Question:
I am extremely allergic to cats (symptoms: severe asthma, itchy/watery
eyes, congestion, etc.) and was wondering if anyone out there knew of any
lasting or permanent treatments for cat allergies (fiance wants a cat!)...
I heard that there's a series of injections that can cure this
allergy...any info would be greatly appreciated!
Answer:
I'm extremely allergic to cats as well. I cannot be in a room with cats
or I end up with a severe asthma attack. My Pulmonary Physician
suggested I try Claritin. He told me to take it at least 3 days before
I will be exposed to the cats, to get it into my system. He also said
that Claritin is something that I could stay on indefinately. (with no
side effects) I have not tried to be in the same room with a cat, but
my family has visited me several times with cat hair all over them. The
Claritin seems to help. (no severe asthma attacks!) -Lisa
Washing the cat frequently is supposed to help some ... there are also
special products you can buy (called Allerpet) that I think you use for
washing .... but some of the stuff I've seen says soap and waterr may work
too.
Just yesterday, I was told by a colleague who is allergic to cats that
not all cats produce an allergic reaction. He says siamese cats do not
effect his breathing at all. He insists that his allergy is not to cat
fur but it's something to do with a chemical that cats produce when
they are being "friendly". I don't know how you could test this idea -
perhaps you can get cat samples. I think that if a person is *extremely* allergic to cats, then he probably shouldn't
ever be near them. The chances of having a life threatening attack just aren't worth
it. But, if the allergy isn't quite that extreme and runs more toward the constant
sniffles and teary eyes than the instant severe asthma attack, then Kathy is right
that there may be things you can do to neutralize the dander. Frequent vacuuming,
keeping the cat out of the bedroom, using hot-water washable slip covers on furniture,
replacing carpet with washable throw rugs--all those things can help keep the dander
from building up.
To help keep kitty from being a prolific source of dander, give it high quality cat
food and vitamins. That will help keep the cat's coat in good condition and keep it
from having skin irritation. If a cat feels healthy and has good skin, it won't lick
itself nearly as often.
Bathing a cat once in a while might be helpful, especially if the cat seems to be
irritated with something. If it got into a mess of fire ants or thorny plants, it
will probably be licking itself like crazy and really need a nice soothing bath. A
vet can prescribe a shampoo appropriate for that sort of problem. Get someone to show
your fiancee how to bathe a cat--it really isn't the kind of thing you want to
experiment with on a cat that has all its claws.
Get a cat a few months old if you really must have one so that you will know right off
it licks itself more than usual (some cats are neurotic about it) or if it appears to
have allergies itself. Animals with allergies shed more dander than animals without
them, so you really want to avoid in your pet the same trouble you have yourself!
Oh, and make sure the litter box is cleaned out daily. A full litter box will
contribute its very own allergens to the air.
I'm allergic to cats also. You could talk with an allergist about
desensitization shots. These have to be maintained in order to be
effective. We're talking years here and it takes a while to build up a
tolerance. I've been on them for about 9 months and can notice a
difference. I can actually be around a cat without too much trouble. I
still get a reaction, but it's much milder. This is partly true also. It depends on whether you are allergic to the
dander or the saliva that is on the fur from their grooming. I think there
is a third component, but I don't remember what it is. This can be
determined by allergy testing. There are probably some cats that are less allergenic than others. There
are also things you can put on the cat to neutralize the allergens. This
has to be done once a week or so (I think).
Cat dander gets everywhere! We bought a house where the previous owners
had cats and I was miserable for months until I could get rid of all of it.
I had to spray my carpets to neutralize the allergens, get rid of blinds,
etc. It sticks to the walls, wallpaper, ceilings, everything. I also
started with the shot which did seem to help a lot.
