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sheep

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Hey...

so I really want a cat but...I'm allergic to them. My eyes water and I sneeze after petting them. It's not as bad if I don't touch them.

I'm almost 19 currently, is this something I'll ever outgrow?

thanks
 

tigerontheprowl

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Welcome to TCS


In regards to your question, I know exactly how you feel. I and allergic to cats too but I love them too much to live without them. As a result I have 3
. You won't ever really grow out of your allergies but they can be managed with medication. Taking allergy medications can really reduce the symptoms. And it also varies from cat to cat. Some you will be extremely allergic to and others you might be just fine with. The best advice I can give you is to go to your local shelter and spend some time with some cats. Get used to them and find out which ones cause more of a reaction. And if you really want a cat then you could adopt one that doesn't cause you allergies to flare up too much.

If you do decide to adopt a cat, I have 2 recommendations for you:
1. Get it spayed/neutered. It helps a lot with spraying and it doesn't harm them at all.
2. DO NOT under any circumstances declaw your cat. Aside from it being an extremely gruesome and painful procedure, there are sooo many problems it can cause.
 

bnwalker2

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Welcome to TCS!

John (DH) is allergic to cats but we are able to keep it under control, and without medication. We don't have carpet for the hair and dander to accumulate and I sweep the floors daily. I wash our blankets, sheets, and pillows at least three times a week. I bathe the cats usually about once a month and brush them every day or every other day. I also wipe them down with a wet rag or baby wipes to cut down on the dander. We also have an air purifier that we bought at Walmart which is absolutely wonderful and works so well. We are able to have 13 cats indoors with no problems!
 

bonnie1965

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Bless you for trying to find a way to make it work
I am not allergic (to critters anyway) but my mother is. She has 3 cats. She makes her bed every morning, making sure to cover "her" pillow. It is the one thing the cats aren't allowed to sleep on. Other than that, she takes OTC allergy pills. She's also allergic to birds and has two Quakers
OH, she also is ferret sitting for my neice.

Good luck and please let us know how it goes for you!
 

babygirl

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Hi and welcome to TCS!
We are so glad you have joined us!

If I can help you with any questions you have about the site, please click on my username and send me a message.
 

kalikat

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Hello & welcome to tcs. You have been given some excelent advice from cat owning alergy sufferers. I hope you find a kitty that won't affect you too much.
 

randis

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Actually there were some new studies that if you have a cat allergy you are not necessarily allergic to all cats. What you can do is taking some hair samples from the kittens and let your doctor make an allergy test.

good luck
 

xocats

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Hi, welcome to TCS.


Follow the link below to an excellent article published in TCS's newsletter Kitty Bytes.
Living with Cat Allergy.
http://www.thecatsite.com/Health/223...t-Allergy.html

As you learn your way around the site, if you need help,
please feel free to contact me.
Simply click on my user name and send a private message.
I will get back to you asap.

 

coolcat

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Hola y bienvenido a TCS, ...Catulina
y Milky
te saludan!!!
........

(Translate: Hi and Welcome to TCS, Catulina and Milky say hello to you!!!...
)

See you on the forums!
 

butzie

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I was allergic to everything. I was patient #4 for my allergist - we know all about each other's family. When I told him that Brownie (1st cat) adopted me, he immediately gave me shots so I would not be allergic. They worked right away, maybe because cat allergies are so common.
What you need to know is that it is not only that you may be allergic to cats but you may be more allergic to the pollen they get on their fur if they go outside. What the cat dragged in has new meaning for those of us with allergies.
 

epona

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I would see if you can be tested to find out exactly what it is about cats you are allergic to - most people react to a protein in the saliva, rather than the hair/dander itself - of course because a cat grooms itself frequently, that protein then gets all over the fur!

If it turns out to be the saliva, then a long-haired/shorthaired/curly haired/hairless cat isn't going to make an awful lot of difference - but you could look into Siberians - I believe they don't produce as much of that particular protein in their saliva as other breeds.

Incidentally, when I got Radar my first ever cat I thought it was going to be a nightmare, I didn't know I had an allergy, but as soon as he got near me my eyes went all red and itchy and I started sneezing and coughing. It gradually got better as my body got used to his presence. Then it happened all over again when we got Sonic! I don't get any reaction from either of them now, except if I get even a slight scratch that doesn't break the skin then it really turns into a red welt.

Keeping them out of your bedroom is a good idea for those with allergies (if you don't ever let them sleep on your bed then they won't miss it, just make nice appealing sleeping places for them in other rooms - radiator beds are great), and wiping them down regularly with a damp cloth can help too.
 
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sheep

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thanks for the welcome and all the advice!
 

iluvdevons

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Welcome to TCS!!
I too have allergies to most cats, but met a devon rex who gave me no troubles
After that I did some research and ended up with two devon cuties
You might want to look into the breeds of devon rex, cornish rex, or spyhnx. I would highly recommend that you meet the breed in person and handle some kitties prior to adopting one of your own
 
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