Cat Allergy?

Question

I have had a cat for 3 months or so and when I got her I was sneezing and has sore eyes. This passed after a week or so and all was ok apart from the odd sneeze. However for the last week Its been terrible and cannot get rid of it. Could there be something else causing this? Could the cat be EXTRA fluffy just now.

Any suggestions would be appreciated

Answer 1

Its the stuff in there saliva that people are allergic too......So it would depend on how much your catch licks itself and where it sits.....obviously all her fur rubs on to anything it comes into contact with, and the saliva is on its coat

I am allergic to cats and avoid them at all costs....

Try taking Zirtek its the only anti histamine on the market that I know of that does not make you drowsy

I have to have one every day

Answer 2

Ive got cat allergies too. They start to get really bad once the cold weather comes and all the windows are shut. Ive bought 2 air purifiers, one for the living room and the other in the bedroom. I can now breathe just fine with my five kitties. Also, a comment on the idiot that reccommended acepromazine, that is a very strong tranquilizer. The shelter I used to work at would give it to extremely aggressive dogs to knock them out so they could be safely euthanized. Bear in mind, too much bathing will stimulate dander production,causing more allergens, as well as dry out your cats coat and skin. I absolutely swear by my air purifiers, they came from Target and were about $50 each. Good luck.

Answer 3

It could be that you're allergic to the cat, and if other allergies are acting up that could be pushing you over the top. But being allergic to your cat doesn't mean you have to get rid of her - I'm allergic & have cats, so it can be done. There are a lot of things you can do that can help. The best thing to do is to try to keep your home as allergen-free as possible - there are several things you can do to help that:

1) get allergy covers for your pillows and mattresses, and wash your bed linens weekly in hot water - that will help cut down on your exposure to dust mites.
2) get an air filter for your bedroom
3) move anything that accumulates dust out of the bedroom - plain floors are better than carpeting, blinds are better than drapes, etc.
4) vacuum frequently with a HEPA vacuum (if your vacuum is older, you can get HEPA bags for it)
5) try an antihistamine like Claritin, or your doctor can prescribe something stronger. There are also prescription eyedrops for itchy eyes that work great.

If it's bad, you can see an allergist about getting tested to see what you're allergic too, and you can get allergy shots to reduce your allergies if you're allergic to the cat. You may want to start keeping the cat out of the bedroom if she really bothers your allergies - it's hard, but it may be better for your body to have an allergy-free zone for sleeping at night.

Bathing the cat once a month will help too - you don't have to use soap, just rinse thoroughly with warm water.

How to bathe (rinse) a cat:
Trim your cat's nails. http://www.catscratching.com/htmls/article.htm has instructions.
Fill half your sink with warm water. Put a rubber mat in the other empty half of the sink so the cat has secure footing. Get a big plastic cup to rinse the cat with. Get a couple of warm fluffy towels and put them nearby. Remove anything breakable from the immediate area around the sink. Put the cat in the empty side of the sink on the rubber mat, and talk to her calmly, and pet her while you pour cupfuls of warm water on her from the other side of the sink (having water running noisiliy right near her is frightening - the cup method is quiet and doesn't bother cats as much). Wet her thoroughly, but avoid dousing her ears and face - you can just use a damp washcloth on her face. When she's been thoroughly rinsed, squeeze the excess water from her fur with your hands, dry her gently with the towels, and put her somewhere warm with a towel to lay on so she can dry off.

Answer 4

Is your cat an indoor only or indoor/outdoor cat? Either way, her skin and fur are responding to the weather. It might be helpful to give her a bath. Naturally, that would not be her first choice, but since you were able to acclimate to her after the first week, you may be allergic to the volume or intensity of her skin dander or saliva used to keep her fur clean and moisturized. I mentioned the in/out option as that could additionally include outdoor allergens attaching themselves to your kitty's fur. Mine likes to go outside and roll in the dirt.

It's cold outside, and so her skin may be dry, creating an excess of dander and licking.

