Should I take an allergy medicine or resort to allergy shots for my cat allergy?

Question

When I'm around a cat for too long, I'll start to sneeze and my eyes will turn red. I have to have a cat though. I love them so much. I am wondering if with these symptoms, you think an allergy medicine like Zyrtec or Claritin would do the trick, or if I'd have to go all out and take allergy shots regularly?

It's not like if I walk into someone's house that has a cat, I start to sneeze right away and my eyes turn red within a minute. I can be around a cat for 20 minutes and not experience any symptoms. But after that point, they start to kick in. And it's not like non-stop sneezing either. What do you think with your experience? Thanks.

Answer 1

Benedryl is Fantastic . It works

However, unless you have loads of allergies try to  use products like you mentioned or see a physician.

I got allergic to trees ( when they started to bloom) in Spring. when I was sixteen... Got tested had few minor allergies and ( cats and dust were one ) and with Slight Medication and care the allergy  vanished

Ive had cats since a child and still have my Angel and a Dog.

Angel is truly an angel.  I rescued her from the road when someone ran over her as a kitten. and treated her , had her paw tended to and  still have her now ( 12) years . She is companionn to my dog. AND THE GREATEST THING I AM NOT ALLERGIC TO ANIMALS ANYMORE

May work for you Benedryl , Meds . Get tested if you can too . to make sure that you may not have a lot more allergies.. BUT THEY CAN BE TREATED.SUCCESSFULLY  AS  I WAS

Answer 2

Take Arius, I think thats how you spell it. Im the same way, I took it for a while, until I became immune to them..now I can curl up with them no problem.

Answer 3

I have two cats as well as an allergy to cats.  I take Zyrtec daily and it has taken care of all of my allergy symptoms.  I would ask your doctor, also.

Answer 4

benadryl  has always worked best for me, and i have some pretty severe allergies,  but you should really ask your doctor.

good luck  ^-^

Answer 5

I had the same exact problem. Zyrtec works great. Claritin didn't work at all for me. It might take a few days or maybe even weeks of taking Zyrtec reguraly for the affect to really be noticable, though, because it's a cycle medicine. For really fast relief, take a benedryl. Don't worry, I had asthma on top of allergies, and I never had to take shots. Once I got on top of taking my medicines regularly, I was perfectly fine. Now, I own a cat and work with them at the vet's office and volunteering at the animal shelter, and I don't have any problems.

Answer 6

ask your doctor what you must do