allergies question/help

katmama

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hello all! this is my first post and i have been looking for some real people to help answer some questions. i am a cat person, i love them and really would like to have one! but my hubby is mildly allergic. some cats dont bother him as much as others. and by mildly i mean his eyes water and his nose gets runny while other exposure to certain cats it can be worse and his throat gets itchy.

i have read that russian blues produce less fel d 1(?) which i what causes the allergic reaction. i was wondering if anyone had been in this situation and knew if russian blues are somewhat hypo? some websites have suggested that while no cat is hypo they are better tolerated...

another question what about russian blue mixes? is the same true for them? there are usually a few at the shelter, which is where i would prefer to get a cat from. we went for a visit the other day and a 2 y/o female russian blue mix ran right up to me with the cutest most pathetic meow and i soooo wanted to bring her home!

we are going to sit with one and see what happens but i was just wondering if anyone had any insight or experience. also if anyone knew if there were other cats that we could give a try. my hubby is so great for even trying i think so i want to give it a good go! thanks so much!
 

katkisses

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Never heard of Russian Blues being hypo... But I do not know much about breeds. Google hypoallergenic cat, see what comes up. Hairless cats are NOT hypo, I know that-but if you got one and wiped it down every day, or possibly several times a day-that might work. Maybe some of the curly coat breeds? As for russian blue mixes at the shelter.... just because they have a blue coat means nothing-at all. There are many other breeds of cats that are blue-Exotic, Korat, strays, American Sort Hair, Orientals, ect.

Good luck, I really hope you can get a cat!
 

white cat lover

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Humans are allergic to cat dander. Cat dander can be skin cells/, or the hair itself. IMO, there is no such thing as a "hypo-allergenic" cat.

*Most* people with allergies develop somewhat of a tolerance to cats over time. He may have to take allergy meds.

My advice? Go to the shelter, spend some time with a few individual kitties - see how he reacts. Then think about it. Hubby is the one who will have to deal with the mild allergies, is he willing to take meds & live with a cat for the next 15-20 years?

Combing the kitty, regular baths, and wiping the kitty down with distilled water daily can help cut down on the allergy issues.
 
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katmama

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well i googled it and it several sites said that siberians produce less of the fel d 1. and i think that you are exactly right katkisses all these cats that are grey the shelters automatically call them a russian blue mix.

so i am going to keep looking. if it was up to me i would get the biggest, fattest, oldest cat at the shelter.
 

jack31

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A lot of shelters will let you foster a cat you are interested in--thus if it doesn't work out, return it. So you could potentially try a cat out, see how hubby's allergies are and return or keep.

When we got Jack my allergies went crazy--doctors have never said I'm allergic to cats. I never told Hubby I didn't feel good because I thought he'd make me get rid of Jack! After 2 weeks of toughing it out my system righted itself and now I have no issues--we even have two cats now.

I have heard that siberians are hypoallergenic and someone on another forum has one because she is allergic to cats.

Leslie
 

sparkie

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I'm moderately allergic to cats and have asthma as well. Obviously that's never stopped me from owning cats. I even had 6 at one time! (I have 2 now). Every day I take a generic claritin and it works wonders! I think the more I'm around my cats, the less severe the allergies tend to be.

I don't know of any cat being more hypoallergenic than another. I've always heard it was something in the cat's saliva that people are allergic to rather than their hair or dander. Wouldn't swear to that though!

I think there is an anti-allergy solution you can rub down on your cats to keep the allergens from floating in the air. Not sure what it's called but I've heard they carry it at petsmart. The anti-allergy Febreeze works well too for areas where the cats sleep.
 
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katmama

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thank you all for your responses and suggestions.

during my search for one there acutally is, or a company claims, that they have bioengineered a truly hypo cat. the companys name was allecra and the cost was 4000 to 6000. wow.... just wanted to share that!
 

kerplunq

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I've been allergic to cats also. I guess after some time being around them and taking a simple allergy med, I started to notice my symptoms fade. Now I no longer need to take anything! I guess it all depends on the kitty and the Human, lol. Hope you find one that doesn't buggy the hubby too much.
 

addiebee

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I notice that my allergies are worse around certain cats more than others -- but it doesn't seem to be based on fur color, breed, etc. And I do think it depends on the amount of the allergen the individual cat produces - which BTW is a protein found in the saliva, urine, and can be in/on the skin. So when the cat grooms himself with spit and the spit dries, making dander - voila - allergen!


I have also heard that cats with darker fur generally make more of that allergen than cats with lighter colored fur -- but I don't know if there is any truth to that.

