Dealing with Cat Allergies

I'm having a really bad reaction to cat allergies right now. I stopped taking Reactine a few days ago so that I could get skin allergy-tested today and these past few days have been torturous. To make matters worse, I recently added a blue (dark-colored) kitty before knowing that what I'm suffering from are cat allergies and I've read that dark cats produce more dander and/or cause more of a severe reaction in people. I'm definitely feeling it as the Reactine is no longer working as well as when I just had the one cream-colored cat around.

In short, the cats stay and I'm sure I'm not the only one on here who has cats AND cat allergies. How do you deal with it and have you found anything that really helps? I've been coughing since February and now also have to be tested for asthma. I have an expensive HEPA air filter (Austin Healthmate), but it doesn't really seem to be helping much at this time.

TIA!

This article may help -

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

I've never heard of dark-colored cats being worse than other colors. Usually females are better than males, especially males that have not been neutered. There are a few breeds that normally have less of the fel-d1 that people react to, specifically Siberians and Abyssinians.

You recently added the other cat and it may take you a while to build up a bit of an immunity to it.

I take zyrtec every day and the few days that I couldn't take it when I had allergy testing was absolute torture.

I have allergies and asthma by the way. I limit myself to one cat even though I want a houseful.

You can help control the dander by wiping the cats down each day with a damp paper towel or wash cloth.

And the usual things, daily grooming ti cut down on shedding and vacuuming daily (wear a face mask while grooming (and gloves while grooming) and vacuuming, possibly.

I'm on Allegra-D, daily (twice if needed). I vacuum a few times per week and wash my hands after grooming or petting my kitties.

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

I take Zyrtec every day. I don't know what Reactine is - perhaps a Canadian equivalent? The active ingredient in Zyrtec is cetirizine, and it is now available in generic.

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.

Thanks for your responses.

I spoke to my family doctor yesterday after seeing the allergist the day before and he expressed concern for my chronic coughing. I have been coughing since March earlier this year and have also been taking antihistamines for just as long. He is concerned that my chronic cough, caused by cat allergies, will progress into asthma eventually (he says it does happen). I cough every day and some nights, until I start wheezing and my throat is constricted and I find it hard to breathe. This is even when I'm on antihistamines.

Does anyone else experience this severity of cat allergy symptoms? Does it sound serious and should I be concerned as well or is this common for most cat allergy sufferers on here, too? I would google it, but honestly, reading stuff over the internet like that freaks me out even more, so I try to avoid it.

He is sending me to the hospital later today to get tested for asthma. Having that talk with him today really freaked me out.

Add a decongestant to the antihistamines and see if that helps. I know it works for my coughing when it's bad allergy season. I also have asthma (though that's more inherited I think because all the females in my family including my mom and her mom developed it later in life). ...and when I went for allergy testing, I tested positive for everything.

...and though no one has suggested bathing your cats, it's important to note the cats should NOT be bathed. This just makes them lick themselves all over to replace the proper smells, which exacerbates the dander problem. It is wiping them down with distilled water that works - it doesn't displace their scent, but helps pick up the dander they'd otherwise be shedding around the house.

Definitely get your coughing checked out. But all of this is treatable and I would never let a doctor tell me I have to get rid of my cats. They need to work with me and my babies. Allergies are the hangnail of medical problems.

Just a crazy suggestion that some may want to try... but certain things increase histamine in your body. Specifically a lot of foods. Limiting these foods (avoiding or decreasing) can help lower histamine levels and lower reactions a bit.

Originally Posted by LDG

Add a decongestant to the antihistamines and see if that helps. I know it works for my coughing when it's bad allergy season. I also have asthma (though that's more inherited I think because all the females in my family including my mom and her mom developed it later in life). ...and when I went for allergy testing, I tested positive for everything.

...and though no one has suggested bathing your cats, it's important to note the cats should NOT be bathed. This just makes them lick themselves all over to replace the proper smells, which exacerbates the dander problem. It is wiping them down with distilled water that works - it doesn't displace their scent, but helps pick up the dander they'd otherwise be shedding around the house.

Click to expand...

I've never heard of a decongestant before, so sorry for my ignorance -- what is it and how does it work?

Thank you for the tip on no bathing. Even though no one here has suggested it, lots of articles online claims it helps...glad you warned me beforehand. I don't have to be REALLY thorough when wiping them down with a towel, right? Just run it through them maybe once a day?

Originally Posted by Renovia

Definitely get your coughing checked out. But all of this is treatable and I would never let a doctor tell me I have to get rid of my cats. They need to work with me and my babies. Allergies are the hangnail of medical problems.

Click to expand...

Don't worry - I would never get rid of my cats either.

Originally Posted by KatGoddess

I've never heard of a decongestant before, so sorry for my ignorance -- what is it and how does it work?

Click to expand...

Do you have a stuffy head? My sinuses stuff up from my allergies, and that drips down the back of my throat, making me cough. I think it also causes excess mucus in my lungs. A nasal decongestant un-stuffs your sinuses. They come in nasal spray or pill form. I prefer the pill. They can be purchased at any pharmacy. I don't know about Canada, but in the U.S. they're kept behind the counter at a pharmacy, so you have to ask for them (but the don't require a prescription). The active ingredient in any of the pill ones is pseudoephedrine - there are a million brands to choose from. The most common (here) is Sudafed. But it un-stuffs the head, so stops the nasal drip, and thus helps stop a lot of the coughing (at least for me).

Thank you for the tip on no bathing. Even though no one here has suggested it, lots of articles online claims it helps...glad you warned me beforehand. I don't have to be REALLY thorough when wiping them down with a towel, right? Just run it through them maybe once a day?

Click to expand...

Exactly!


So did you see the allergist yet?