Help for someone highly allergic to cats please...

mani

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Could anyone who is  allergic but still manages to have a cat in their life please give advice on how they handle it?

A friend of a friend has become highly allergic all of a sudden and may have to give up her cat.

I've suggested bathing and regular grooming (with gloves/mask etc). 

Any other advice I could give her would be very appreciated.  She's heartbroken, and I'm also very concerned about rehoming.
 

pinkman

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Hi! I am pretty allergic to cats, and a bunch of other things too. When I first got Lox, I was having such bad symptoms that I had to bed rest for a while - maybe a month or so. Same with when I brought Bagel into the family. Here is a list of things that I have tried and worked:

Medications:

Advair - This is a prescription medication for asthma and COPD. It's for preventing asthma symptoms. I find that this medication is a MUST for me. Because of the price and the fact I lost my health insurance I was without for a couple months, and boy... bad times. There is no generic for this, and it costs around 350+ a month. Another medication I have tried is Singulair, which does have a generic and is meant for allergies along with asthma. Unfortunately Singulair did not work for me.

Ventolin HFA - Prescription-only rescue inhaler. Used for immediate relief, unlike Advair.

Zyrtec - Over-the-counter medication. Other medications you can take are Claritin and Allegra. These medications should be taken daily, and not for immediate effect.

Benadryl - Another over-the-counter medication. This medication can be taken for immediate relief, unlike Zyrtec.

Flonase - Prescription-only nasal spray. Helps with allergy symptoms that effect the nasal cavity and post-nasal drip. Relatively cheap, even without insurance. Around 25 USD a month. Again, best to take it daily, or as prevention.

Prednisone - Your prescription-only favorite (lol, not) steroid. Not meant to be taken very long but will help with inflammation.

Life-style changes:

HEPA Filters - They are your best friend. Invest in an air filter - the difference is amazing. Another investment is a GOOD vacuum with a HEPA filter. Do vacuum frequently, especially upholstered items. I vacuum everyday. I also mop once a week.

Omega 3's, probiotics, Vitamin D - Allergies = messed up immune system. Do take some immune-system enhancing supplements. Also, Omega-3s can help with some inflammation. 

Washing all fabrics at least once a week - This is self-explanatory.

Cat care:

Bathing - I used to bathe the cats once a week for a month or two until my allergies settled down. Allerpet-C is a topical lotion (very watery) that is suppose to help with the production of Fel-D proteins. You can also wipe down the cat with wipes instead of bathing (this is what I do when my seasonal allergies kick in now). Make sure you brush out before bathing/wiping.

Diet change  - We all know a better diet = less shedding. Although shedding doesn't equal to allergens, the proteins in the cat's saliva do. Since cats groom themselves, their saliva dries on their hairs which doesn't help us allergy sufferers.

.... that was a whole lot of text! I had a lot to say, LOL. Also if your friend hasn't yet I'd look into other possibilities for having allergy symptoms suddenly. It can be seasonal allergies, mildew, mold, anything really. 
 

AbbysMom

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:wavey: This is the story of my life and why I only have one cat.

Here's an article ;)

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/living-with-cat-allergy

I take some of the medications pinkman mentioned as well as get allergy shots. I would suggest a visit to an allergist, but be warned many will blame the cat without testing and tell you that you must get rid of the cat. I found one that thinks that is ridiculous and realizes pets are family members.
 
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mani

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Yes, I thought you would come up with the answers Karen.. I didn't realise you'd written an article though.  That's really good to know.
 

catsallaround

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Has there been a change in cat litter or food that could have made a small allergy worse? This current batch of Fresh Step litter is VERY dusty and giving me issues. Or anything else in house?

I manage by having no carpet, a BAGGED vacuum, washable throws on furniture.  I gave myself one heck of asthma attack yesterday as I was vacuuming the cat trees. I try to go slow with the cleaning far as many breaks.  I also have alot of cats and that is the main issue.

Issue with bathing is cats will clean themselves right after.  When I only had a few cats I would bathe them but found it did not help much so stopped.

I take a prednisone before I start any extensive cleaning(cat trees, dog baths...) but forgot yesterday.  I bought pred online so do not follow the traditional dosing but take it on an as needed basis.
 

happybird

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I am allergic to animals and in addition to taking allergy meds, I vacuum a lot and wash my hands constantly. I let the cats sleep in bed with me, but never let them near my pillows. And even so, I change the pillow cases every other day. Also, I wipe my cats down with a wet washcloth every few days. In my case, I am allergic to the oils produced by their skin, so the dirtier or stinkier the animal is, the worse my symptoms are. Benadryl and constant handwashing seem to be the most effective for me.
 

squ33k3r

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Wow,

I'm allergic, too, but to other kitties in other houses.

