Written by Karen Lease on 20^th November 1996

A friend recently asked me about her cream Burmese who had red eyelids. She thought that the cat wasn’t sick as it never sneezed or stopped eating but on dry windy days, the eyelids were very red.

Her questions brought back a long ago experience with my cream Burmese Billie. All my life, both at my parent’s home and my own there were flowers in the kitchen. As Billie was growing up, she and only she of all my cats would never beg in the kitchen for goodies of food. Later as an adult cat, she would never go outside. Most people were amazed that you could leave every door in the house open and Billie would not try to escape even when she was on heat.

Billie, in spring and summer especially on hot windy days, would have sneezing fits-no mucous or other respiratory signs. Just continuous sneezing until she literally was coughing almost choking-so similar to an asthma attack. I had numerous vets check this condition. The most they were prepared to tell me over 15 years ago was that either she was a flu carrier most likely or perhaps and this was extremely unlikely that she may have a reaction. When I asked about allergies, I was dismissed as the overly concerned owner who attributes human characteristics to her cat.

Recently I did attend a week course in animal dermatology by University of Sydney Post Graduate Foundation Refresher Course for Veterinarians. It was enlightening to hear Vic Menrath, a visiting lecturer at University of Queensland and a founder of a specialist feline veterinary practice in Brisbane, confirmed by thoughts from all those years ago.

Dr Menrath noted the feline allergies were commonly seen in his practice and that a large percent of these cases involved red and cream Burmese. The dermatology course then on to talk about interdermal skin testing which is regularly used in human practice and commonly used in dogs which is now available for cats at specialist veterinary hospitals such as most universities.

All those years ago, I’d asked a medical friend to do so on Billie. As he considered me totally mad but knew that the health and well being of my cats were my ultimate concern, he did so after getting me to sign a disclaimer.

It was really no surprise to find that Billie was allergic to flowering plants and select pollens. The flowers from the kitchen just had to go. Although the main house was opened on hot windy day, Billie now had her own room with an air conditioner dehumidifier to help her breathe clean fresh air.

Billie’s condition remained with her throughout her lifetime but it did not stop her from being a wonderful show cat, an excellent ambassador for her breed, and most of all a fabulous mother who contributed immensely to one of my breeding programs.