my children have 2 cats so i cant rid of them, so dont suggest it ok?

Question

thanks, im allergic to them. dr has given me inhalers and claritin. iv got an ioniser in each room. is there any thing else i can do? is there better pills than this? is a vaccination jab better? ARE YOU ALLERGIC TO CATS? WHAT WORKS FOR YOU?

Answer 1

My husband is allergic to our cats. He finds the best thing to do is to take an antihistamine every day, rather than waiting for a reaction. Also, if you can, get the children, or your other half to groom the cats regularly, outside if possible and to vaccuum regularly indoors. You can get some vaccuum cleaners wtih an HEPA filter which is supposed to keep the allergens in the hoover instead of releasing them into the air. Regular grooming not only cuts down the loose hairs left around by the cats, but also encourages the skin to produce more oil and reduces the amount of dander shed (the primary allergen). You can get attachments for the hoover to hoover the cat, but if anyone can get within two miles of the cat with a hoover they're a better man than I.

Keep a window open when you can (unless you have hayfever that is as bad as the cat allergy).

Do not allow your cat in your bedroom and especially on your bed. Keep you bedroom door shut

My husband has found that he has become less sensitive to the cats as the years have gone by.

Answer 2

If you are that allergic to the cats then I think they need to go, or at the very least become outdoor pets. I know that's not what you want to hear, but ultimately you are the parent, and your health is more important than your children's feelings. Didn't you know you were allergic before they got the cats?

As far as treatments go, most important is keeping the cats away from your sleeping area. Cats are especially bad because they traverse every surface in the house. But keeping them out of your bedroom will help. As far as allergy shots go, it's a long, slow process and the effectiveness is determined by how severe your allergy is. Constant exposure is supposed to help your body become immune to the allergens that trigger your reactions. I had the shots for 5 years and am still severely allergic to cats and rabbits.

If Claritin hasn't worked for you, ask your Dr for Zyrtec. It's the best allergy medicine I've tried. Also, you might try Singulair. It's used for both asthma and allergies with great success.

Answer 3

Have you talked to your allergist about getting the shots to desensitize you?
I understand you don't want to get rid of your children's pets but are they very attached to those two particular cats? There are some breeds that don't cause allergic reactions as badly, kinda like the poodle in the dog world.

If nothing else, get you some heavy duty gloves and bathe the cats. You could also try just getting a misting bottle with water to give him a mist so the cats bathe themselves more often (better stock up on furball treatments). The more they bathe, the less dander for you to sneeze at.
Good luck to you, your kids and the cats.

Answer 4

Most cat owners become used to their own cats... eventually. However, the process can take years. You can try bathing the cats, but if this is not started in kittenhood, the probable result is going to be a very angry cat and a lot of blood loss for you (look up "Cat Bathing as a Martial Art" for a humorous view on this.) Bathing them does work, if it is possible, but it has to be done frequently.

The ionizers don't really do much, you would be better off investing in air purifiers with HEPA filters and eliminating as much upholstery and carpet as possible. Do not let the cats into your bedroom. Vacuum frequently. Have the children learn how to groom cats. Most cats like to be brushed, and using a damp paper towel to wipe them down is usually not viewed as life threatening by the cat and does have some effect on the amount of airborne dander.

Make sure you use the antihistamines in a preventative manner. You need to take them every day, not just when you have an allergy attack. They are far less effective if you wait until the histamines are built up into your system than if you prevent the histamine build up in the first place. If Claritin isn't working for you, try Allegra, or one of the other non-drowsy ones on the market. The all-time favorite, will work no matter what, antihistamine is old fashioned Benedryl. Pretty harmless for adults, but you will probably have the urge to take a long nap after taking it. I've heard that the drowsiness decreases with long time use, but I haven't wanted to spend six months fast asleep to test that. Advair does work, but it has to be used daily, and is not a rescue inhaler, it will not help a current asthma attack, so make sure you have a standard inhaler (like Albuterol) handy at all times if you go that route.

If you have any choice in what kind of cat comes into the house, go for a light colored short hair. Rex cats have been rumored to be non-allergenic (those are cats with curly coats, rare) but people still do have reactions to them. Black cats are the worst allergen producers, and long hair just gives that much more surface area to coat with saliva when the cat grooms (that's where the allergens come from.)

I was an asthmatic girl who fell in love with a green eyed, black, long haired kitten. It took about a year before he stopped triggering attacks. My partner (who also has asthma and is allergic to cats) also took about a year of constant exposure to get used to the cat. It does usually happen, however, as the weight loss ads like to state "Results can vary."

Be obsessively clean, invest in HEPA air purifiers and vacuums, take your (non-drowsy) antihistamine daily, like a vitamin, and try to eliminate things that cat hair clings to(although I would probably stop short of dressing in all patent leather and sitting on tree stumps in a stripped to the subfloor living room, although it's tempting sometimes ;) ) And don't forget to keep a couple of rescue inhalers around.

Cats can be great companion animals, you will probably get used to the ones you own, and you will have a lot of fun interacting with them. It's unfortunate that it seems that half the human race gets hives or asthma attacks upon contact with them.

Answer 5

Im allergic to dogs & I have one.
My doctor has given me an anti histamine, once a day, nasonex (steriod nasal spray) & I have asthma inhaler too.
Try to limit the areas which your cats are allowed in, such as not upstairs, if possible or when noone is in dont give them free reign. Start a system, with your kids helping, to dust & hoover every day. Get plenty of ventillation through your house & try to stop them from getting in your bedroom completely
Good Luck!

Answer 6

What causes most alergies to cats is the fact cats lick themselves a lot to keep clean. It is the protein in the saliva that causes most of the alergy when it gets scattered around on te cat hair.

It can help to take a damp towel once every day and wipe down the cats to remove most of the loose hair nd a lot of the protein.

Keep the hair down as much as possible.

I have heard of things that are suposed to vure this but I have no idea if any of them are any good. Your doctor should know if there is. Also talk to the vet about what to do fr the cats.

Answer 7

I am allergic and I have two that I can't seem to part with. Advair is working great for me. I also will use a little shot of saline nasal spray on occasion. I take over the counter allergy medicine and wash sheets regularly. Reduce throw rugs in your house. Wear a mask when vacuuming or dusting. Wash my hands of course if I come in contact with the kitties. I have heard that dipping them in plain water once a week helps. My kitty's vet told me that but my kitty was way past kitten stage when I found this out...... WAY to late to initiate this sort of regime since my cats would give me a frontal lobotomy if I tried to dip them in water now!

Answer 8

Get rid of the children. And the cats.

Answer 9

Your health is more important than upsetting your kids. Nothing has ever helped my brother in law with his animal allergies. Tell your kids that you can try to find a pet that doesn't make you sick.

Answer 10

I am allergic to cats and my solution is to steer clear of them at all times.
There is only one solution to your problem and difficult as it might be, you know it makes sense.
The presence of these animals in your home could kill you.