Developed allergies to current cats

I've recently developed some pretty bad allergies to my three current cats. As of right now I have them in a bedroom upstairs. I'm completely fine when I'm not in contact with them. My doctor said that I should get rid of them. Any suggestions or similar experiences?

Just curious here, how long have you had cats? Odd that you would develop allergies suddenly but I guess it could happen! There are many, many things you can do other then re-homing your beloved kitties which would be so hard on you and more so them. Some options that I know other's have done with great success is to keep the cats shaved and/or weekly douse gently the kitties in distilled water to get the all of the dander off of the skin/coat. Go to your doctor as well and get on something for your allergy symptoms. Since this came on suddenly then it may go away suddenly too. I will try to gather up some articles for you to read that will help you with your symptoms and how to best care for you cat's coat and dander issues from their saliva.

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

http://www.littlebigcat.com/health/allergic-to-cats/

http://www.howardcountycats.org/allergic-to-cats.html

  That is terrible for you!!!!  Personally, I don't have that problem but someone in my family did - she had to get the HVAC ducting cleaned out & the filters changed, she took out her carpet & was able to keep all her cats and dogs inside. She had been dealing with shots, etc., but was blessed to have found an allergist who loves cats and he was the one who suggested that she get rid of the carpet and have the central HVAC cleaned. Good luck to you on finding a happy solution to your dilemma!

Unfortunately the reaction of most doctors and allergists is to get rid of the cats. I've been lucky enough to find one that has the attitude that pets are part of the family and you wouldn't get rid of a family member so let's see if we can help you deal with it.

Read some of the articles Feralvr posted above. There is a lot of good information there. I'm allergic to my cat and still get symptoms, despite everything I do, but it is manageable.

Thanks everyone! I will definitely read up on the links and try these things. I've had them for almost a year now and just really thought the intensity of my allergies was do to the weather changes. My doctor told me to try and put the cats in an another area of the house and clean the rest thoroughly and see if my symptoms clear up and they did. So I've had them in a bedroom for a week now. They have plenty of activity in there and a lovely window seat. I feel horrible that I've confined them to a room though!

Have you tried a low dose of Benadryl? That usually clears up allergic reactions pretty fast. You could even try a full dose, 1-2 tablets at night and see if it helps. It causes drowsiness so that's why I suggest a low dose or or at night. Almost ALL of the sleep aids have Benadryl's ingredient in them. I developed a rash on my face that I had for years, and after many Dr's telling me to get rid of my cats it finally cleared up on it's own. I guess I would just have red spots on my face rather then getting rid of my cats!

 PS You could definitely have seasonal allergies too, a lot of people develop them later in life, and when you cleaned your home you got rid of the allergens. Good luck!

So glad to hear, though, that you are going to try to come up with a plan for your allergies and apply them so that you can keep your kitties. I don't know much about allergies and thought it odd that one could get allergies to cats after having them for a year with no other issues. But, I imagine it can happen. Keep us posted on how you are doing.

My step-mother-in-law (Coch's original owner who always had a cat or two or three) developed a cat allergy in her mid-50s. She had begun working as a vet receptionist the year before. She had to give up her job and give her cat at the time to her daughter. She had asthmatic reactions and needed to use an inhaler. Some years past, and she slowly re-introduced herself to cats by visiting pet stores and her local humane society. When she was sure that her reaction was not as severe as it initially was, she adopted Cocheezie. They lived happily together for 13 years with only the occasional use of the inhaler. Cocheezie slept on her and there wasn't a problem. Maybe working at the vet office and coming home to a cat was too much and her body responded. Cutting down on the dander that's living in your ducts, HVAC, and carpets just might help.