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Hi there...here's an article from Pet Education.com about allergies to cats: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=0&cat=1278&articleid=144

Human Allergies to Cats

While we spend a lot of time discussing pets' allergies, we often forget to mention peoples' allergies to pets. There are thousands of people who suffer from allergies to animals. Some of the most heartbreaking cases I see are people who dearly love a cat or dog and then develop a severe allergy to her and must decide between keeping her and suffering daily, or placing the cat in a new home. Fortunately, there are several options for pet owners that have allergies to animals.

Who gets pet allergies?

Pet allergies can strike anyone at any age in their life. Most people that suffer from pet allergies often have other mild or moderate allergies to pollens or molds. There is believed to be a strong genetic correlation in contracting allergies. In other words, if your parents have allergies, then you are likely to have them also. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, allergies to cats or dogs occur in approximately 15% of the population.

What part of the animal are people allergic to?

People that are allergic to animals are often allergic to the dander (dead skin that is continually shed), the saliva, or the urine. Because cats and dogs are the most common pets, they top the list of animals that people are the most allergic to. However, people can also be allergic to birds, hamsters, rabbits, mice, guinea pigs, and the larger animals such as horses, goats, and cows. As people that suffer from allergies can tell you, there are often certain types of animals that they are more allergic to than others. In addition, there may be certain animals within a given species that they are more allergic to than others. This appears particularly true with cats.

What are the symptoms?

People with multiple allergies are well aware that when their allergies are acting up, they will suffer from itchy eyes, runny nose, asthma symptoms, red itchy skin or a rash. Often, people that are unaware that they have allergies, especially children, will suffer from some of these symptoms and may have a greatly increased incidence of 'colds' and asthma symptoms. If the person is separated from the animal for several days to weeks, many of these symptoms will subside only to reoccur when they come into contact with the animal again.

Are there any hypoallergenic cats?

There are NO hypoallergenic cats, nor are there any cats that do not shed. All cats shed, but some have a much denser hair coat than others and shed a larger quantity of hair than those with a thin hair coat. But since the dander and not the hair is the problem, shedding is not that important in allergy control. As we mentioned earlier, many people are allergic to certain types or individual animals and not others.

People with pet allergies might want to consider getting a reptile or fish as a pet.

How can a person reduce allergic symptoms to a pet?

If you or a member of your family is part of the 15% of our population allergic to pets, there are things you can do to help keep allergic reactions under control and make your home a much more comfortable place to live. Even if you do not have allergies, these tips are helpful if you have guests in your home that are allergic to animals.

We spend from one third to one half of our time in our bedrooms. By keeping the animals out of the bedrooms at all times, we can greatly reduce the symptoms of pet allergies.
- Install a good "HEPA" air cleaner.
- Close the ducts to the bedrooms and use electric heaters.
- Clean and vacuum regularly.
- Bathe your pet weekly.
- Do not allow your pet on the furniture.
- Do not allow your pet in your car. (Or use car seat covers when your pet is in the car.)
- Brush your pet daily and use an allergy-reducing spray such as Allerpet.
- Keep your pet's skin healthy by feeding a high quality food and a fatty acid supplement.
- Wash your hands after handling the pet, his toys, bed, etc.
- See your physician and discuss possible immunotherapy or medications.

Summary

Telling an allergic pet owner to just not have a pet or to get rid of their own pet is not a realistic option the majority of the time. The same holds true for telling people that are allergic to animals to just avoid them. Animals and pets are a very integral part of our lives and it is impossible to avoid contact with them. By adopting some good management strategies, we can help allergic pet owners keep their pets. At the same time, even if we do not have allergies ourselves, with a little empathy and consideration on our part, we can make life much easier for our friends and relatives who suffer from allergies to our pets.

2006-09-10 22:11:58 · answer #1 · answered by ♪ Seattle ♫ 7 · 3 0

A little-known fact is that people who are allergic to cats can have cats... and any kind of cat!!!

My husband and I were in the same situation when we were first married. He was so allergic to cats that just stepping into a room with a cat (a clean room!) would cause him to have a severe allergic reaction. My husband was beyond allergic to cats! However, we heard from a friend that if a person with cat allergies adopts a cat when it's a kitten (8 to 10 weeks old), he will become immune to any allergic reaction concerning his own cat. We were skeptical; however, I couldn't imagine my life without cats, so we decided to test the theory. We adopted two kittens, 8 and 9 weeks old. Five years later, my husband has yet to sneeze or wheeze even once! He holds the cats, plays with them, snuggles, and even puts his nose in their fur and sniffs them. (We now have 4 cats total.) He has NEVER had any problem. We ended up getting two more cats and could not be happier! We have told other friends about this, and time and time again, it works. My husband still suffers allergies to other people's cats, but not his own. So go out and get some cats (at least two to keep each other company) and enjoy! They are the world's greatest creatures.

