I'm allergic to cats can you help me have cats and not have symptoms?

Question

I want a cat!!

Answer 1

Hi Tanya...People with mild allergies to cats can benefit from Benadryl, Allegra, Singulair, Clairitin, Zyrtec other similar antihistamines. One may work better than one another if you are willing to experiment to see which works best. If the allergy is more severe neither a cat born without the Fel D1 protein or the anti-histamines has been successful.

I would like to share some supportive information we give to people who suffer from cat allergies as many are unaware that "all" cats regardless of breed or if long, short or no hair breed of cats can cause allergies. Any vet can confirm this fact.

Older books on cats and cat care usually blame the allergy on cat fur e.g. breathing in small particles of the fur itself. Some blame it specifically on the cat’s guard hairs (the long hairs within the cat’s coat) and may recommend keeping a breed which lacks these guard hairs e.g. Devon/Cornish Rex or the hairless Sphynx. Referring to these breeds as hypoallergenic or allergen-free is incorrect as It is not the hair which causes the allergic reaction.

The real culprit appears to be a glycoprotein, Fel d1 which is secreted by the sebaceous glands and is the major cat allergen. This allergen is found in the fur, pelt, saliva, serum, urine, mucous, salivary glands, and hair roots of the cat. The main sources of the allergen, however, are the skin and saliva.

When a cat grooms/washes itself, saliva is deposited on its fur (or skin in the case of hairless cats). The saliva dries into dust (dander or dandruff) which is released airborne when a cat scratches or moves and when humans stroke or brush a cat. Fel d1.

All cats groom themselves, even those which lack guard hairs or which lack hair altogether (e.g. Sphynx). The dust forms on all types of cat hair or directly on the cat’s skin if it lacks fur. Hairless Sphynx cats produce dandruff directly on their skin and though they produce less of it than furred cats, they can still produce enough to trigger an allergic reaction. An allergy occurs when the body over-reacts to a substance (allergen) and produces excessive amounts of histamine. Excessive histamine production leads to the irritating symptoms associated with cat-allergy - itchy eyes, sneezing, skin rash etc.

Although Fel d1 is the protein most often associated with allergies, humans are very variable and there will be some people who develop allergies to other feline proteins. Some people are unaffected by Siamese cats, but allergic to other cats and some people have reported whose cat alergy is only triggered by male cats (even if the cats are neutered).

Anyhow, please consider reading the following website literature to learn more about the Fel d1 protein and how it affects allergies in humans.

http://allergies.about.com/od/allergies101/a/catallergy.htm
http://www.allergysa.org/pet.htm#cat

Here's a video (located on the webpage on the right side) by a veterinarian about the allergen Fel d1 and how it affects cat allergy sufferers. It's an organization who is is selectively breeding cats without the Fel d1 protein to make available for sale for those who who suffer allergies but would like to own a cat: http://www.allerca.com/

Answer 2

Cat allergy is an allergy that can become overcome by de-sensitisation.

I'm allergic to cats but have two, one of whom sleeps on the bed.

I have seen a de-sensitisation unit in a hospital where the allergic person spent a little time in a room that a cat had been in. Once they could enter the room with no symptoms, a cat was introduced into the room at the same time as the person, but contained in a basket. They then moved on to the cat moving around the room until eventually the person could sit with the cat on their knee and stroke it with no symptoms.

If you really want a cat I suggest getting a kitten. It will probably be timid to begin with anyway so won't want to sit on you lap. You might not even see it for the first few weeks as it may hide from you at every opportunity, which is good from your allergy point of view. Eventually your kitten will become tamer and want petting, by this time your symptoms should be more or less gone.

If I go on holiday I come back and I am terrible for a few days, streaming itchy eyes, sneezing and coughing. I stay clear of the cats as much as I can but it soon clears up. You could try taking an anti hystamene such as Piriton while the syptoms are present to ease them.

Answer 3

Hello.

There are a number of factors that you will have to consider. There are two common types of allergies known when it comes to cat allergies. One of them reacts to an allergen which is contained in the dandruff particles which come from the hair follicles of a cat. The other reacts directly to a protein structure which is a part of your cats saliva. This second form is less common than the first one.

You need to learn about the intensity of your allergy as well. Many people can have a cat even though they are allergic. They do this by vacuuming a lot more often than others and by using an inhalator with anti-histamines to keep from reacting to the allergy.

Some people choose to own a "Sphynx" which is a cat race predominant in the United states which has not hair. These breads are bald.