Are you certain is entirely the kitties and not the house furnishing too?

It may not be the oils,

First, where are the kitty boxes?

What type of litter do you use?

Do you let them go outside, at all?

HOw much carpeting is in your house?

Do you have carpeting in the bedroom?

Less wall to wall carpeting, more smaller throw carpets.

What I'm allergic to is their saliva crystals once the saliva dries

Get a new vacuum

vacuum the house with a dust mask on

scoop the boxes with a dust mask on

I could help you with different ideas of how to keep things clean.

I have canvas covers that I bought at lowes hardware store on my beds, chairs, all the furniture.

So I can just remove them and throw them in the wash when necessary.
 

peaches08

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Another thing that has helped me is rinsing with a neti pot.
 
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mani

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Another thing that has helped me is rinsing with a neti pot.
Good for you, peaches.  That's normally my starting point with any allergy. 
 

peaches08

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What symptoms is she having? My soul kitty Grey could have my eyes red and burning in a hot minute. Simply washing my hands with soap and water then rinsing my eyes with tap water or saline would help.
 
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mani

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I really know nothing about this person... she is a friend of a friend.

I've sent a heap of information to my friend who has passed it on.
 

MoochNNoodles

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DH is allergic.  We adopted kittens specifically so we could get them used to regular bathing.  We didn't stick with that. 


Mooch and Noodles aren't allowed in our bedroom unsupervised and not on the bed at all.  DH takes allergy meds; which he needs for things besides the cats as well.  I would love to put in hardwood floors; but vacuuming the carpets and couches helps enough.  I used to change my clothing before coming to bed; but that hasn't been necessary.  They bother him less than they used to.  He is good about not touching his face after petting the girls, hand washing and washing his face especially.  
 

jcat

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What has allowed me to have a cat is keeping textiles to a minimum, i.e., hard floors and leather or wooden furniture with cushions I can put in the washer. HEPA filters are a must. Both vacuum cleaners have them (plus bags), and we had an industrial HEPA air filter unit installed. It has a timer and runs every 2 hours for 20 minutes, which we up during shedding season. I used to use allergy wipes, but have found that just going over the cat with a warm wet washcloth once or twice a week helps.
 
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mani

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To be honest with you, I have a feeling this person isn't interested in going to all the trouble of making it work for her, judging from the responses my friend has forwarded to me.


But this is a great thread for anyone with the problem.  With it and AbbysMom's great article, it's an excellent resource. 
 

jcat

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What a shame for the poor cat. One thing I should have added was that my allergist scolded me for getting another black cat - he said black males are known to be the "worst culprits" as far as causing allergic reactions. When I checked on the Internet, I found a couple of articles that said the same thing, but that the findings weren't conclusive.

The Claim: Dark Cats Cause More Allergies Than Light Ones

The sources of these allergies are proteins found in feline dander, urine and saliva, making all cats capable of provoking reactions. But some scientists suspect that the darker a cat’s coat, the greater the likelihood of it inducing allergic reactions.

Scientists showed this in a small study in 2000, involving 300 patients with allergies. They found that people with dark-colored cats were two to four times as likely to have moderate to severe symptoms as those who either owned cats with lighter coats or did not own a cat. Additional studies found that female cats produce less animal allergen than male cats. ...

But the color association is not conclusive, said Dr. Clifford W. Bassett of Allergy and Asthma Care of New York, an author of the study. A later study in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that the color of a cat’s coat had no effect on how much allergen it produced.
Surprise Sneeze Trigger: Your Cat's Fur Color

Cats with dark coats may provoke more sneezing, congestion, and itchier eyes and throats than lighter-hued felines, according to research in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Researchers at Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn studied 60 cat owners: 29 with moderate allergy symptoms, 14 with mild symptoms, and 17 who had no symptoms at all. Those with moderate symptoms were more likely to own dark-colored cats than those with mild or no symptoms. In fact, the odds of having moderate symptoms were six times higher with a dark kitty.

Dark cats might have higher concentrations of antigens, the proteins that prompt allergic reactions, in their fur, says lead researcher Sumera Hussain, MD, a fellow in the hospital's allergy department. Or their antigens may simply be more potent.
Black Cats Bad Luck For The Allergic
 

squ33k3r

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I have some ideas for you if you really want to hear them!