Good luck!

2006-09-11 03:15:19 · answer #2 · answered by nido_tr3s 5 · 0 0

Two major factors that affect airborne cat allergen in the home are the quantity of soft furnishings and whether a cat is kept indoors or outdoors.The "ideal" way to reduce cat allergen in the home is to remove the cat from the home. Once the pet is removed, then all floors should be vacuumed or mopped thoroughly, walls wiped down with a damp cloth, and rooms aired out regularly to reduce the level of cat allergen. A special filter should be used on the vacuum cleaner to prevent redepositing of the allergen into the air. Remember to replace the heating/air system filters during this process. Keep in mind that it may take up to 6 months to reduce the allergen in your home.
If removing the cat is not an option, there are ways to reduce the allergen. First, vinyl or hardward floors are recommended instead of carpet. The use of soft upholstered furniture and draperies should be minimal. Limit the cat to certain parts of the house. The bedroom and living room should be off limits. Research shows a significant reduction in allergen levels if a cat is washed weekly.As with any allergy, avoidance is the main course of treatment. A cat-allergic individual should avoid being around cats at all times. However, since many cat-allergic people ignore the advice of their physicians, there are ways to help reduce the reactions.Over-the-counter medications, prescription medications, and allergy shots are all ways to treat cat allergy. Consult a physician about the best treatment for you.

2006-09-10 20:38:45 · answer #3 · answered by ? 2 · 0 0

I have read that a person who is allergic to cats may live with a cat and not have their allergies ascerbated by that individual; but if they approach another cat, the alergy show fully; it's sort of tuning between cat and owner.
I guess you may give a try to siamese of SPHYNX cat (that's the way it's spelled, actually - you can google it; it's not the most alluring breed of cats, but it has a certain appeal), by taking a little kitten, and check if family members react very allergically to them; if the kitten seems acceptable, then raising him/her to a cat will probably be acceptable too.

However, if family members means parents... why not wait until you move out to your own place?
I also, much as I love pets, would not risk an alergy-causing risk so close to little children either.

2006-09-10 21:33:42 · answer #4 · answered by AlphaOne_ 5 · 0 0

People are allergic to the saliva not the hair so hairless or not will make no difference. One of the most Hypo-allergenic cats is the Siamese which I think someone mentioned already. You could try giving the cat a bath regularly if you already have the cat and don't want to change breeds.

2006-09-10 20:41:30 · answer #5 · answered by sndprssr 3 · 1 0

Cat dander is very hard on those who are allergic. Having carpets will harbor this and just walking across it will circulate it into the air and into the lungs of those who are affected.
The best cat is the Sfynx Cat. They don't have any hair - but like any other cat - their
breath can also cause allergic reaction. Check with your vet on this.

2006-09-10 20:50:01 · answer #6 · answered by mymitsu_2 1 · 1 0

A breed that has short hair is best. Someone I know is allergic to cats but does really well around a Siamese.

2006-09-10 20:37:08 · answer #7 · answered by cboni2000 4 · 0 0

When I was a vet tech, one of our clients were allergic to cat fur. She had a devon rex. It was soo cute. I always thought that they would be ugly, but they aren't. They have The under coat, but not the actual fur that most people are allergic to. They had no problems with their allergies with this breed.

2006-09-11 01:31:21 · answer #8 · answered by tractor girl 3 · 0 0

whatever breed you get, keep it off the furniture, and have it groomed at least twice a month. if there are children under 3 i would wait a while. the cats will get in the bed. you will have to be agressive in keeping it off beds and furniture. cats are stubborn and very territorial . they want what you want. thats why people say they eat finicky. they want to eat what you eat. buy the cat its own bed and change the linen frequently as well as litter box. i hate my cat because she is so much work, but i love her because she has no where else to go, she didn't ask for me i ask for her. but she is the last pet. between pets and kids you got to love cleaning.

2006-09-10 20:46:19 · answer #9 · answered by CLEOPATRA* 2 · 0 0

probably a hairless breed, though its not the hair most people are allergic to but the dander they produce

2006-09-10 20:37:26 · answer #10 · answered by *♥* ♥* FaeGoddess*♥*♥* 6 · 0 0

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