Asthma and owning cats

Hi, im alan. Im sorry if this is the wrong place to introduce myself. Anyway, I absolutely love cats but ever since I got asthma, I get all itchy, sneezy and sick around them. Its a shame because i really love cats. I got asthma because i was stupid and smoked cigarettes. I never used to be allergic to cats when i was younger but now i am. I have to buy fake realistic dolls of cats instead, thats how sad it is. Will i ever be able to own a cat? I live in london ,england in the united kingdom.

Cat allergies do not necessarily mean you can never have a cat, so don't give up hope! I developed asthma after getting a virus when I was very little, and for the longest time I could not even be in a house that had had a cat a one point without wheezing. I'm allergic to pretty much everything with fur, but cats were the only thing that triggered the asthma. Allergy shots were a huge help for me. The other symptoms-the sneezing, itching, swollen eyes-were all still there, but for me those have all been manageable. But the asthma is the dangerous element, so I would talk to a doctor or allergist to learn about your options for managing it.

For me, when I am around an animal for the first few days, I need to take a daily antihistimine (Zyrtec works for me) and that takes care of most of my symptoms, in addition to frequent hand washing and avoiding touching my face after petting the cat. After a few days, my body adjusts to the allergens so I only need to take one occasionally. I think it's the same principle as allergy shots: repeated exposure dulls the immune response. I've also found that washing my cat with a dander reducing shampoo (foaming waterless is fine) helps a lot, and of course lots of vacuuming. Some people use HEPA air filters, although I've never tried one.

Everyone's different, and I learned a lot about what works for me by volunteering a lot with a rescue group before I ever owned a cat.

I second everything that molly92 mentioned.
I don't have athsma, but most of my family is very allergic to cats and we've had them my whole life. I take allergy meds every day (including Benadryl for really bad days when I don't mind being comatose), keep eyedrops all over the apartment, and wash my hands frequently (especially before touching my face!). Since you do have athsma, I'd talk to a doctor about which medication would be best for you.

You may still have good chances of owning a cat.

Some feline breeds exist that are considered "hypoallergenic," that is they produce fewer allergens than others. Cats do produce pet dander, a common allergen, but the main culprit may be a protein present in cat saliva.

Though there are no 100 percent hypoallergenic domestic cats, following list is recommended by petMD for allergic people

Siberian

Balinese

Bengal

Burmese

Colorpoint Shorthair

Cornish Rex

Devon Rex

Javanese

Ocicat

Oriental Shorthair

Russian Blue

Siamese

Sphynx

bobkater said:

You may still have good chances of owning a cat.

Some feline breeds exist that are considered "hypoallergenic," that is they produce fewer allergens than others. Cats do produce pet dander, a common allergen, but the main culprit may be a protein present in cat saliva.

Though there are no 100 percent hypoallergenic domestic cats, following list is recommended by petMD for allergic people

Siberian
Balinese
Bengal
Burmese
Colorpoint Shorthair
Cornish Rex
Devon Rex
Javanese
Ocicat
Oriental Shorthair
Russian Blue
Siamese
Sphynx

Click to expand...

I know of one member here who's highly allergic to cats in general, but has found that she's just fine with Siamese cats.

If dander is the trigger, regularly bathing the cat can help.

Don't give up - I'm sure there'll be a cat out there that works for your allergies!