Severe Cat Allergies

miao_kitty

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Hi,

So I have no idea what forum this belongs in but here goes...

My boyfriend has very severe cat allergies. Not to the point that he gets near dying when he's around them but he starts having breathing problems within minutes of entering my house (I have 2 cats). We're getting to the point where we might really have a future together but he could never live with my cats which is a very depressing thought. So, what in the world am I supposed to do? Is there ANY way we'd ever be able to live together?

Anyone had experiences like this - either personally or with a loved one? There is NO way that I'd EVER give up my cats but I don't want to give up my boy either. Please help!

(p.s. he's pretty uncomfortable w/ needles so acupuncture is out)
 
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miao_kitty

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I wonder if it's irony that I, a HUGE HUGE cat lover and total vigilante about people surrendering their animals (ok vigilante isn't really the right word because i don't actually do anything about it besides gripe...) had to fall in love with someone so severely allergic.
 

otto

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There are things you can do to control the dander, which is what people are allergic too.

Dander is what forms on a cat's fur, from her saliva, when she washes. Wiping your cats down with a damp cloth a few times a day will help control the dander.

Brushing them every day to control shedding will also help. Daily vacuuming (with a special filter in the vacuum), keeping washable covers on the furniture, so cat fur can be washed away, will also help.

Air purifiers in every room.

If they sleep with you, that is something you will probably have to train them not to do, unless you want separate bedrooms. It's great that he is willing to compromise, but even I (and I am a hard a** when it comes to anyone objecting to my cats) can see that he should not have to sleep with the cats.

He can get shots, and/or take pills also.

One more thing....make very very sure he knows NOW, that you are immovable on this, you will not give up your cats at some future date when he decides he can't adjust to it after all.
 

otto

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Originally Posted by miao_kitty

I wonder if it's irony that I, a HUGE HUGE cat lover and total vigilante about people surrendering their animals (ok vigilante isn't really the right word because i don't actually do anything about it besides gripe...) had to fall in love with someone so severely allergic.
It is ironic! How did it happen that you started dating him in the first place, if he is so allergic? I'm not judging, just curious.

I dated a guy for awhile who was terribly allergic. We had to spend most of our time at his house, and I hated that. I want to be where my cats are. it was a "deal breaker" as the saying goes.

Now, I'd ask first. If he's allergic, there's no point in even getting started.
 

krazy kat2

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I was terribly allergic to cats my whole life, then Fred adopted me. I was so in love with this kitty that I put up with the allergies, and eventually I became desensitized. I still sneeze occasionally, but my allergies are mostly gone.
The previous posters have given you great advice, so i won't repeat it. Good Luck in resolving this problem.
 
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miao_kitty

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Well, I didn't know he was allergic when we met. Then when he first came over to my house, he was sneezing but didn't seem too bad. He stayed the night and didn't complain at all and said he took an allergy pill b/c he's allergic to cats. But he was really easy-going at it and I figured maybe his allergies were manageable.

But, he's also very allergic to dust, slightly allergic to his dog, and dairy and avocados. =P When he was a baby he couldn't have milk so he only breastfed for like 2 days. And his doctor told his mom that he couldn't have stuffed animals b/c of all the dust they collect, so she started washing his stuffed animals once a week!

It is kind of a pain that I have to go over there so often (he also has a daughter and a dog so he's really tied to his home anyway)...But i guess it's kind of funny where life leads and i'm hoping that if he's really committed he'll want to compromise....
 
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miao_kitty

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Originally Posted by krazy kat2

I was terribly allergic to cats my whole life, then Fred adopted me. I was so in love with this kitty that I put up with the allergies, and eventually I became desensitized. I still sneeze occasionally, but my allergies are mostly gone.
The previous posters have given you great advice, so i won't repeat it. Good Luck in resolving this problem.
So did the above steps work for you? Did you ever get shots? Do you have to clean very often? And what is the likelyhood that he'll be able to get used to it...?
 

krazy kat2

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I cleaned normally, used nose spray, and when it go really bad, like during regular allergy seasons, I took OTC meds. I think it took me about 6 months to get where I was not miserable around my cats without anything. Fred brought his brother to live with us, too.
 

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Never heard of it.

I'm terribly allergic to cats (and lots of things). This is what we do.

I take Zyrtec every day. It works.

When I get hives, I use a prescription steroid cream - Ultravete. The generic doesn't work for me, but the brand does.