Helpful hints from Rob!!

You have to think, is it really just the "kitties" that are making life miserable, or are they just an

additional variable in the chain of allergens

*Have the cloth furniture steam cleaned, then cover with canvas for painting from a hardware

store such as Lowes or Home Depot, I have always had more options when searching for the correct sized

canvas at Lowes, they usually have more to choose from on store shelves

*get canvas covers for bed and furniture, too, so you can just put in the washer, get these canvas

from the hardware store, the kind that you would use to put on floors for painting

*don't go having covers made for your furniture, its too costly

*you can vacuum off the canvas covers more easily, and wash them too.

I have my king sized bed covered with a large piece of canvas as well as my couch

and chair in family room

*Clean carpets, no perfumes

*Have multiple bed covers

*Change bed covers 1x per month but if you have the canvas covers I mention below

then every 2 or 3 months should be appropriate to change

*take  bed covers to the laundromat wash in hot water

with oxyclean

*mattress pad

*mattress enclosure

*vacuum under the bed

*get an allergy vacuum I have one of those "shark" ones that cost $200.00

is a great machine, nice and quiet, but get the red one with the longer hose

and extra filters

Vacuum all corners with the skinny tool to fit into crevices

*Forced air heating, clean ducts professionally,

*change furnace heater filter and air conditioner filter too

*use Perfume and Dye Free "liquid" detergent

*use Perfume and Dye Free "dryer sheets"\

*Not only consider the kitty dander and hairs, but remember that everything you wash comes out of the dryer with

some amount of dust on it

* I get stuffy sinus when I'm folding the dry laundries, and then start sneezing, so there it is for laundry

*Do not use air fresheners

*Do not use candles, even if they are supposedly "no smoke," anything that burns has smoke and in that smoke

are chemicals and particulates

*Get the battery operated kind of candles they look realistic enough and candles are just used for ambiance anyways

*Kitchen, do you have an exhaust fan over the stove that takes the smells out of the house?

I see a lot of people with these vents that they think go to the outside, but instead they just vent

out of the top of the unit and put more particulate matter into the house, especially if you have gas stove

What ever doesn't burn off, using a gas stove becomes particulate matter in your house, though Natural Gas

is supposed to be a cleaner option

*Fireplace, get a better glass enclosure

*In your car get the A/C cooler under the dash cleaned out, not an easy task to do, but it is possible, or if your car is

a bit newer and has an air filter for the cabin, get that changed

*Do not use perfumed kitty litter( this is the worse thing I could ever have in my house, where ever kitties go they

bring the litter box clay dust and perfumes with them and deposit them on your furniture and other places.

*If possible, then "change" the location of the litter boxes, Me? my house is covered in litter dust, so annoying, finally

was able to clean out the garage and relocate the boxes there, now no more dust in the house

Do not use perfumed cleaners in the house

*I use lemon scented bleach and water in a spray bottle to wipe down surfaces

*I also use peroxide in a spray bottle (I get my bottles at the $$ store, they are the largest I could find

and last the longest, just put the sprayer onto the bottle.

*If you wash dishes by hand, then change your dish detergent to a non perfume type, and use some lemon

scented bleach in the dish water to help get rid of that annoying soapy smell, ugh!!

*Shower soap, don't use the perfumey type of soaps, such as Ivory or those deodorant soaps such as Irish Spring

Get shower gel that isn't as perfumey they are better for your skin anyway

*Get a different hand cream and body lotion, if it smells, get rid of it and get that oatmeal moisturizing hand cream and

body lotion

*Instead of using COMET to scrub the tub and sinks in your house, use "Bartenders Keeper", or is it called

"Bartenders Friend" anyway you can get this at any store and it is in the same aisle as the comet, no perfume

*Finally, (though I'm not a doctor, nor do I pretend to be one on TV) I went through my first 25 years of life with

a stuffy congested nose, I was the tissue king at school, kids thought I was snorting cocaine in high school)

I got the nasal spray with the pump action, not the squeeze bottle type, with eucalyptus oil in it from the $$ store, the green

box, not the red one, and I use that whenever I need to open my nose. I don't use a lot, just enough to get it opened because

like any other drug or over the counter medicines the more you put in your body the more it has to absorb, so it is a decongestant

that shrinks the blood vessels and tissue in the sinus. Too much of it like any other drug can cause high blood pressure, so they say

on the information sheet, but for me its worth it to be able to breathe

*Depending on where you live like los angeles, california is bad for allergy and asthma sufferers due to the particulate matter

in the air from all of the combustion engines

You can even try this, cover your bedroom carpeting with the canvas to see if that helps with bedtime allergies

