Cats for people with athsma?

Question

my parents have asthma is there any form of cat we can have apart from that 1 for £3000

Answer 1

The hairless ones. $$??

You should be able to find something  that is not pure breed so it won't cost so much.

Though It's the dander that causes allergies...

Short haired ones are better than the long haired ones.

good luck ... you might have to wait until you are out on your own...

then go to the shelter and get one that has already been spayed/ neutered

Answer 2

The hairless cats are very popular with asthmatic and allergic people.  You should contact local shelters to be put on a waiting list to adopt one that has been lost or thrown away by another family.

There is also the possibility that their asthma will not be affected by a cat - my husband is asthmatic and we have 13 cats - his asthma is triggered by mold and pollen, not cat dander.

If your home is designed for asthmatics (blinds, not curtains, no carpets, etc.), you may be able to have a cat if you clean house with a HEPA vacuum cleaner, which will suck up the dander, but not blow it back out, which is what a regular vacuum does.

Or, if all else fails, adopt a rat.  They are smart, clean, loving, and rarely cause allergic reactions.

Answer 3

If it's allergies, hair length has nothing to do with the allergies.  The dander is something that flakes off the skin.  I vacuum regularly, and keep my cat clean and brushed, and I have a spray that neutralizes dander, and so far, works GREAT, my roommate has had no problems, and he has moderate allergies.  I think that would work for asthma too?

Answer 4

Guess what? I have asthma, my sister has asthma, my nephew has asthma, my mom has asthma.. we all have cats. It's nothing to worry about, as long as you have your inhaler things will be fine. Besides after getting used to the cat you shouldn't have an asthma problem.

I have 4 cats of my own and currently 8 foster cats, and not one asthma attack. There is no "form" of cat you can get that will or will not cause asthma attacks it just depends. I suggest adopting a cat from a shelter it's better that way, you will be saving a life.  

Answer 5

my boyfriend also has asthma and is allergic to cats...

BUT...

we have had a kitten for 3 months, almost 4 months now and he has not had one reaction to it

There are no hypoallergenic cats, nor are there any cats that do not shed. All cats shed, but some have a much denser hair coat than others and shed a larger quantity of hair than those with a thin hair coat. But since the dander and not the hair is the problem, shedding is not that important in allergy control. As we mentioned earlier, many people are allergic to certain types or individual animals and not others.

If you or a member of your family is part of the 15% of our population allergic to pets, there are things you can do to help keep allergic reactions under control and make your home a much more comfortable place to live. Even if you do not have allergies, these tips are helpful if you have guests in your home that are allergic to animals.

We spend from one third to one half of our time in our bedrooms. By keeping the animals out of the bedrooms at all times, we can greatly reduce the symptoms of pet allergies.

Install a good "HEPA" air cleaner.

Close the ducts to the bedrooms and use electric heaters.

Clean and vacuum regularly.

Bathe your pet weekly.

Do not allow your pet on the furniture.

Do not allow your pet in your car. (Or use car seat covers when your pet is in the car.)

Brush your pet daily and use an allergy-reducing spray such as Allerpet.

Keep your pet's skin healthy by feeding a high quality food and a fatty acid supplement.

Wash your hands after handling the pet, his toys, bed, etc.

See your physician and discuss possible immunotherapy or medications

Answer 6

i'm an asthmatic and have no issues with having cats in my house...

it tends to be the dander people are allergic to, not their hair.  when they clean themselves, their saliva turns into the dander, and gets released into the air, so sometimes a hairless cat isn't the way to go.

my only suggestion would be to look at babysitting or fostering a cat for a temporary period to see how badly your parents asthma reacts to the cat... if it's bad, sorry no cat!