Well, it's been about 1 1/2 months since you started this thread, and I don't know if you've been back. But I am HIGHLY allergic to cats (they make my eyes water and itch, they make my sinuses fill up, I don't sneeze, but I do get hives). We live with seven of them in an RV (like a studio apartment) and have no "cat free" zones. Shelly sleeps basically in my face. One of three cats sleeps on the pillow over my head.
There's usually four or five cats in the bedroom at any time every night, and I don't have a problem.
This is what we do.
1) I take zyrtec every day. It costs about $23 a month. IT WORKS.
2) I have prescription steroid cream (ultravete) for the hives. It works.
3) We (try to) vacuum every day.
4) We have throw blankets over the couch and any non-wood chairs. We just lift them up when we want to use them. When it's just us, I leave them on the portion of the couch we're not using (because a cat will usually hang out there) - but I get a cat-hair free space. We wash them every week. It's also very convenient, because when visitors come they lift up, we fold them up and put them somewhere - and no hair all over the furniture.
5) We have a type of brush that removes excess hair from the cat so they shed a lot less. We brush them every evening.
6) We wipe them down with wet paper towels after brushing them every day.
7) I keep visine handy for when I forget to wash my hands after petting a cat and get itchy eyes.
I wasn't familiar with the Allergy stuff used on them discussed in this thread, but sounds like it couldn't hurt either.
I hope you were able to keep your kitty indoors.
Laurie
This is what we do.
1) I take zyrtec every day. It costs about $23 a month. IT WORKS.
2) I have prescription steroid cream (ultravete) for the hives. It works.
3) We (try to) vacuum every day.
4) We have throw blankets over the couch and any non-wood chairs. We just lift them up when we want to use them. When it's just us, I leave them on the portion of the couch we're not using (because a cat will usually hang out there) - but I get a cat-hair free space. We wash them every week. It's also very convenient, because when visitors come they lift up, we fold them up and put them somewhere - and no hair all over the furniture.
5) We have a type of brush that removes excess hair from the cat so they shed a lot less. We brush them every evening.
6) We wipe them down with wet paper towels after brushing them every day.
7) I keep visine handy for when I forget to wash my hands after petting a cat and get itchy eyes.
I wasn't familiar with the Allergy stuff used on them discussed in this thread, but sounds like it couldn't hurt either.
I hope you were able to keep your kitty indoors.
Laurie