Please ensure that you know how serve your allergy is before you consider any of this. Some allergies can be as bad as killing you within 30 seconds though anaphylactic shock.

The good news is, most allergies do not stay with you for your whole life. Some develop out of nothing, some go away completely. For that very reason you should have an allergy test every 10 years.

I hope this helps a bit

Answer 4

Many of the answers you already have could be helpful - get antihistamines, try a "hairless" cat, etc. Check with a local vet, who might have some ideas.
My experience is that I am allergic to certain breeds - Persians make me itch, but I am okay with Somalis and Maine Coons. I have the least trouble with short-haired cats, such as Abyssinians (I raised them for a while), Siamese, American Short-hair, Domestic Short-hair (mutt cats).
For me the question was whether I was going to allow my allergies to rule my life or live my life and deal with the allergies. I take an antihistamine every day and in high pollen months I take an extra (with the Dr.'s approval) at night.
Cat World had a good article about the Hypo-allergenic cat, see below. I had two couples had allergies visit me to see if Abys would be compatible. For one couple, Abys were the answer. I sent the other couple to a friend who raised Devon Rex. They happily found that the Devons didn't bother them. Sphinx cats ("hairless) are funny looking, but delightful to touch. Unfortunately, they are pricey, although not as expensive as the so called hypo-allergenic cat.
Good luck. I hope there is a cat out there that will work for you.
By the way, I am an indoor only owner.

Answer 5

Aside from taking medicines yourself, I have a book which suggests that if you bathe the cat once a week, it will help keep the dander down. Of course, it is much easier to get a small kitten used to being bathed never tried it myself and wouldn't want to unless absolutely necessary! The book also says that if you keep the cat out of the bedroom completely, then you will have at least one room in the house which you can be in with less of the allergy causing substances. If you are very allergic though, there may be no way you can have a cat.

Answer 6

Hiya... All is not lost... I was EXTREMELY allergic to cats.... had to go to hospital once I was so bad.
But now... I have a kitty and im getting another one in 2 weeks...

First you can get a cleansing wipe from pet stores (pets at hope have them) you 'wipe' over the cat with it and it takes care of the allergy causing dander. There is also one called 'petal cleanse' - highly recommended!
second, when you have the kitty there your body will adjust, you may have a few awful weeks untill changes happen though. Depends on how much you want the cat... if you want to go through it ...lol
This is the advice I was given.... it worked, the wipes were ace... only used 2!
I never thought I could have a cat... now i almost have 2!!
Good luck... hope it works out xx

Answer 7

I have 3 cats, but i'm not allergic. Being allergic to cats doesn't mean you can't have one. This is why, people that are allergic to cats are allergic to the dandruff that cats with flaky skin have. I would suggest getting a cat that has a good coat and skin. A Siamese has really short hair and doesn't shed. They are good cats and are very socialble. I would reccomend this to you. Keeping it indoors is a good idea too, because you wan't it to be clean. Tell me how this works out for you.

Answer 8

I am VERY allergic to cats. My husband doesn't like cats. One wee calico kitten showed up under our shed last fall. We now have a cat! lol!!

You have to make alot of adjustments to have a cat when you have allergies. My vacuum is my best friend, my allergist isn't happy with me, I take 3 medications a day. Many people think I"m crazy, I'm inclined to agree with them. If this little sweet pea hadn't brought herself into our lives, I'd never have a cat because of the allergies. There is no cat that is non-allergenic. It's a chemical in their saliva that causes the reaction.

Think very carefully before you bring a cat into your home. There's alot of love, but it can be very difficult. It's a long term commitment.

Answer 9

no hun.. apparently not. unless your willing to risk your life on a daily basis

..im allergic to cats (n dogs too) and as im not around them often i didnt kno much.. i thought i cud get a super strong allergy pill n it wud be okay but it doesnt work like that. the most you can do is generally avoid them. you can take antihistamines but for me atleast i Still get a lil flemmy and clogged up if the windows not open and thats Only for a couple hours,

I DO on the other hand have a friend whos allergic to her dog but she survives on allergy pills. it all depends on the intensity of ur reactions but the thing is u never know when ur body might just overreact regardly of how many pills you take so... its something you have to weight up urself. i personally would say no sorry. you cant have cats.

p.s. the symtoms usually calm during winter because the animals arent shedding as much fur

Answer 10

Yes get an "iron lung" seriously tho if you have a real allergy you cannot have a cat unless you shave it on a regular basis, There may be a hairless cat cos there is a hairless dog, but then neither looks like a cat or a dog. Suggest you stop wanting what you cannot have and look elsewhere.