When we lived in a house, we had a HEPA filter in every room - two in the bedroom. Now that we're back in the RV, we have four of them. ( !!!!! ).

BUY A FURMINATOR. It is a special kind of comb that is truly unbelievable. Use it on your kitties as often as possible - it REALLY reduces the amount of hair (and thus dander) that they shed. But if you can't use it every day, at least brush them every day, and then wipe them down with distilled water on a paper towel or something. Or use organic cat wipes to wipe them down. All of this really helps reduce the dander.

We covered all the "fluffy" furniture with throw blankets. When we wanted to use it, we just fold them up and set them to the side. We washed and rotated them out every week. It's also REALLy convenient, because then you don't have to worry about vacuuming your furniture. Super convenient when you have guests. Just fold 'em up and put them in a closet or something - and voila, no cat hair.


Vacuum as often as possible. When you buy a house or rent an apartment or whatever, go for something without carpet. This makes a big difference, especially with the other allergies (which I also have).

You may want to make the bedroom a cat free zone. Personally, I can't imagine sleeping without my kitties - the zyrtec enables me to have Shelly and Billy basically sleep in my face without any problems.

In the Spring and Fall I use the Zyretec-D (with decongestant), because I have seasonal allergies as well.

We live in an RV (8' wide by 38' long) with seven cats.

He can do this if he wants to!
 

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I had an allergy test and my results included dogs, cats and dust mites
. I've been on Allegra-D and Flonase. Suppose to take Allegra twice per day but manage with once (the Rx is $$$ per month for me) and the nasal spray when I need it. I have two cats of my own and no problems so far.
My allergist suggested to wash the linens once a week in hot water, dust & vacuum a few times per week and wash your hands after you pet them. He is not convinced that air purifiers work if you live in a house with windows or those products that say they help reduce allergens.

Good luck with the guy!
 

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Oh - if he has other allergies, he may also need an inhaler. I have to take both Advair and I have an inhaler for breathing emergencies. The cats have never caused one, but high pollen days do (I tested positive to allergies for every single thing they tested for - over 40 things!
).

He really may want to go see an immunologst/allergist if he hasn't.

Also, there is an allergan-reducing laundry soap. It's more expensive than others (of course), but you can google it. We also use pillow covers and put the pillow cases over those, and wash the pillow covers with the regular sheets and blankets and stuff, so have enough to rotate.
 
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miao_kitty

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Thank you everyone for your advice so far! I'm totally going to send this on to him. I realize it's his job as much as my job to help reduce allergens (meaning that he has to take the initiative to take allergy meds, shots whatever...).

Originally Posted by LDG

Oh - if he has other allergies, he may also need an inhaler. I have to take both Advair and I have an inhaler for breathing emergencies. The cats have never caused one, but high pollen days do (I tested positive to allergies for every single thing they tested for - over 40 things!
).

He really may want to go see an immunologst/allergist if he hasn't.

Also, there is an allergan-reducing laundry soap. It's more expensive than others (of course), but you can google it. We also use pillow covers and put the pillow cases over those, and wash the pillow covers with the regular sheets and blankets and stuff, so have enough to rotate.
Do you think that taking an allergy pill everyday helps build it up in your system? And should he try different brands like zyrtec, claritin, allegra, etc? or are they pretty much all the
 

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Originally Posted by miao_kitty

I wonder if it's irony that I, a HUGE HUGE cat lover and total vigilante about people surrendering their animals (ok vigilante isn't really the right word because i don't actually do anything about it besides gripe...) had to fall in love with someone so severely allergic.
Originally Posted by miao_kitty

Do you think that taking an allergy pill everyday helps build it up in your system? And should he try different brands like zyrtec, claritin, allegra, etc? or are they
Originally Posted by miao_kitty

