Stray Adoption

[tinkerbeltink]

There is a local stray that has been around for quite some time. She is sweet natured and likes attention. She recently became ill and I could not deal with watching her experience discomfort and further deterioration of her well being. I took her to the vet (Bless her heart. This was the first of her long life, probably, other than her being trapped and spayed.) It turned out that it was recommended she be an inside cat for the rest of her life because her health would compromise her safety. She will be good to go as long as she is inside. I was thrilled when someone I know offered to adopt the old gal and give her warmth and securtiy. She is someone who knew her from the community and had affection and interest in her. This person has a history of asthma and is very sensitive to scents. However, she has been to my home, on multiple visits, and my cats never cause issues for her. This is why she was willing to take her into her home.

This is my question:

Are there products, cat drugs, cat anything, prescription drugs for people, ANYTHING that helps to discourage any asthma issues with cats? I am asking on this site because I have gotten tips here, that worked, that I never saw in a professional article or from a vet. You all are "in the field" and know from experience.

 Kitty won the lottery with this adoption. She would be in a family that would make her a part of the family. The only issues would be this one and she would not be able to stay, if this woman ended up having asthmatic reactions. If this doesn't work, she would have to go to a rescue. My living arrangements only allows for two cats and no one I know will take her. In fact, that is how I ended up with one cat I have now. No one would take him and I couldn't bare to see him without a family.

 

[ondine]

The woman might go to her own doctor and ask.  I know there are anti-allergy products people use but I am not sure if they are specific to asthma.  I would think her doctor is the best source of a recommendation.

I am praying all goes well with this adoption.  The old gal deserves a break!  Thank you for facilitating it all.

 

[molly92]

Before I got allergy shots, my asthma would start within minutes of being in a house where a cat was or had ever lived. After my grandmother's cat died, she had all of her carpets and furniture professionally cleaned and I would still get wheezy going in her house. That doesn't happen to me anymore because I did allergy shots for a while, but they don't work as well for everyone.

I could always feel the asthma coming on almost immediately, so if your friend is like me, it sounds like hopefully cats do not trigger her asthma!

I think all asthma medications are prescription only. I have an inhaler and some steroids, but fortunately nowadays I only need to use them sparingly. Cat triggered asthma tends to be allergy related, though, and there are lots of OTC antihistamines that can help with that.

I don't have one, but it sounds like a HEPA air filter would the kind of thing that could help a lot. I also notice my allergies are better around a cat after I've washed them with a dander reducing waterless shampoo. Tropiclean is the brand I've tried.

Something else that I've noticed with my allergies is that the longer I'm around an animal, the fewer symtpoms I have. If I meet a new cat or dog, or even the dogs I used to live with but haven't for a while,I might get a little sneezy, but when I go home to my cat I have no problems.

Asthma's a weird thing, and every asthmatics triggers and symptoms are a little different. If she can comfortably hang out with your cats, though, I would assume that her asthmatic reaction to cats, if any, is more mild rather than dangerous, so it sounds like she could at least safely do a trial period with the cat. I would probably keep the cat confined to one room at first, so if things don't work out, any cleaning efforts don't have to be quite so extensive.

Thank you for saving this cat! I really hope things work out.