When you use those netti post and nasal rinses, the main problem I have with them is if the sinus isn't opened, then the

rinsing is of no use because the water cannot get up there into the sinus to wash away the allergens

Also, you should use DISTILLED water, not tap water to wash your nose out because of the chance of getting that brain

eating amoeba, if you live in the southern part of the US

I find that when I open the sinus cavity first, then use the netti pot to rinse it all out, I get a better rinsing.

There is a fairly new little gadget that you can put up your nose and it squirts the water up into the sinus for you

I think this is about it
 

ldg

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I used to be highly allergic. Now I'm just allergic.

I don't use canvas covers, but we do cover all the furniture with throw blankets that get washed weekly. I no longer cover the entire bed (I can't imagine not sleeping with my kitties!), but we do cover the pillows.

The side benefit of the throw blankets on the furniture? It folds up quickly and easily, and you immediately have hair-free furniture if anyone visits. :lol3:
 

squ33k3r

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Yes, we have those throws too, but use them on top of the canvas, instead.

Everyone has their preferences, though.

Hopefully you can use some of the other ideas that I mentioned in my last email

If not, then use what you can and leave the rest

Make certain you wash the throws in "hot water"

no perfumey detergent or liquid fabric softener

only the perfume free dryer sheets, or if they have a liquid "FREE" fabric softener.

These are the things that work for me and my wife, hopefully you get rid of all the

perfumey things around the house and that may help you.

I have my kitties sleep on the bed with me

I have one kitty Female Orange Tabby, persnickity, jekyl and hyde personality, unpredictable

mean, wants to be the Alpha kitty of the house.

Everywhere the other kitties are, she has to be, if Tynee Kat or Riley Kat are in their boxes, then

Cali, the orange kitty has to be there too, so she kicks them out so she can sit in it

She can't be around new kitties because of their personal smells, she starts crying and hissing at me

so I have to put her in isolation for 30 minutes until she calms down, then she is sweet again

If I have other animal smells on me she is like a wife, she lets me know she doesn't like it and I get scratched

or maybe even bit, but not enough to break the skin

This kitty doesn't like women too  much either, always challenging my wife's authority in the house, knocks

her glasses off whilst she sits at the table

She would do best in a single kitty household, no children or women, only gay  man's household would be best

with lots of male attention

My house is sectioned off and I have to close doors so that Cali doesn't get in to see the other 7 kitties on the other side

of the family room door

All the other kitties are afraid of her, they see her and they run the other way they want to hide

I have 13 kitties all together in my house so I gotta keep it as clean as possible

Yes I said 13, so with my allergies and asthma you would think that I would be flat

on my back, but I'm not

Just got two new born kitties 3 weeks ago, with their eyes still closed, now they are doing better,

and get baths each time the get messy, or just when they get  a little bit stinky from playing in the litter

boxes.

I went over a friends house a couple of weeks ago, that have 5 kitties indoor outdoor, and one big shepard type

of doggie

Asthma kicked in big time and I had to use one of their inhalers, their house is a mess, lots of dust and dirt in it due to

40 years of messiness. I don't have asthma from my kitties in my house, though!!
 

dejolane

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I have a younger brother who is allergic to cats that at first he couldn't go to his girlfriends house.but know they have broken up for 1 reason or another but he said it was because of her cats. She has 2. He had taken meds for it  and his eyes would sometimes swollen up too. 
 

blueyedgirl5946

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My husband is allergic to cats. For years we had one cat and he did not have a problem. When we added a second cat to the household is when he got sick. It took us some time to figure out what was causing it as his mother had died and we thought maybe he had caught a cold and couldn't get well because of stress. We tried everything we could think of and he never could get any relief. We finally had to make a safe way to move the cats to the yard. An enclosure system was attached to our chain link fence and it has worked for many years now for us and our cats. We have had as many as three at the time and never did any of them get out. We did have a few instances of strays getting in, but with adjustments to the fencing, got that taken care of. It is not as safe as having the cats live inside the house but it was a better solution than having to rehome our cats. They are still our family members and have been taken better care of than a lot of real children. I hope your friend can find a solution.
 
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