Has anyone heard of and used Allerpet?
I quoted your questions because they're good ones and needn't get lost in the shuffle. As for the irony, could be, but personally the first word that jumps to my own mind is "providence" which is related to fate/divine intervention and all that jazz. I dont know if you've ever seen the film Sliding Doors. That premise (one thing leads to something else and we have no way of predicting). ... Another word that comes to mind is "test" but it's helpful to remember not all tests are Mount Everest, especially when people are sending good vibes to you just like I am right now
Y'know, officially, I'm allergic to cats but I sense I've built up a significant resistance because to put it simply, you really cant tell with me-- thank God. I'm not sneezing or hacking every 18 hours etc. In fact I don't hack - Just the way it should be and what I wish on your boyfriend ........ I do keep a bottle of clear Benadryl skin liquid because sometimes I'll get minor red areas on the backs of my hands, but even that isn't a daily thing (okay, okay, 3 times a week and limited to a small area so I file that under "s" for satisfied happy camper. it's a good over-the-counter product to have handy as you can imagine, so get some (smile)). .....I don't take Claritin anymore and I've never needed Zyrtec or Allerpet (never heard of Allerpet). I also have the Pledge Fabric Sweeper for pet hair but I prefer sticky back labels (pic here http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l1.../misce/ple.jpg ) to reeeally do a thorough job and make visitors wonder how in the world I don't have cat hair on my upholstery (answer: because I have weird cleaning methods that work) (However, as stated, it's a good idea to brush cats with a Furminator but I personally don't) Just an FYI about acupuncture, there's also ears-only acupuncture which I mentioned 8/21/09 http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...9&postcount=19 Kate Moss supposedly used ear acupuncture but, I know, I know , your boyfriend simply might not be open to it. Just thought I'd mention it.

Y'know when I first found out about my official allergy to cats, I was down about it for about 30 seconds but then I declared "Y'know what? This ain't nothin'! I can beat this and it's not gonna drain me." And guess what - all three points are true today! So I wish for you guys what I'VE gotten in terms of good outcomes or better.
 

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Some people find that their allergies basically go away living with cats for some time. This has not been the case for me.

I tried Allegra, Claritin & etc. but found that only zyrtec really works for me. Others work for other people - I think it's a "personal chemistry" thing, and he should see what works for him. From a cost standpoing, zyrtec and zyrtec-D now have a generic, citirizine and citirizine-D and they are WAY less expensive - and I'm finding work just as well. The zyrtec (and generic) are available in a once-a-day pill - it works for the pet allergies (mostly). I have seasonal allergies as well, so in Spring and Fall - when pollen or molds or whatever - are bad, I REALLY need the decongestant. That one is 2x a day.

When we initially adopted cats, the doc prescribed a nasal steroid spray (Flonase), but I didn't really need it and never used it.

Some people that are not as allergic don't need the meds at all using the other "dander prevention" methods and keeping the cats out of the bedroom. Personally, I can't imagine not being snuggled up with a kitty (or two or three) at night (we often have five of them on the bed with us - and we have just a queen size bed!) - so I don't want to go without the meds. When I run out and don't get the chance to replace them, I've gone as long as 2 or 3 days without too many problems... but I definitely need the meds long term to not be miserable most of the time. To me, it's worth it, because I love them so much!
 

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I'm thinking you should be careful with this guy. I've known people who love their cats dearly and they don't care how allergic they are they go out of their way to be around them. A friend had the breathing issue like you mentioned and she just didn't sleep with the cats (until she found some allergy pills that would allow her to do so..

If he's willing to compromise and never asks you to give up your cats then that is good. If he even suggests giving away the cats then he does not care for you. if he goes out of his way to avoid your cats and to always have you at his place then he doesn't care about your needs. Some people are really difficult and I think that is because they are just selfish.. I guess what I'm asking is whether you think he loves your cats? Does he want to help make things better? Does he want to take medicine?

One suggestion I have if you're absolutely sure he's worth it is to give your cats weekly baths and to keep them out of the bedroom. Of course they will not be pleased about this so I am only suggesting it if you're certain he's good.
 

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Originally Posted by furbum

if he goes out of his way to avoid your cats and to always have you at his place then he doesn't care about your needs. Some people are really difficult and I think that is because they are just selfish.. I guess what I'm asking is whether you think he loves your cats? Does he want to help make things better? Does he want to take medicine?
These are good questions by furbum. From what you wrote earlier about his other allergies to dust, dairy, avocados, dog (slightly), perhaps a steady dose of medicines would be helpful on more fronts than just cats? I don't know, just speculating.
 

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Just my input. I have 2 cats, and my boyfriend AND brother moved in with me, both with pretty bad allergies (like you were describing, not DYING, but uncomfortable....tearing eyes, stuffy nose, sneezing, breathing trouble)

We stocked up on antihistamines and kept the place as cat hair free as possible. Within 6-9 months neither of them had to take allergy meds anymore and the cats sleep in bed with both of them!

I know lots of people who, for lack of a better term, can get used to certain cats and 'lose' the allergy to specific cats they live with. I guess the body gets used to it...... this is just my experience. But both boys never even sneeze and I am no longer vigilant about no cat hair!
 
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