Cat Allergies?

jujuB

Hi guys!
Just wondering something, last year I took in a stray cat (afterwards I found out it was the neighbours new cat!) and I got very itchy eyes and I was sneezing like crazy! I was definitely allegic! I always had cats when I was a kid and there were never any problems, can you just develop these allergies? Also what is it exactly that causes the allergies? Someone once told me it was actually their saliva?! Im just wondering because I really love cats and I would love, love, LOVE to get one but obviously if im allergic that'll never happen

morganafay

Maybe it was just that cat you were allergic to. Was it long haired or anything? I know that some breeds of cat are more likely to cause an allergic reaction (Ragdolls and others) so maybe it was just something about that cat?

I've heard it's the saliva on their fur too.

Do you have any friends with cats that you can go visit and see if you are allergic to them?

jujuB

My friend has 3 cats and I visited her over christmas, I was in her sitting room for bout an hour where her two cats were asleep on the sofa beside me, we were going out so i was a bit afraid to start petting them and playing with them because I didn't want to start sneezing etc! Also about 5 yrs ago I was in my uncles house and he has a cat that is so so overly hairy and fluffy, I had scratchy eyes for the whole time i was there and I swear he could tell because I used to wake up with him sitting beside me on my bed every morning for the week!!hehe!! But then again my other friend had the sweetest cat and i never had any problems with her! So I think you could be right, it may have just been those particular cats! How will i know which cat to choose if i do decide to get one?! hehe!

greendom

It's often the case that the more exposure you get to allergens the more allergic you can become. May not be the case but worth bearing in mind all the same

Orla K

I know someone is allergic to some cats not all. I don't know what it is that makes him allergic to some and not others.

The Sweeper

Allergies are triggered by saliva and dander (skin flakes). Some cats with a thick undercoat seem to trap more saliva and dander and can be more allergenic. Cats from the Rex family can be less allergenic, but if you're allergic you're allergic.

Ways to help when living with cats if you're allergic include always banning them from your bedroom, hoovering a lot, wiping them down with a wet facecloth once or twice a week (or bathing them, if they'll let you), and also using antihistamines and other allergy medication. You can also try acupuncture to control your allergies, it's worked a treat with mine and I have six cats.

morganafay

You can also get air filters, I know of people with indoor rabbits who use them to stop them getting allergies and they say they're great. And you can get special vacuum cleaners for pet hair, and steam cleaners for allergies . . . it might help.

Maybe when you are looking to get a cat, explain to the person you're getting it from that you are allergic but you're ok with some cats, and ask can you play with the cats/kittens for about an hour to see if you're ok with them?

jujuB

Thanks for all the advice guys! It's such a pity that I'm allergic because I love cats! That's good advice to ask can I stay with the kittens a while before I (HOPEFULLY!!) can take one, I will probably do that!

tk123

OP I used to get alergic to our cat's dander so I used to brush him every day or so and it helped - that way there wasn't loads of hair/dander everywhere to be alergic to

The Sweeper

jujuB, playing with kittens won't be an accurate indicator of how your allergies will fare. If you're allergic to cats, you're likely to react strongly to a kitten when you haven't been exposed before.

However, long-term exposure to an allergen can reduce its effects, so in other words after a while the allergic reaction to your own cat wears off considerably. (Takes about a month.) You'll find after that time that you may still react strongly to someone else's cat in someone else's house, but your own may hardly set you off any more. This means that if you want a cat, don't get put off by an allergic reaction on day one, because that reaction will ease with continued exposure.

I've had allergies and asthma for over 20 years, and I've always been allergic to cats. I live with six cats who are mostly indoors. They're banned from the bedroom because nothing will trigger your allergies or asthma worse than breathing in cat for eight hours while you sleep. Otherwise my allergies are very manageable and I don't even wash or wipe down my cats. I just hoover, use a low-dust cat litter, and have a half an hour of acupuncture once a month. (I was completely sceptical about acupuncture but it really is incredibly effective in controlling allergies.) I don't even use oral antihistamines any more, and only use a nasal spray about twice a month if even, and often that's because there's a second allergen at work, like pollen.

Giggles1982

Has anyone tried these so - called hypoallergenic cats ? I love cats but im very allergic , but im about to move out on my own & i'd love the company of a pet .