Cat allergies

hi, im a new member.

i have a question about cat allergies. i apologize if this has been discussed here before, but i did do a search and couldnt find anything.

im allergic to cats. that hasnt stopped me from owning before, but boy, can it be bad. id like to get another cat, but would also like to reduce the negative consequences.

i understand that russian blues and siberians have a lower occurrence of fel d1. i am curious if anyone here has a cat allergy and has one of these cats, and as to any comments you may have. or if you know someone. are these cats really much less harsh on allergies?

ive also been told that there is something you can put in a cats food that inhibits production of fel d1. is this true? is this safe for the cat? the person who told me this was quite surte of herself, but i have seen nothing on line. seems too much of a "magic bullet."

any comments as to these issues would be appreciated, or as to any other suggestions/comments about cat allergies. needless to say, i realize regular cleaning and grooming are necessary, there should be a cat-free zone, wash my hands, etc. got all that down. so im really looking for more advanced suggestions, i suppose. im hoping its possible for me to get another cat - i do miss having one - but my alternative is getting a kitten and leaving it at my gf's house, which doesnt really solve the issue for me.

thanks, all!

Hello from fellow cat allergy sufferer.

All this is probably old news to you, but you can read more about how to combat cat allergies here:

http://www.thecatsite.com/Health/223...t-Allergy.html

Have you considered getting allergy shots?

OK, where can I start with the rest of your questions?

I have never heard before about the lower level of fel-d1 in Russian Blues. I have heard of this in Siberians and Abyssinians.

As far as Siberians, you must do your research and realize that it will not necessarily be a miracle cure. I've done fur testing with a breeder and I am definitely less allergic to her cats' fur than I am to my current cat. I am still allergic to Siberians, but my reactions aren't as strong as they are to some other cats. It also depends on the lines they are breeding from. You may not have a reaction to some Siberians, but will to others. You need to contact a Breeder and spend a significant amount of time with the studs and queens to determine if you may be able to explore this further. Kittens have less fel-d1, so they are not an accurate test. I think I could tolerate having two Siberians, but couldn't necessarily tolerate a Siberian and my current cat. If you have more questions about this, feel free to send me a PM.

I've never heard of the "magic bullet" you are referring to. If it was out there and affordable and would not harm my cat, I would buy it tomorrow.

I am very Allergic to Cats and have 3 Part Russian Blues and a part Siamese. The Saliva is what causes the Allergies. Sasha looks straight Russian Blue and her fur is differant. Meeko is Abbey Russian Blue Mix. i can not even be near long fiur Cats I Sneeze like Crazy. I was told by my Vet that Russian Blues cause less Allergies too. I used to take Shots but had to quit.

thanks to both of you!

i didnt know that kittens are less allergenic than full-growns, so that right there was quite helpful.

if you dont mind me asking, were the shots effective? and why did you stop taking them?

also, would you say that your reaction to the russian blue is significantly less than any allergic reaction to other cats? i could get a russian blue for $700 or so. thats a lot of money, though, alot more than running down to the humane society or petsmart, etc. so i would only want to drop the $$$ if there was a marked difference.

I don't know if you have access to it because I don't know where you live, but if you're in the States, Zyrtec is now sold over the counter and does not require a prescription. It enables me to live with six domestic short hair feral rescues with no cat-free zone. One of them sleeps in my face. And I have VERY bad allergies. I use a cortizone cream on the hives I get, and I keep the inhaler for emergencies. But the Zyrtec is amazing. I don't sneeze, I don't have problems breathing, and I don't get red itchy eyes.

Of course, we brush them with a slicker brush every day and wipe them down with a wet cloth. We try to vaccuum every day. I keep throw blankets on the back of all fluffy furniture (couch and two recliners) and wash them every week. We have blinds up where possible, and we vaccuum the curtains weekly.

Laurie

Mine are mixed. I quit the Shots because they cost too much. They did help me though. None of the Cats now really bother me but they are short fur except Coco. She is the half Saimese. Spinx are good too. Sasha dosent really bother me. When I get clawed by any of them I get Hives.

I forgot to to say i brush my Cats too. I have Asthma too and even Coco does. My eyes Itch from some Cats. In fact I plan on getting another Cat this summer. Been trying to decide what kind to get.

thanks!

so, im gonna try and get a russian blue or siberian, since these cats supposedly are less irritating, and ive made an appointment for an allergy test. hopefully, thatll all work out. and ill take all the other precautions, regualr baths/grooming, vacuum/cleaning,cat-free zones, etc.

if anyone has any specific info re cats that are less allergenic and experiences with these breeds, id appreciate it, but otherwise, thanks for the input, folks.