Cat allergy problem 10 points ?

Question

my dad is allergic to cats and when he is around any cat he gets itchy eyes and a runny nose. today when we were at my aunty's house (they have a kitten and they have had it for a few months now) he got an allergic reaction. the reason i am asking this is because i want to get a cat but if my dad keeps having allergic reactions i wont be able to. But they knew he had allergies and the confined the cat to one room and opened some windows. this made my dads allergies allot better. even though the cat roams around the entire house whenever it wants to my dad doesn't have a reaction if the air is ventilated and he is not near the cat. i would like your opinion on whether i should get a cat or not seeing as there are ways i can stop dad from having a reaction.

Answer 1

It depends - a lot of the allergies come from saliva on the cats coat after they l**k themselves as well as dander. Breeds like Rex cats can be better for allergy sufferers, and washing the cat once a week to remove saliva residue can greatly reduce allergies.

Maybe visit a Rex breeder and see if he reacts?

Answer 2

get a dog and stop putting your dad through all this misery

Answer 3

i think u should get the cat!

my friends mom was extremely alergic to cats

my friend in your position wanted to get a cat but was scared of the alergies etc.

she ended up getting a cat and her mother was terribley alergic for about a week. but after that the mother got 'immune' to the allergies and no longer had allergies from the cat.

however, she wasnt alergic to her own cat, but she was alergic to other cats.

hope it helps.

alternatively you can get a hairless cat! not joking!

they are gorgeous, and you will be happy because you will have a cat and your dad will be happy because he wont have any allergies!

Answer 4

My mother gets allergy shots.  They take several months to start working, but she rarely has reactions.

Answer 5

i wouldn't get a cat if you're going to have to keep confining it to one room,

it would be unfair on the cat becuase you will have to keep locking up and it might escape from the windows...

and it would also be unfair on your dad having an allergic reaction...

Answer 6

Keeping the cat confined to another room is not fair to the cat, and all the ventilation in the world won't help.   It may have helped temporarily at your aunt's house, but are you prepared to keep windows open at your house every day of the year, 24/7?   Besides, the dander gets into the air circulating throughout the whole house, in the heating ducts, etc.

Answer 7

i would not get a cat  

Answer 8

u can get a cat i suppose just leace a lot of windows open and keep away ur cat from ur dad

like maybe your room

Answer 9

There are way to work around it. Your dad could get an allergy shot, take anti histamine medicine such as Claritin, Zyrtec, Allegra, or Benadryl.

A short haired cat would be much better. Also, female produces less allergen than males although neutered male will also produce less.

The cat will need to be brushed daily with a soft brush to remove allergy causing dander and saliva. Wipe it daily with a towel or sponge moistened with distilled water.

A product called Allerpet is designed to reduce the allergens in dander and cat saliva. You can check it out here:-

http://www.allerpet.com/

Shampoo every two weeks with a mild pet shampoo and creme rinse. The cat needs to be fed on a balanced diet containing natural fat.

Remove pet food dishes and wash after feeding time. Clean cat beds often.Allergy proof the house by installing a HEPA fair purifier and use AC and humidifiers in season. Smoking should be prohibited and vacuum often when your dad is not at home.

It will take quite some work but it is possible to live with a cat when one is allergic to one.

Answer 10

Depends where the cat goes. My 10 year old tom went out yesterday and when he decided to come home I couldn't get near him for 20 mins without sneezing. He was fine later after he'd had a wash.