My husband is allergic to cats, but we both want one - is there any way around this?

Question

We aren't interested in paying an arm and a leg for a hypoallergenic cat either. Preferably, we'd like an Applehead Siamese (for their outgoing personalities), or we'd like to adopt a shelter cat. Somebody please tell me that there's a way around cat allergies. I am a real cat lover.

Answer 1

Talk to oyur doctor i think there are allergy medications he can take. you will want a cat that is short hair as they shed less and basically vacuum 2-3 times a day to get all the dander and fur around the house. Keep your bedroom door shut- no kitties in there where you sleep, you dont want the allergens on the bed. Depending on how allergic he is, these things could help. My aunt was allergic, I had 2 cats. We staem cleaned the carpet once a month, I vacuumed the house twice a day, we kept him out of her office and bedroom and she was fine. Her allergies have gotten worse the last 2 years though and her new room-mate had to get rid of her cat because of them so just watch out. Adopting a shelter cat is a great thing. Good luck.

Answer 2

Allergic? You Can Keep Your Cat!
Being allergic doesn't necessarily mean you can't have a pet or that you must give up the one you already have. You can solve this problem by learning more about minimizing pet-related allergies and making some minor adjustments to your environment. Controlling allergies takes some work, but if you really want to...YOU CAN DO IT!

Allergic reactions are caused by allergens--substances usually invisible to the human eye, such as pollen, dust, mold spores and food additives. People who have an allergy are rarely allergic to just one thing. The allergens your pet carries are associated with its skin, hair follicles and saliva. Dander--a naturally-occurring combination of skin cells and saliva that the pet is continually shedding--is most often the cause of pet allergies. It is the protein of this dander that causes the reactions. Dander imbeds itself in the carpeting, furniture and draperies and remains in the environment to cause reactions.

"Fel d I", the cat allergen, is the major cause of allergic reactions to cats. During a cat's self-cleaning process, Fel d I protein in the saliva is deposited on the fur. It is also produced by sebaceous glands--the skin glands that secrete the oils that keep the skin and hair sleek and shiny. Male cats usually produce more allergen than females. Proteins in the urine of cats will also trigger allergic reactions.

Some animals seem more tolerable than others because they shed fewer allergens. Unfortunately, there are no non-allergic animals. It is also true that the length of hair does not alter the animal's allergenicity. Within any given breed, or even litter, you may find animals that you can tolerate better than others.

Allergies are usually cumulative. Since the allergic person is sensitive to more than one thing, it is the Total Allergen Level that causes a reaction. Whether or not a person has symptoms depends on how many allergens are in the environment at the same time. An individual who is allergic to animals may exhibit no noticeable symptoms when the total exposure is below his allergy threshold level. The trouble begins when there are enough allergens in the environment to exceed this level. The goal is to minimize exposure to airborne allergens that exceed tolerance thresholds and trigger attacks.

Answer 3

We have a cat and I am allergic to them. I have allergy induced asthma. We keep the cat in the basement so that the pet dander is not ALL over the house. Having a short hair cat really helps, but they can still cause problems. We also clean the basement very thoroughly at least twice a week. I am on two inhalers and allergy medication daily. I run into the worst problems when I go in the basement. As long as I am taking my medication as I should, I'm usually fine. But there are still some days that breathing is very difficult.

Our cat is 12 years old. Once he's gone, we will not replace him. I think we'll get a Sony Aibo Robotic Dog for our next pet.

Answer 4

I've been informed by a few people allergic to cats, that the best way to keep dander and the allergies contained is too bathe a cat weekly.

I know how laughable and awful that sounds x-D! But, one lady I know got herself a kitten, and from then on out, bathed the cat every week--as she was allergic to them but loved them so much.

She said that that cat became used to the baths, and didn't react as negatively as usual.

Unfortunately, not all cats are like this, and some will NEVER like a bath. So I do believe that your alternatives are either no cat, super expensive cat, or continuously bathing cat.

Good luck, and I DO really hope someone has a better solution/suggestion!

Answer 5

Hi,

My husband is so allergic to everything and has chronic asthma but he is a cat lover and we have two in our house. Everyone's suggestions seem to be on point but I just wanted to mention that whenever he is exposed to a new animal he has very bad reactions for about a month until his body gets use to the pet hair. After the month is up he usually goes back to normal and he can tolerate the new pets. I have known others who were like this as well. The first month will be extreme torture but it gets better over time. I just thought I would mention it but everyone is different.

Answer 6

they say hairless cats work (but may be an arm and leg) wouldn't try shaving a cat, too traumatic for cat. did you ask vet, i thought i saw one time at vet had these wipes, to wipe the fur of your cat, supposed to keep you from having allergies from cat fur (they say it is actually the cat's saliva on fur some people allergic). have you been tested for allergies by an Allergist M.D., and are you sure it is cats, i know many people say cats and are really allergic to mold, tree, grass pollen, etc. or some fruits (mango, guava, papaya). have you tried wal-mart brand generic Claritin, or Allegra is very good, i know one girl (she really has bad allergies to cats, but still works at vet-clinic totally clears up if take Allegra-D, only thing she doesn't have insurance so she doesn't always take). on now on TV and news and i think was on yahoo AP that Allergist M.D. said the saliva from the cats licking their fur is what causes the allergies, he said seriously it works, if you bath your cats the allergies go away. but make sure, like i said, you are tested and you are sure that is what you are severely allergic, allergy test will show how severe, my mother took allergy test, showed more severely to grass, mold, tree pollen etc. , showed mild allergy to cats, but she has no problems with any cats she has, and found out more it was the mold, tree and grass pollen, takes Allegra-D 24hr. no problem

Answer 7

I take an allergy pill every day because I have cats and love them dearly. Cats are such great pets. They don't bark and bite like dogs do, and they don't need as much constant attention. Just vacuem alot and take the allergy pills. Good luck!

Answer 8

Might sound funny, but regularly give your cat a bath with shampoo safe for pets. That will help cut down the dander. Also, there are medicines for allergies. If he really wants a cat he'll have to take it.

Answer 9

no no no!! lol, the first answers are incorrect... just b/c the cat is hairless or shaved, will NOT prevent allergies. its the type of cat, and its the cat dander; not hair. even a hairless cat has dander, and may still aggravate allergies. without spending the money on a hypo allergenic cat, the only thing you can really do is get him on allergy meds. that will be up to him if he wants to be on meds for the length you own a cat; please dont force or guilt him into it though!! good luck on your decision!! oh, you may be able to find a hypo allergenic cat at a shelter too; check into them.

Answer 10

I am allergic too, but I have three cats. I try to keep them out of my bedroom and when in the livingroom "try" to get them to sleep or lay on a towel or blanket rather than the couch. I love to cuddle with them but I usually regret it when I have an attack but I still enjoy them and give them love. I wash my hands and face or whatever may have touch them right after handling them, this helps.