Is it possible to eliminate cat allergies FOREVER?

Hello everyone, I had no idea where to post this.
I am completely in love with cats, the only problem is, I am (very) allergic to them.
Since birth I have been fascinated by them, my parents also love felines, I used to live with cats when I was with them.. even though It was allergies all day, now that I am married I miss having felines around.

My husband is also allergic to cats, but different from me he does not try to touch them and be around them anyway, even with my allergies I never can hold myself back from absolutely loving them.

I wanted to know if there is such a thing as a definite cat allergies cure, I would not care at all if I had to deal with needles every month or even week, but I feel terrible to even considering my husband to do that, he never had the chance to really interact with cats since he is very scared of triggering allergies.. I am sure he would like them if he did not have allergies in the way.

Is there any hope out there?

I also like dogs.. but the natural dog scent always bothered me, also, I am allergic to them too ): I have considered so many other pets.. lizards, rodents, even a spider or a snake but I don't think anything would ever be like how much I love cats...

Also, weird question, but if I am allergic to cats and my husband is too, does this make any kids we will have also allergic to them?

I am a human doctor, not a vet.  What sort of reaction does contact with a cat have on you?  Is it asthma, or a skin rash, or what?  Incidentally what happens to your husband after contact with a cat?

Please be as specific as possible as I may be able to answer your questions.  It may be possible to desensitise you, and/or your husband, but it depends on your reactions.

With best wishes,

Geoffrey

Thank you very much for the help!
I sneeze and end up with stuffed up nose, I feel my eyes very itchy (end up scratching them, until it gets very red and swollen, sometimes so badly that I can't close it properly). It seems that when I spend a long time without having contact with cats whenever I do its a worse reaction, when I used to live with them the reaction would get mild after some time.

I also had asthma as a child, and for that I have been hospitalized, but somehow I never had an atsthma attack again since I left the hospital when I was a child. I only remember one attack.


I got itchy skin once as a child, but that was for playing with dogs that licked my skin, I got several red bumps all over my body.

My husband gets itchy eyes, sneezing, itchy skin (hives) runny and stuffed nose.

And yes, its shortly after being in the same room with a cat (the sneezing), the itchy eyes only when we touch a cat.

It may be possible for you to be desensitised from cat dander.  I suggest that you both see your General Practitioner and discuss your allergies with him.  Depending on where you live, there may be access to a specialist physician who specialises in allergies. 

Desensitisation involves exposing yourself to increasing doses of cat dander extract..  And yes, it may be permanent.

With all best wishes,

Geoffrey

I do not know if I can be of any help at all. I have allergies to both cats and dogs. I also developed asthma as an adult, or it was finally diagnoses after I had a bout of pneumonia. 

When I was a little girl, we had a cat. I did get a bit itchy from her scratches, but that never stopped me from playing with her. When I was an adult, living at home, we adopted a kitten. 

I kept Pumpkin away from my room. When she scratched me, I would get welts around the scratch. When I brushed her, I could feel a residue on my hands. I would just wash my hands. Pumpkin was not a lap cat.. but I did love her. 

Now I have Artie! I have had him for almost 5 years. I adopted a older cat, 8 years old, a neutered short hair. 

Artie has the run of the apartment! He loves my bed. He cuddles overnight! 

I brush him every day!

Yes, his scratches do end up as a welt.. I just wash the area, apply some alcohol and peroxide to it. It feels like a patch test reaction. I deal with it!!

I take zyrtec, claritin, asteline nasal spray for allergies. add an eye drop during the summer months. I do not use a daily steroid inhaler for asthma. I use the rescue inhaler occasionally..

So you can have a cat if you are allergic to them. There are many threads on this subject. 

As far as getting non-sensitives to them forever? I do not know about that. I think you can become non-sensitved to your particular cat after a while

I also volunteer at the local cat humane society. I have noticed that the younger kitties, with strong urine, after recently being neutered, do have a tendency to bother my allergies.

I did some research, and decided upon an older, short haired, neutered cat.. 

I also took my guy to the groomer for several months for a waterless shampoo... it did cut down on the allergies, but he hated it.. so I stopped.. now I am always cuddling him...

good luck--there is hope..

Geoffrey thank you very much for the help! I will look for a doctor and see what can be done for my case and my husband (:

Artiemom thank you!! (:
I am familiar with having allergy medicine around, my only concern is my husband, he is not used to being around cats in contrast with people like us!

I talked with some ladies from a car adoption center, they told me there's some products to help with it, but I was really trying to find a more permanent solution ): I know it might be hard!

*cat adoption.

Sorry the typos!

Have you tried a hypoallergenic cat?

Nathaliewhite no I never heard of! o: is there anything I should know about considering it?

Here's a link about it! If you need more info, just ask.
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http://ihypoallergeniccats.com