Cat Allergy

fjon

Does anyone know anything about animal allergies? Specifically cats? Anyone know anyone who is allergic to them?

I feel I may have become allergic to cats, or cat hairs, in the last year or so.
Whenever I spend time around a place where there are cat hairs I start to get measles-like itch, which lasts for a few days.

I used to live with cats in the house no problem, so find it strange that I have only developed this recently. I like cats, and I don't want to have to avoid them. Is there anything that I can take for it?

Yes I know I should go to the doctor, but before taking time off work for this I thought I would just like some more info.

newgrange

I have a friend who is severely allergic to cats. She also has very bad asthma, and the two make a very bad combination.

As far as I know from talking to her, it is cat saliva she is allergic to. Almost immediately on entering a place where cats live, or even sitting beside someone on public transport who has had contact with cats, she starts to wheeze, and the only thing she can do to stop it is to remove herself from the source of the problem.

It is not abnormal to develop it after years of 'safe' exposure to cats. A doctor might prescribe something for the itching, I don't know.

squaredog

I'm allergic to cats too. Don't have any myself but when I visit friends houses who have cats, its a killer. Its terrible because I really love cats. As far as I know its not the hair that causes the allergy but their skin flakes and saliva. It becomes airborne when they lick their fur to groom themselves.

I know some people take antihistamines for the allergy but I've read that there are also natural homeopathic remedies on the market. I'm sure they can be found in natural food stores.

[Jackass]

Ironic how your avitor is a giant cat

fjon

Thanks all!
My avatar is actually supersquirrel, but is probably too small to make out

The_Conductor

Hiya,

Its not unusual to develope an allergy to something, despite not having a problem with it previously. There are a number of things that you can do to alleviate this. If you know that you are going to have to be in an environment where you are likely to encounter cats (obviously not on an ongoing basis) you can take antihistamine to minimise the allergic reaction that you have towards them.

You can develope allergies at random, at any stage during your life. Likewise- you can develope a tolerance to things that you were once allergic to. Most common would be the manner that a lot of people who have hay-fever as children find they are not affected as adults in their late 20's/30's.

Your GP should be able to perform a rudimentary skin test which will diagnose an intolerance to the most common allergens (including cats and a lot of the food groups).

Once diagnosed as intolerant to a particular thing (cats or otherwise)- do yourself a favour and actively avoid them......

minnie_mouse

I am allergic to cats tho not as bad as u. I just sneeze the whole time and my nose runs. ive been taken flixinese spray ( for my sinus) but strangely enough this has stoped my nose running when around cats thi in fairness i might only be around cats for about an hour a day

The_Conductor

minnie_mouse wrote:

I am allergic to cats tho not as bad as u. I just sneeze the whole time and my nose runs. ive been taken flixinese spray ( for my sinus) but strangely enough this has stoped my nose running when around cats thi in fairness i might only be around cats for about an hour a day

Apt username for someone allergic to cats!
Allergic to cats and around them for an hour *every* day???
Does not compute.......
Why?
Lesson number 1- remove yourself from the situation.