Here is an interesting link that I found. Maybe it will help.
http://www.cityallergy.com/Learning%...Your%20Pet.htm

ETA:here is another one
http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=9&sub=18&cont=236
 
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katmama

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well we have 2 options.... we can keep trying a shelter cat. today didnt go so good. hubby got the watery eyes and the sniffles.

OR we can go with a purebred siberian. i found a lady who raises them who has retired breeders. they do cost more, but i have heard and read so many good things about the breed and allergy sufferers.

i really prefer a shelter cat to save one more cat, but i dont know. we are going to do an allergey test to be certain with the siberian in a week or two. so we'll see what happens!

i'd hate to get in a situation where i had to give up my cat, so i want to make sure.....
 

ericapurr

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Originally Posted by katmama

hello all! this is my first post and i have been looking for some real people to help answer some questions. i am a cat person, i love them and really would like to have one! but my hubby is mildly allergic. some cats dont bother him as much as others. and by mildly i mean his eyes water and his nose gets runny while other exposure to certain cats it can be worse and his throat gets itchy.

i have read that russian blues produce less fel d 1(?) which i what causes the allergic reaction. i was wondering if anyone had been in this situation and knew if russian blues are somewhat hypo? some websites have suggested that while no cat is hypo they are better tolerated...

another question what about russian blue mixes? is the same true for them? there are usually a few at the shelter, which is where i would prefer to get a cat from. we went for a visit the other day and a 2 y/o female russian blue mix ran right up to me with the cutest most pathetic meow and i soooo wanted to bring her home!

we are going to sit with one and see what happens but i was just wondering if anyone had any insight or experience. also if anyone knew if there were other cats that we could give a try. my hubby is so great for even trying i think so i want to give it a good go! thanks so much!
My son is allergic to cats and I have 2 of them. It takes him a couple of weeks to get used to them. People with allergies build up a tolerance to where it doesn't bother them anymore. While they are building up this tolerance my doctor game him Zyrtec. Now he only gets watery eyes and runny nose if he is around someone Else's cats.
 

laureen227

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i'm sure i'm allergic to mine. i notice that i have fewer symptoms when i'm on a trip away from them.
that said - it's worth the stuffy nose for the love i get in return!
 

sweetpea24

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Originally Posted by katmama

hello all! this is my first post and i have been looking for some real people to help answer some questions. i am a cat person, i love them and really would like to have one! but my hubby is mildly allergic. some cats dont bother him as much as others. and by mildly i mean his eyes water and his nose gets runny while other exposure to certain cats it can be worse and his throat gets itchy.

i have read that russian blues produce less fel d 1(?) which i what causes the allergic reaction. i was wondering if anyone had been in this situation and knew if russian blues are somewhat hypo? some websites have suggested that while no cat is hypo they are better tolerated...

another question what about russian blue mixes? is the same true for them? there are usually a few at the shelter, which is where i would prefer to get a cat from. we went for a visit the other day and a 2 y/o female russian blue mix ran right up to me with the cutest most pathetic meow and i soooo wanted to bring her home!

we are going to sit with one and see what happens but i was just wondering if anyone had any insight or experience. also if anyone knew if there were other cats that we could give a try. my hubby is so great for even trying i think so i want to give it a good go! thanks so much!
Siberian cats are also known to have less of the Fel D protein. I think it comes from the mother. My sister-in-law is looking for one and here in Canada there are a couple of breeders who will let you spend some time with the parents. Another breeder, in New Jersey will send you a sample of the fur so you can determine if your hubby reacts to it. There was one breeder whose website actually listed the amount of Fel D each of her 'moms' had. Go to www.siberiancat.org (I think this is the address) - it has some suggestions as to who to test if you're allergic. If your hubby is mildly allergic, maybe this is the cat for him.

Or, alternatively, if you have thousands of dollars, you can buy a Lifestyles cat. These are cats that have been genetically engineered per se, to have none of the Fel D1 protein. A standard cat goes for $3700 I think, the next one up goes for something around $8000? An exotic cat goes for some ridiculous price in the 10 thousands! A Lifestyle dog is around $187,000. I could be wrong in the amounts but they are somewhere in that range. A company called Allerca created these animals and they've been on Rachel Ray and Good Morning America. This last paragraph is obviously a little facetious as I wouldn't recommend this but I thought I'd add the info anyway.
 

carolina

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That site is not in English - I think german...
Please think long and hard before adopting a kitty out... I would keep trying the shelter rout, or look for a rescue group. You can ask the rescuer to foster the kitty for a month or so to see how it works. A day isn't going to be enough - as others said, your hubby might develop resistance overtime...
The problem with adopting one upfront is that there is also a chance of him getting worst, you getting attached to the kitty, and him ending up in a shelter.
I hope you can get one - it is just wonderful to have them around... Keep in mind though, that this is a very long term commitment - pretty much for life...
Good luck!!
Where are you located? There are plenty of purebred rescue group...
Here are some links:
http://www.siberiancatrescue.com/index.html
http://purebredcatbreedrescue.org/siberian.htm
http://www.siberian-cat-breeder.com/...at_rescue.html
http://www.petfinder.com/search/sear...iew=&zip=75205
 

mai_kitties

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I've never understood the whole allergy excuse when it comes to cats. Severe allergy's I understand... but the mild ones that are easily controlled by Claritin-D or other easy to come by over the counter allergy meds I don't understand.

