need medical help asap (i'm having a hard time breathing)

last week my roomate and i got two kittens. last week i got a stuffy nose and very slight breathing difficulties. i just assumed it was a coincidence and i was just getting a cold.

well, we went away for the weekend and came back last night (lets not even get into the lovely surprises they left on my bed- yes, they are litter trained). last night was pure hell for me. my breathing has become extrememly difficult. the stuffy nose isn't too bad, but i'm having a hard time breathing. i guess it's asthma although i don't have asthma?

can anyone help?? is there anything i can get to help me out? i don't have benefits so going to a doctor is not an option. i really don't want to get rid of the kittens either.

Were you breathing fine while you were away from the kittens? You could always try taking an allergy medication and see if that helps, I couldn't survive without taking Clariton on a daily basis.

On the note of them leaving gifts on your bed, with kittens they are like small children who are still potty training, they need to go often and sometimes they wait till the last minute and can't make it. I suggest when you are not around confining them to a bathroom or a room with several litterbox's at hand.

I suppose you could try some OTC allergy medication, to see if that helps you. Since you don't have benefits, would you be able to go to the public health dept? I'm not sure how things like that work in your state.

My mom has allergy induced asthma that didn't rear its ugly head until we got our first cats. She was 40. Now that all the cats are gone, she has no problems, but it took allergy shots to control it while we had the cats in the house. Keep the cats out of your bedroom, if you can. If they manage to sneak in and get on your bed, wash everything. When you are around them in the rest of the house, try an otc medicine, something like Benadryl. If none of this helps, you need to find a way to see a doctor, or it may mean rehoming the kitties. Sorry, but if you're having trouble breathing, it's only going to get worse if you don't do something soon. Good luck!

go to Pets Mart and get Allerpet

Originally Posted by skysurfer

last week my roomate and i got two kittens. last week i got a stuffy nose and very slight breathing difficulties. i just assumed it was a coincidence and i was just getting a cold.

well, we went away for the weekend and came back last night (lets not even get into the lovely surprises they left on my bed- yes, they are litter trained). last night was pure hell for me. my breathing has become extrememly difficult. the stuffy nose isn't too bad, but i'm having a hard time breathing. i guess it's asthma although i don't have asthma?

can anyone help?? is there anything i can get to help me out? i don't have benefits so going to a doctor is not an option. i really don't want to get rid of the kittens either.

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Difficulty breathing is a medical emergency. People die of asthma attacks. A stuffy nose is one thing-if thats all it is, take a benadryl. If you are having difficulty breathing, you need to see a doctor NOW!

A few ideas that you might like to try:

1. Buy a HEPA air filter....they run anywhere from 50 bucks to several hundred...you can get them at places like Wal Mart, Target, Sears, etc. I have one at my parents' house that cost 129.99 that works well for my asthmatic brother and the cats.

2. Keep kitties out of your bedroom so you don't have to sleep in the dander. You can also, since they're young, train them not to get on select chairs or sofas that can be designated for you to sit and lay on. They ARE cats though, so training is not always 100% effective...

3. There's the age old wash your hands after handling them and don't touch your eyes advice.

4. Use Allerpet or allergy wipes from PetsMart

5. Claritin is OTC and it has been known to help many people here.

6. Vacuum almost every day. Dust almost every day. Make sure to keep your place super clean.

Hope these help!

This thread might be of some help to you: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...8&page=1&pp=12

i'm going to get some claritan today and also that allerpet stuff. i'm also contacting a doctor to get some advice. hopefully this will work. i really like the kittens, but my health will come first. if need be, the last resort will be finding a new home for the kits. thanks for all the replies.

Originally Posted by skysurfer

i'm going to get some claritan today and also that allerpet stuff. i'm also contacting a doctor to get some advice. hopefully this will work. i really like the kittens, but my health will come first. if need be, the last resort will be finding a new home for the kits. thanks for all the replies.

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I hope it helps! You're certainly not the only cat guardian here who's allergic to cats, so a lot of us understand the problem.

I'd do all of the things listed above, especially keeping the cats out of the room..It's what kept Chester around my ex boyfriend when we were together. The allerpet really does work well and I can't live without Reactine (I hive up). Another thing I'd like to suggest is if you can get rid of the majority of your symptoms the new febreeze with the allergen reducer really has helped my dad out. Keep in mind though if you go that route that there is some debate on if it effects animals in the house despite the claims for being pet friendly. So far we haven't seen ill effects on our animals and we keep them out of the room until it's dry...but one can never be sure of the long term effects.
I hope you feel better soon, its such a miserable feeling being so stuffy.

Originally Posted by Sylorna

Another thing I'd like to suggest is if you can get rid of the majority of your symptoms the new febreeze with the allergen reducer really has helped my dad out. Keep in mind though if you go that route that there is some debate on if it effects animals in the house despite the claims for being pet friendly. So far we haven't seen ill effects on our animals and we keep them out of the room until it's dry...but one can never be sure of the long term effects.
I hope you feel better soon, its such a miserable feeling being so stuffy.

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I tried the Febreeze with the allergen reducer, and had to wash everything I'd sprayed it on, because it made Jamie go into sneezing fits.

Try Claritin and Nasalcrom (OTC allergy meds). They are likely to help. Also keep the cats out of your bedroom and have your roommate vacuum frequently. It would also be good to put slipcovers on the upholstered furniture and wash them in hot water a couple of times a week.