Sisal allergy?

strange_wings

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I know there's several people here who've put together more than one cat tree and have even made their own cat furniture, so I'm curious if it's bothered anyone else?

I don't recall it bothering me before, but I may not have realized it and blamed the coughing on something else.
Four nights ago I wrapped up a long post. Had some coughing, stuffy nose, and scratchy throat. But didn't pay much attention to it (I'm prone to coughing fits with no noticeable trigger sometimes). The night before last I was putting the base and top platform on the post and had a terrible coughing fit that lasted for several minutes and coughing that didn't go away until a couple hours after not handling the post. Suspected it then, but because I also unwrapped old worn sisal rope from an old scratching post I thought it could have been dust bothering me.
Well last night I rewrapped that posted and had the same coughing fit and symptoms.
I seem to recall jute burlap and rope causing this, too.

Has anyone had sisal do this to them? It's a bit of a hassle because I do make my own cat furniture when I can, still need to repair a store bought piece, and have plans to make something else this next week if I can find the time.
The sisal rope I'm using isn't dusty and I can't blame it on new rolls because I started coughing that first night while using a roll I've had stored (read: lost) in with some of my craft stuff for four years. I find this rather strange and there's isn't really any information about "sisal allergies".
 

sharky

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My guess would be what it was treated with...
 
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strange_wings

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Originally Posted by sharky

My guess would be what it was treated with...
It's untreated and slightly "fuzzy", unlike the stuff you see on store bought cat furniture. Because of that it also means some little pieces/fibers could break off easier, too.
 

sharky

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dumb question... what fiber is it made of?

I thought it was wheat
 

sharky

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I learned on a cooking show that agave has some posionous rash induceing components;0
 
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strange_wings

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I can't say that I'd want to play with any of the larger agave plants (looks unpleasant) or rub sisal rope all over me - but the rope didn't bother my skin. They make carpet and rugs from sisal, bird toys, cat furniture, etc.
I did use gloves to handle the rope since it's rough and I needed to hold it tightly to wrap it neatly. I have some cat furniture that needs to be fixed because the cats have shredded the upholstery on a ladder. I'll wear a dust mask when I do that in case its tiny fibers and dust causing this. Maybe that will help.
 

caro2

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Just got new scratching post..instant allergy, awful itching throat, scalp.  Will try hoovering it and hope it dies down.  No problem with the last one which was old and inherited.  Last time had these symptoms was in a barn full of hay, it doesn't feel like  a mould allergy.  Bit worried about how things will go once the cat makes a start on it , it'll make the dust even worse! So far he hasn't even acknowledged it so far - maybe it affects him the same way!  Have queried fibre etc with supplier and as you say there is very little info on net, the people working in the factories don't seem to be consulted much!
 

caro2

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Just done a bit more research, sisal is made from agave and the itching can be due to a chemical calcium oxalate.  This irritant is a way of the plant excreting too much calcium taken up from the soil, oxalate-type chemical is used in cleaning products, can get rust out of fabrics... so it's not nice for the skin and mucous membranes!

Possibly the more irritant sisal is due to the plant being grown in bad soil conditions - too much calcium.  It doesn't like this and gets its own back by poisoning the crop!  Bad farming methods?
 

jennyr

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Just done a bit more research, sisal is made from agave and the itching can be due to a chemical calcium oxalate.  This irritant is a way of the plant excreting too much calcium taken up from the soil, oxalate-type chemical is used in cleaning products, can get rust out of fabrics... so it's not nice for the skin and mucous membranes!

Possibly the more irritant sisal is due to the plant being grown in bad soil conditions - too much calcium.  It doesn't like this and gets its own back by poisoning the crop!  Bad farming methods?
I thought I should mention that you are posting in a thread that is 4 years old, and it is unlikely you will get any replies from the original posters. It might be better if you posted in a new thread.
 

lindalouk

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Sisal is making me very sick. It smells to high heaven. Today I woke up with my eyes swollen. Tonight, just being near it, I have a headache, my heart is beating fast, and my throat or neck is starting to feel tight. I made a cat scratcher out of sisal years ago--there didn't seem to be a smell. The sisal I have now aired out for a year, but was still coiled. Upon unwinding and making cat scratcher, it is really bad. Apparently there is a site for parrots that sells sisal that does not smell. The smell is from the plant, not chemical treatments.

To the person who said that people shouldn't post on pages where it is an old thread--I am so glad people do. Because I was able to read through all the different posts. Way better than going here, there, and everywhere.
 
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