Try the bath with a moisturizing cat shampoo. Don't use a shampoo for people -- that will further dry her skin, and you'll both suffer. Then keep her brushed every day. You might have to wear a mask if it hurts your sinuses to do this.

If her claws are particularly sharp, your option to bathing her yourself is to take her to a groomer. PetSmart has cat groomers.

And call your doctor to see if there is anything he/she can do to help. Your only other alternative is to own your allergy and find a new home for your cat.

Answer 5

I'm allergic to my 2 cats (only after I've been away from them for a while & then come back), when I come back to my main house I start sneezing, if I stay at the house with the cats then I build up a resistance to it & don't sneeze but if I go to the other house for more than 3 days then when I come back to the cats I'll sneeze.

Answer 6

I'm allergic to my cat too. I used a nasal spray called Beconase as a teenager, when the streaming nose and sore eyes bothered me more, and that worked well. It is possible that the cat is extra fluffy just now - I don't have medical authority for this, but I'm sure Basil's fur gets thicker and squadgier in the winter.

Just a weird one - I read a book recently in which the guy said that his wife's cat allergy disappeared when they got their third cat! I'm trying to convince my boyfriend that this is the answer!

Answer 7

It's quite possible you do have cat allergies. My wife and I both have them, and have lived with them for over 20 years. But in the past few months we've found the best possible thing to help solve many of our issues. You need to contact a local vet that knows about using ACE Promazine to counteract cat dander production. The ACE Promazine will virtually stop the production of cat dander, the main allergen most people have issues with when it comes to cats. We have been giving it to our cats now for months and it workds great! We've already noticed that our ability to be around them right in our faces is wonderful with no sneezes, watery eyes, etc.

Obviously is cat fur goes into your eye or up your nose that won't help, but for the most part the ACE Promazine does help by controlling the cat dander and allowing you to be closer to your pet.

Two other suggestions in the meantime - daily grooming and bathing. If you have a short to medium-hair cat, invest $10 in the Shed-Ender comb available on TV and in stores. It works wonders for releasing the trapped undercoat where dander begins to form and shedding comes from. By removing this fur at least every other day you'll keep yourself avoiding some of the issues that the ACE Promazine can't stop which is irritation by the fur itself. Then be sure to brush her daily.

If she is a long hair, then get a slicker brush and a firmer bristle brush. The slicker will keep knots out of her fur and reduce the tangles to nothing while the stiff brush will also help and it makes your cat feel good. Miracle, our 5-month old, loves to be brushed by both and almost plays with us as she gets her brushing each night.

And bathing - I know cats hate water - but it does help! With the ACE Promazine we are now down to every three weeks for each cat getting bathed at home and are considering trying every 4 at some point or longer. But since we have three cats it's just easier this way since Cupid gets his bath one weekend, followed by Miracle the next and finally Vixen the last and then we rotate back to Cupid and so on.

Good luck!!

Answer 8

my husband is allergic to cats as well and i have found that there is a product at all MAJOR pet stores like PetSmart or PetCo that you just rub it into their fur. Give them a bath 1 time a week if not every other week and rub this stuff in. Im not sure of its name but look for it at those stores. It covers the dander s othat you wont be sneezing and stuff. My friend uses it and she never has even had a problem with her allergies since.

Answer 9

Or you could be in closer quarters because of cold weather.

If you are allergic, you are allelrgic. I'm sorry.

You can get tested specifically for an allergy to cats. And there are allergy durgs you can take that may help. Hope it's something your cat is bringing in on its coat and not the cat itself you're reacting to.

Good luck.

Answer 10

hey there - not the fluff - its the dander that comes off of the cat's skin that you are allergic to.

you could try a daily allergy medicine and see if that gets rid of or alleviates your issues.

i have cat allergies as well and did continue to own them for a few years anyway after realizing it - because i loved them so much.

try keeping her out of your bedroom, away from your clean clothes - vacuum your home - ALOT - there are shampoos you can buy from the pet store to cut down on their dander. brush them often. there is no miracle cure, but all of these things combined can help.

good luck