how do you become allergic to cats?

Answer 1

Allergies are an immune response to what your body sees as something threatening to its health.

Most people whom say they have no allergies will respond in some way to allergens, but the reaction is so slight, it is unnoticable. However if that same person was exposed to enough of the allergen, they would react as if they were "allergic" to the substance in question.

People with allergies are just hypersensitive to certain allergens so it only takes a small amount of a substance to bring on a severe reaction.

Also your body develops antibodies to foreign substnaces early in life so if you expose yourself regularly to small amounts of allergens as a child, your likelyhood of developing allergies is lower than if you had no exposure. You build an immunity.

I grew up with cats, dogs and rodents and I was never allergic to any of them until I started spending less and less time at my mom's house. I became slightly allergic because I was losing my tolerance from being exposed to those allergens less.

My husband on the other hand (who is asthmatic) was severly allergic as a child to cats and began building a tolerance as we began dating and he'd have to spend small amounts of time at my house.

Now my husband and I own two dogs and two rats. Neither of us takes medication for our allergies. There's no reaction to the dogs, a reaction from the rats only under extreme cicumstances (if they scratch and break the skin) and although we don't own cats, we can both spend several hours at my mother's house (she has four cats) without having an allergic reaction to them. Although, if we touch them and don't wash our hands immediately we would react badly.

So if you never are around cats and then are suddenly rubbing your face against one, your likelyhood of having allergic reaction (and the severity of the reaction) is higher than if you were exposed to them every now and then and did the same thing.

Answer 2

Actually, most people are allergic to the PROTEIN in any sort of animal dander - hair, saliva, urine, dead skin cells, etc..you get the idea. (Similar to how some people are allergic to the proteins in cow's milk) It's on a highly cellular level. Cats are very territorial - they like to lick themselves, or you, or your furniture and walls; so it's nearly impossible to avoid. The specific state of your immune system (strong, comprimised, sickly, etc.), level of sensitivity, as well as enviornmental factors and length of exposure can all effect how strong your reaction is at any given time. This is sometimes why cat allergies are so lightly dismissed until something serious occurs.
For some people, taking allergy medication or getting a shorthaired pet seems to help. I am no doctor, but if I were you and I had a cat allergy, I'd stand clear - especially if you've got Asthma. Remember, serious reactions can develop over the years, even after just a little bit of exposure.

I love pets, especially cats, but I wouldn't take the risk.
Hope that helps.

Answer 3

Its the hair on the cats that carry dangerous allergies.
Cat hair will take your breathe. Most folks are allergic especially when a cat sheds hair.
Cat hair is number one allergy besides carpets.