I am allergic to cat dander... dust mites... and tree pollen. I have six cats, I clean my house with no problems, and I even go outside where there are ... /gasp trees. I take Claritin-D and right now I don't even bother with it since I have built up a tolerance to my cats. The only side effect to not taking it everyday with the cats is I have a chronic stuffy nose but it could also be due to dust. I take Claritin-D every day from when the tree's start to bud until the fall.

Yes, I have a bit of a chip on my shoulder about cat allergies since that always seems to be one of the big excuses that people give when surrendering their pets. I have a lady at work right now who is trying to get rid of her cat because she "suddenly got allergic" to her. I asked her if she had suddenly got allergic to tree pollen would she stop going outside and she told me not to be silly, she would just take allergy medicine. I just shook my head.
 

jack31

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I think if someone truly wants to own a pet/cat and they have the option of getting one that they won't be allergic to--and it so happens to be purebred that is awesome. Purebred cats need homes too--and most breeders will take the cat back if it doesn't work out, that cat won't end up in a shelter.

We all want homes for shelter cats but purebreds need homes too--please don't start giving this poster a hard time for wanting to keep peace and happiness in her home.

Leslie
 

carolina

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Originally Posted by Mai_kitties

I've never understood the whole allergy excuse when it comes to cats. Severe allergy's I understand... but the mild ones that are easily controlled by Claritin-D or other easy to come by over the counter allergy meds I don't understand.

I am allergic to cat dander... dust mites... and tree pollen. I have six cats, I clean my house with no problems, and I even go outside where there are ... /gasp trees. I take Claritin-D and right now I don't even bother with it since I have built up a tolerance to my cats. The only side effect to not taking it everyday with the cats is I have a chronic stuffy nose but it could also be due to dust. I take Claritin-D every day from when the tree's start to bud until the fall.

Yes, I have a bit of a chip on my shoulder about cat allergies since that always seems to be one of the big excuses that people give when surrendering their pets. I have a lady at work right now who is trying to get rid of her cat because she "suddenly got allergic" to her. I asked her if she had suddenly got allergic to tree pollen would she stop going outside and she told me not to be silly, she would just take allergy medicine. I just shook my head.
I don't think it is an excuse, but a valid concern to think about before you get a pet. I admire the PO for researching a cat that she can have for life, instead of running the risk of not being able to deal with allergies. Usually allergies can be treated with meds, but sometimes they are so severe, that there is really nothing that can be done... This happened with my little aunt (little because she is only 17) - her allergies became so bad that gave her severe asthma attacks. She was not able to breath whenever the cat was around. Luckly my mom lives next door, and took the kitty in...
Jack31 - I agree with you... I only recommended shelter/rescue groups because of being local, and being easier to return if necessary. You do bring a good point though: Breeders will take the kitties back, and I would rather return a kitty to the breeder than to the shelter...
 

wellingtoncats

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Signing in here with allergies to cats, dogs and dustmites.
(and yes all 3 species live in my house!)


I'd do ANYTHING to have allergy symptoms such as runny nose/blocked nose or sneezing. My allergies are in the way of skin problems and are unavoidable.

I live on anti-histimines and slather myself in cream constantly. It doesn't help I don't clean much though
 

fierceflawless

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My husband is allergic to cats as well, we read a lot about it before adopting and learned that female cats are often less triggering to allergic people than males (but all of the allergy info is very YMMV). We adopted two females, and what we have done to make sure that his allergies don't go nuts:
-vacuum the entire house twice a week
-wash the sheets and all furniture coverings in hot water once a week
-keep the bed covered with a tarp (not porous) when we are not in it- this keeps the hair and the cats off the bed during the day.
-keep the cats away from the head of the bed. They sleep with us, but aren't allowed on the pillows.

He has been pretty fine with this routine. i clean the litterboxes twice a day as well.

I am so glad we can have kitties despite the allergies. Did you know that if you raise your kids with pets, they are less likely to develop allergies as adults?
 
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