kinds of chemicals that we commonly use around the house. I've tried to find natural cleaners and steer clear of harsh chemicals, just to be on the safe side.

We use natural cleaners as well...I've got sensitivities to fragrances and chemicals myself. I'm wondering, though, if its environmental allergies such as pollen, dust, etc.

It's possible that cats can be allergic to things like dust and pollen. A few years back, my oldest cat started to exhibit asthma-like symptoms, but the vet couldn't definitively diagnose asthma. The symptoms didn't last long, thank goodness, since they were pretty serious, but the next year they were back. We realized it only happened at the end of spring/beginning of summer. I live in an area with lots of trees, grass, shrubs, etc., which are great to look at but awful for allergies (I've got pollen allergies myself). I believe my cat was sensitive to some type of allergen released from trees or grass, possibly. Fortunately, she hasn't been troubled with them again.

If Oliver is allergic to some outdoor allergen, the best thing to do, if you haven't already, is to invest in a couple of good air purifiers for your house. I've been using them a couple of years now, and they help. Keeping the house as dust-free as possible may alleviate his symptoms too. I've read that because allergens can be brought into your house on your shoes, it's a good idea to leave your shoes at the door.

There's some interesting information on allergies in Anitra Frazier's book "The New Natural Cat" which might help you.

Hope Oliver gets over his sneezes soon!

Thanks!
We have air purifier-filters built into our central AC system, which seems to help, at least a little. The weather channel has had our area on super-high pollen alert status for the past week or so--thankfully today we're getting some rain which will help.
Even though I live in the city I live right next to the park, so I'm sure that doesn't help any!
Oliver seems better today than a few days ago--his sister Emma isn't displaying any symptoms, so it's prob. not a virus. Haven't heard him sneeze yet today and he slept through the night on our bed w/out incident, so I'm thinking he may have gotten it out of his system.
I'll check out that book on Amazon..sounds interesting!
thanks!

Hey there! I hope Ollie is doing better with his allergies. I'm a new member who is trying to learn something about her old cat's sniffling, runny eyes, sneezing and hacking! Your description caught my eye because I think allergies may be what Tommy is dealing with. Tommy is 12+ years old and a DSH Tuxedo cat; he suffers from irritable bowel syndrome, but within the last few months has begun sneezing and hacking. I've taken him to the vet, who put him on Baytril, which only seemed to aggravate his IBS (he's throws up after taking almost any antibiotic, and is allergic to Amoxicillan). No improvement was noted. His annual shots are up-to-date, and a treatment regimen for his IBS is being maintained with anti-vomiting pills and an appetite stimulant to prevent weight loss. Subsequent blood tests revealed the same thing they have for the past several years: a slightly elevated white blood cell count that the vet says could be related to his IBS or "allergies." Vet is more focused on his IBS than the allergy symptoms, but the IBS seems to be under control. Still no resolution on the cold symptoms, and I have an old fellow living with his misery. I liked the idea of an air purifier, and will try that after having the carpet cleaned this weekend. Any other suggestions, anyone???