I am a teenager suffering from severe allergies. I have always been allergic to pollen, especially in the spring to early summer. Since May, I have had constant allergies. I initially assumed that the allergies were a result of the high pollen count in my area. But even as the pollen count decreased, my allergies still persisted, with worse symptoms then I have ever experienced. Now the pollen count is very low, leading me to believe my allergies were a reaction to something else. I have had cats all my life and never had a problem. But, now I have four cats sleeping in my bed with me since the middle of May (when the bed they used to sleep on was removed). My allergy reactions start sometime between 2 AM and 4 AM and then when I fall back asleep, I face them when I wake up again. Runny nose, watery/itchy eyes. I do not really face the symptoms when I am outside my house, besides occasional itchy/watery eyes. I am a teenager, could I have developed an allergy to my cats?
2007-06-14 02:50:39 · 8 answers · asked by Girlygirl610 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Allergies
Any allergy doctor will tell you cats and their dander are highly allergic animals. Even to people who don't have allergies. Do you go to an allergist and get shots every week.. If you don't you are suffering needlessly. Get the cats out of your bed and your room and clean. Wash everything including curtains, bedding all throw rugs, if you have carpeting in your room you should shampoo it. The dander is all over. They shed terrible. Just because you never thought you were allergic to them doesn't mean anything. You can develop an allergy to anything at anytime. You are more susceptible because you have existing allergies. Good luck to you and talk to your parents and see what they say.
2007-06-14 02:58:18 · answer #1 · answered by SusiQ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is the stray cat clean? Maybe a different type of cat? Not sure if that matters or not but I am allergic to cats and some bother me to where I can not be near them more then a few minutes while others don't bother me too much. I had the same itching and burning feeling with the cats I assumed were not clean. Also if you determine this is the problem I would look into Allergy shots. I have taken them around 8 months now and can be near cats without itching now. It has worked wonders. You can also just get tested for allergies. Good luck!
2016-05-20 01:14:33 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have the same problem, you need to train your cats to not get up in the bed with you. You need to get them each a place that they can sleep but not in your bed room. I trained our cats with fly swatters and I set them out on my bed, counter tops tables and furniture hanging over enough that the cats could see them, when the cats jumped on things that were out of bounds I would swat them not hard just enough that they understood. About 2 months later they understood and about 4 months later I removed all the fly swatters, they still don't jump on things that are out of bounds and my allergies have subsided to a low roar. Make sure you allow a few pieces of furniture that the cats can jump on and sleep. When you pet the cats do not touch your face or eyes and always wash right after. My cats are 14 years old and still are spoiled by me but now I don't have to go through the allergy problem. CATS RULE. Good luck.
2007-06-14 03:11:54 · answer #3 · answered by Johnny 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my daughter has developed allergies and when she plays with the kittens her eyes get red and itchy and she sneezes, she doesn't want to hear this but I kept her away from the cats for 3 days now and no problems, what is weird is that we have dogs, birds and other animals and she has no problems, just try staying away from your cat for a few days and see if you get better. It must be something in the cat dander that makes people allergic, because you hear more about cat allergies than you do dogs.
2007-06-14 02:57:38 · answer #4 · answered by kissybertha 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try replacing your pillow with a new one, and cleaning all of your other bedding as well as getting the mattress professionally cleaned. Sounds likely to be a dust mite thing, but if it does turn out to be the cats, never fear, I'm 35 and have been allergic all my life and ALWAYs have cats in my house and bed :)
2007-06-14 03:08:00 · answer #5 · answered by nikiandneish 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like you have figured it out for your self.
Yes it is possible for one to become reactive to something they have not previously.
Moving the cats to your bed has overloaded your system and triggered a dormant tendency to react to cat dander.
You may have caused your immune system to become overly sensitized. It could permenint. Removing them from your bed may give your immune systed a chance to desensatize itself.
2007-06-14 03:25:37 · answer #6 · answered by DAVID M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh dear, that's no fun.
Yes, it is possible that you're now allergic to your cats. So they will have to find somewhere else to sleep.
2007-06-14 03:03:19 · answer #7 · answered by Tigger 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
having the cats sleep with you is probably exacerbating the slight allergy you had.
2007-06-14 03:40:23 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