Anyone with allergies to cats know of something that helps them not get sick? ? I want a kitten, but allergic.

Question

I get itchy and congested, but determined to own a cat. I am trying to find something I can take to be able to peacefully co-exist with a kitten! HELP!

Answer 1

I successfully lived with a cat for over 20 years even though I was allergic to him.

For starters, remove all carpeting (have hardwood floors, tile, lino) and replace draperies with non-fabric blinds. These things will trap the cat dander. If you have furnace heating, then you want to get allergy filters put on the furnace and vents. Get a HEPA air filtration system.

Keep the cat off the bed (or train it to sleep on its own blanket at the foot of the bed).

After you touch the cat wash your hands/face - wherever the cat touched you. Any clothes that the cat has come into contact with throw in the wash do not wear again. Always sleep in jammies that the cat has not rubbed against.

There are also allergy solutions that you can wipe onto the cat but I personally never used them because I did not trust that they would not hurt the cat (because they are always cleaning themselves and would ingest the chemicals). You can use them on upholstery such as the couch though.

This may sound extreme but it works. Even my friends who had allergies to cats could sleep at my house without problems. I house sit for my friend who has cats and she has done none of these things to her house and I am so sick within two hours but no problems in my house.

Answer 2

I am also allergic to cats and always seem to have them around anyway.

First, you need to see your doc to figure out which meds will be most effective for you. Try Allegra and Singulair.

Also, in addition to those, you may have to take some Benadryl at times for when the regular stuff is just not working. At least that was the case with me.

Allegra works best for me. Singulair works best for my kids. We all needed to supplement with Benadryl, but our allergies are all horrible.

Avoiding having any carpeting helps immensely because there won't be as much accumulated fur.

Brush and clean the cat often and try to get a cat that is short-haired. While it's not actually the fur that bothers allergies, it's the dander, cats who have longer fur still cause more allergies because the dander tends to collect onto the fur.

There are also many cat products, such as treats and shampoos that have ingredients to help control the dander so that it's not as bad.

Do not sleep with the cat or allow the cat on any furniture that your face will come in contact with.

It helps to get a box and place a kitty bed in it. Cats love boxes and soft things. This will attract your cat to one spot for lying down and help avoid fur from collecting on furniture.

If you do have carpeting, vacuum daily and be sure to do it thoroughly. Also, it's helpful to clean the carpets frequently with pet dander-reducing carpet shampoo. Here is a website link to one, so you know what I mean: http://www.alerg.com/page/A/PROD/CPT/AVC3020

Also, clean all your fans, ac/heating vents, and window sills frequently. All of these can collect pet fur, yes, even the ceiling fans.

If you do all of these regularly, it should help considerably. Also, sometimes the cat allergy will get slightly better as you live with the cat. For some, it will even go away.

Answer 3

Welcome to the club. I, a pretty bad allergy sufferer myself, own a cat. Here are some things that you can try:

1. Go to an allergist and get some serious allergy medicine. The over-the-counter stuff probably is not going to work. You can try it, but I use Nasonex and Allegra-D, which have worked at keeping me from getting really sick. That said, they are expensive if you don't have insurance. Come to think of it, they are rather expensive WITH insurance!

2. Get a SHORT HAIRED CAT. The more hairy the cat is, the more hair and dander is going to be floating around. Keep the cat clean. Have someone brush it regularly. Vacuum often. It makes a HUGE difference. My cat hardly bothers me at all, but I go to my in-laws who have two cats, one with long hair, and they don't vacuum a lot, and it bugs me a lot more.

3. I still get itchy eyes if I touch the cat and rub my eyes, and sometimes my cat will give me a stuffed up nose if I get too much hair on me, but for the most part it is pretty minor. So it is not perfect, but for me, it has been worth it. Hopefully the same will hold true for you. Good luck!

Oh, and one more thing: DON'T let the cat sleep with you. Keeping it out of your bed makes a big difference, too.

Answer 4

Try bathing your kitten! A cat who gets bathed once or twice a month produces about 40% fewer allergens than cats who don't.

A daily swipe with a damp washcloth helps, too.

It's not fun to bath a cat, but if you start when they're kittens, they'll get used to it and so will you. It doesn't take longer than a minute or two, and then you get to snuggle that tiny furry baby in a nice cozy towel.

Check out metpet.com for tips on bathing your kitten.

Although a full bath is best for removing dander, there are also dry shampoo and wipe products that you can find at PetSmart and PetCo. They work nicely for those times that you just don't feel up to wrestling the cat.

Having your pet neutered will also cause them to produce fewer allergens...it's a hormonal thing. Neutering will also keep your male kitten from spraying your home to mark it's territory and your female cat from going into heat (a terrible sound to endure), and it's socially responsible, too.

Other tips for reducing allergens: Get a short-haired cat for easier grooming, keep your kitten indoors (better for your cat's health, too), vacuum frequently to reduce dander build-up in your home and wash your hands after playing with your kitten.

Good luck! There's nothing more adorable than a sweet little kitten and grown cats make lovely, low maintenance companions, too.

Answer 5

I use to be really allergic to cats too! But now I have 6! Some people can become immune to the cats oils that most people are allergic to. You may want to call and ask your doctor about some simple things you can do to help get rid of those cat allergies!

Answer 6

I am usually okay as long as I don't touch my face after I've petted a cat. I also need to keep some cats away from my face. I am allergic to all cats, but some seem to aggravate the condition more.

An allergy to cats actually comes from their saliva, so avoid allowing the cat to lick you. Get kitty wipes and wipe it down regularly.

Also, keep your bedroom cat free. I see several people have advised you to not allow a kitty to sleep with you, but I would go even further and set up that one area in your house as a cat-free zone. This is one bit of advice I've gotten from every allergist and it does seem to help.

I have also built up a tolerance to my cats. I'm able to be around them more and have them in my face, when I can't do that with other people's cats. So you'll never be cured of your allergies, but if it isn't life-threatening, then you should build up resistance as you're around the cat more.

Answer 7

Zyrtec and Flonaze. They are both available only with a prescription. Zyrtec is a pill that takes care of most allergies, Flonaze is a nasal spray. I use both, I have to or I wouldn't have my cat, or dog , or guinea pig, or kids or husband, oh wait it doesn't help with the kids or husband. good luck.

Answer 8

Take allergy meds, but i doubt they'll work living day in, day out with a cat.

Answer 9

im allergic to cats and i have two,i try to not pat them to much and when i do i just take a anti-histamine tablet,after patting wash your hands and dont rub your eyes,your symptoms will fade as time goes on but always have the histamines handy.

Answer 10

here's an idea. get a hairless cat, or make sure ur kitten stays clean everyday and bathe it if u have to.