Help me please with cat allergies (10 points)

Question

I got a beautiful kitten about a week ago only to find i was left with itcht eyes and a runny nose. A quick visit to the GP let me know that i was definatly allergic to cats. :( i am soo heart broken and i cant bear the thought of giving away my little kitten. I got him from an animal shelter and basically saved his life. I could never return him to the place where he was on death row. He is such a lovely cat but im scared that i wont ever be able to truely bond with him because of my allergies. Im so upset and i need hel fast. I dont want to have to take medicines all the time just to stop me from getting my allergies so is there any other way i can prevent or get rid of them without geting rid of my cat?

i have heard about air purifiers and special kinds of shampoos or sprays that you can use on the cat to minimise the dander but not much more. If there are certain sprays can you name the brand and can they preferable be in australia because i cant afford postage costs of products each month. The more ideas the better.

Answer 1

air purifier should help. that and brushing.

my friend is allergic to her cat as well and from what I understand that's why she does. Every now and then I'll see her sneezing with red eyes but not too often.

Answer 2

well you have to take a medicine but olny once a day but i cant put my tounge on the medicines name

Answer 3

Hi Niamh,

I feel for you. What a sad thing, but there are some things you can do to help the situation.

These suggestions are not in order of priority, but the most important one is to make sure you vacuum your house, or wherever the kitty hangs out every day. This will help to keep dander down, and hair off of things.

Keep your kitten out of your bedroom! I know this is difficult but it will help you have a "clean room".

Get a good HEPA air filter system. Keep ducts closed to heaters. If possible install electric heat. This cuts down the amount of dander floating around the house.

Keep your kitten off the furniture as much as possible. Ask your vet when you can start bathing her, and when it is ok, bathe her once a week.

Wash your hands thoroughly after handling your kitten. This will help keep her dander off your face and eyes.

There is an anti-allergy spray called Allerpet. Try using that, and brush your kitten each day. Don't forget to wash your hands though.

Feed your kitten the highest quality kitten food and you can also give her a fatty acid suppliment. This keeps the coat in excellent condition. Check with your vet to see if he carries such an item.

I took allergy shots for a long time, when I was highly allergic, and was a cat breeder. After awhile it seemed that my allergies diminished and I don't need them anymore. Do discuss this with your physician, about taking allergy shots.

I am not sure that the spray I mentioned is available in Australia, but they may carry something similar.

I do hope you can keep your kitten. My vet is allergic to cats, and manages to deal with it, by being very careful to wash herself carefully.

Good luck to you. I hope this helps.

Troublesniffer

Owned by cats for over 40 years

Former breeder of Oriental Shorthairs and Siamese cats.

http://frequentlyfeline.blogspot.com/

Answer 4

I hope you dont have to get rid of your cat :( it was great of you to adopt him from an animal shelter :)

Maybe being exposed to the cat will eventually lessen the effect of your allergy? My gran was allergic to cats and owned one for 13 years lol

I hope you find a solution :)

Answer 5

You could try an air purifier to filter out the dander that carries the allergen (which is the protein Fel d 1 that is secreted in the cat's saliva and dries on the coat and is then shed into the air).

Some allergy sufferers in the USA recommend washing the cat each month in distilled water to remove the build up of allergen on the fur. Allermyl shampoo can be used (this or similar may be available in Aus)

There are wipes available from pet care stores.  In Britain, Petal-Cleanse sprays and wipes are available in the pet aisle of supermarkets and that product or a similar one may also be available in Aus.

It's only been a week and some allergic reaction may reduce as your body becomes accustomed to the presence of the Fel d 1 protein.  I very often have allergic reactions to new cats I adopt or foster (and I have had lots of cats over the years), but the symptoms only last a week.

Ask your GP about desensitization therapy.  Animals behaviourist Claire Bessant was allergic to cats but had the densitization therapy and she now works for the Feline Advisory Bureau.

Make sure the cat doesn't sleep in your bedroom.  You spend a lot of time in there and by keeping that area cat-free you will greatly reduce the amount of allergen you breathe in.  Also get a good vacuum cleaner that filters the air it sucks in.  This will help trap cat dander each time you vacuum your home.  Try to reduce exposure to other things you are allergic too.  Sometimes the body reacts because it is exposed to so many allergens at once, but reducing the allergen level in general can help.

You can still bond with your kitty even if you can't snuggle him close to your face.  Plenty of play-time will help you bond.  Many cats learn that they can't sit on the owner's lap or snuggle, but they still get plenty of attention  (Cat World magazine often has stories about physically disabled owners whose cats have learnt not to sit on their owner, but to sit nearby for petting).  Not all kittens grow up into lap-cats anyway, so it's possible he won't be worried about lack of snuggling as long as he gets attention in other ways.

Answer 6

i havent heard about remedies except a shot that can help relieve the symptoms ....generally i find if you have a clean cat ,keep its fur trimmed [so excess isnt always shedding],and train it and keep its 'mess' in one designated spot [ie.laundry]...then you may be able to live with the cat .......cleaning actually means not using soaps /scented products [even pet ones] and also primarily making it an indoor cat as it will reduce the risk of kitty bringing in excess pollens ,garden debris and fleas ...all which contribute to people actually being allergic .

my ex always swore he was and constantly sneezed when around inlaws cat ......when used to pick up kids from my place he never sneezed or itched ....our cat is very fluffy all black purebred burmese ....we keep her washed with water only [my son has both hayfever and ecsema]...she spends no more than an hour in the garden roughly 2-3 times a day [she does all her business outside] and she has never had fleas .

Answer 7

Hi my ex bf was allergic to cats and we used a few things.  An air purifier really helped.  Regular vaccuming, you can also get special anti allergy washing liquid, you can use that on places where the cat goes.  Don't allow the cat in the bedroom, so at least you have an area where the cat doesn't go.

I also honestly think with some allergies you get better with time.  Try to avoid the cat l*****g you, as sometimes that can be the main source of allergies.

Answer 8

i have the same issue as you all i did too fix it was get a prescription from my family doctor for 2 medications -singular  and flonase nasal spray i took the singular pill daily and used the flonase when it was nessasary.my allergies cleared up about 2-3 days after starting the meds

Answer 9

Well, it is better first you talk to human doctor but 1 dose triamcinolon acetat can solve your all allergic problems

Answer 10

The things tht u have written are just supplements.

I am allergic to alot of things i loved.

cats, dogs, cows, horses, hay (which makes it difficult), long grass and oranges.

I got an injection from the doctors every 2 weeks.

im not allergic 2 all those things till im 39.

so i now can keep my 3 cats, my dogs and soon my horse. =)

Answer 11

the air purifiers don't work trust me, just take an allergy medication,it's really not that bad