How can I keep my husband from being allergic to our girls after they hold the kittens?

Question

A mom cat brought kittens to our porch at 14 weeks of age. They appear to be part snowshoe cats, which has been said to be a hypo-allergenic cat. My husband is allergic to cats, but we have been doing a good job cleaning the cats and the house. Our two little girls 4 and 8,who have very long hair, love to hold them. It's easy to wash up the girls before their dad gets home from work, but not so easy when we are together all day on the weekends. Sometimes when he gets close to our girls, he sneezes or gets dander or a hair in his eye and has an allergic reaction. If he gets an allergic reaction in his eye it creates a chain reaction and he gets a runny nose. And then proceeds to use his inhaler. He has asthma. Any suggestions? We are all really attached to these kittens that we want to adopt.

Answer 1

You have to get rid of the kittens because your husband's health is more important. He's allergic to their hair and dander which just gets everywhere. If you can't confine the cats to their own part of the house, get rid of them before they cost you your marriage.

Answer 2

Well...as a fellow asthmatic and a clinical text book cat allergy sufferer, I can honestly say that no matter how hard you try to keep dander and hair out of your house, off of your children, and away from your husband... it will be in vain. It's never a good idea to allow anything, if avoidable, to aggravate a person that has severe allergies. They don't usually get better, the person will just get worse. Constant allergy irritation can cause the sinus cavity to become raw and susceptible to infection. Depending on the severity of the allergy, it could become deadly. For example, people who are allergic enough to bees to go into anaphylactic shock, will never become resistant to bee stings over time. These people, unfortunately, have to avoid them at all costs and make sure they carry Epi-Pens with them where ever they go. It doesn't sound like this is the case with your husband, but being careful just isn't enough. You will carry the cat dander on your shoes and track it through your house. If the girls are playing on the floor and then hug your husband, it could start the whole allergic reaction process again. There are couple of options your husband has: (1) Take allergy shots from your family doctor or (2) Live in a bubble safely tucked away from the cats and regretably, your family. On the other hand, you also have a couple of options to choose from also: (1) Keep the cats and know that they are the constant source of why your husband is miserable all the time or (2) Get rid of them, which would disappoint the girls, but then your husband could get better and stay better without costly medical treatment. I truly believe, from experience, that avoiding the cause of allergies, if at all possible, is the key to staying as healthy and allergy free, as possible.

Answer 3

I'm the same way as your husband is, and this has been a constant battle in our family. My grandparents have a ton of animals and always want me to come out and visit, but if I'm in their house for more than half an hour, I feel horrible and have asthma and allergy issues for a few days after that. It was so bad that I have family Christmas pictures with me in a carpenter's mask that my parents would make me wear so I wouldn't be sick for weeks after a visit. I'm 22 now, but looking back it still kind of makes me a bit upset, it feels like they chose to have their silly cats over their granddaughter. Now I refuse to spend time at their house and family events are held at other relatives'.

Your husband is miserable around those cats and you don't have a clue what it feels like. It's really not cool (understatement) to feel like you have to fight to breathe or to deal with a constant runny nose/itchy eyes. If you love him, why would you make him suffer like that? Get over the kittens and find something else to replace them that he can deal with!

Answer 4

My daughters like to pet cats too, but I and my son are very allergic to them. The cats probably will need to be outside cats. Everytime after your daughters pet them outside, they will need to change clothes, especially before they sit on any upholstered furniture. Perhaps they can have a special outfit they wear when they pet the cat.
If you have good medical insurance and your husband is willing, he can get allergy desensitation shots. They really work, but it may be 2 years or more before he starts to feel relief. A series of shots can last 5-9 years. It would help any other allergies he has too, like pollen.

Answer 5

Have you tried clartin? It helps to get rid of seasonal allergies and pet allergies. I would try that first. It is over the counter and can be taken daily. You can also get allergy shots, which help out. See an allergist.

I take clartin and it has worked wonders for my allergies.

If nothing works, I am sorry to say this, but the cute little kitties are going to have to go. Best of luck

Answer 6

Who is more important your husband or the cats? Get rid of the cats and get a pet he's not allergic to. It's not fair to make him suffer.

Answer 7

For Dad's sake, get rid of the kittens!!! Would you have them around if you were getting allergic reactions? Get a poodle or something if you need a pet.

Answer 8

90 days of these two supplements will rid him of the allegery problem. These are natural antioxidant supplements that enhances the bodies own resistance to allergens. This worked for me.

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