The subject line explains it all. I’d like to have a pet. I like cats. Unfortunately I’m also allergic to cats.
My family had a cat when I was very young. Apparently they got rid of it when they noticed my symptoms.
These days - If I visit a household with a cat, within 30 minutes I’m really uncomfortable. Itchy, red eyes. A runny nose. Plenty of sneezing.
I’m just wondering if there are any reasonable options. Like I said, I’d like to get a pet. I don’t really like the necessary hours of “walking” a dog requires (yes, I had dogs when I still lived with my parents. Loved them, but the endless walks got really old.)
A cat would be perfect, if it wasn’t so perfectly designed as to make me miserably itchy.
Are there any useful treatments for said allergies? Have any allergic dopers managed to live with a cat?
If you google “Allerca,” you will find info regarding a company that claims to breed hypoallergenic cats (for several thousand dollars each). You will also find links to sites and news stories alleging that Allerca is a fraud, so proceed with EXTREME caution.
My ophthalmologist (yeah,you read right) has signs in his office pushing some new injectable drug that supposedly eases allergies. Possible side effects include cancer. No, I am not kidding.
There are various wipes and sprays which supposedly cut down on cat dander both on the cat and on surfaces in your home, but I have never had the patience to use them.
FWIW, I have found that Maine Coons bother me less than other cats, but I own cats, so I may be less allergic than you are. If I were you, I would experiment with borrowing a friend’s cat before making a commitment to a cat of your own.
My husband is allergic to cats, so we only have two.
Seriously, you do get used to your own. There are ways to minimize the allergens; no cats in the bedroom, no carpets, sweep frequently, dust covers that get washed frequently on furniture, allergy shots, etc. It can certainly be done; Jim lives mostly comfortably with two cats in the house (he is a little congested and sneezy all the time, but he lives with it).
I don’t know about treatments and whatnot, but I’d just chime in that I’m someone who has built up an “immunity” to my own cats. I’m allergic, but three cats own me and my husband. I just take simple precautions like washing my hands often (especially before rubbing my eyes, or after petting them), brushing them every day, and keeping them out of our bed. I do have an occasional attack, with asthma, runny nose and itchy eyes, etc., but they get more rare as the years go by, it seems like, and the little furballs are worth it.
And it *is *a specific immunity to these cats…I can’t be five minutes in my aunt’s house (one cat household) before I’m wheezing and itching and completely miserable, so I know it’s not just my allergies suddenly getting better.
I am allergic to cats, and I have two anyway. It took me awhile to get used to each cat (they came separately), and after those days of general itchiness and specific red eyes, I’m mostly okay. I have to wash my hands after petting/grooming them. I have some nose issues that would probably disappear if my house were cat-free. Just another allergic doper chiming in that in many cases you can adapt.
There are people who are much more allergic, though, who just can’t handle it. I don’t know how to tell in advance if you are one of those.
Would a hairless cat (Sphynx) be a good choice in this situation or are allergies more to cat dander than fur?
I am sure I have heard of some breeds being less allergic than others without having to resort to the “hypoallergenic” breeders. For some reason (which may be wrong) Abyssinian comes to mind as a breed that is easier on cat-allergy sufferers than others.
At the risk of sounding preachy, I’d like to encourage anyone interested in a specific breed of cat (or dog for that matter) to consider rescuing an adult animal rather than purchasing from a breeder.
I am allergic to cats too (I always have to pop a hayfever tablet before visiting a friend’s house who has a cat), and it has led me to despise them. I associate so much negative feelings with cats, I can’t believe you actually want one!
The Siberian cat is claimed to be naturally allergy-friendly. The Siberian Cat Club here organizes “test homes”, where people let you in to check if you are allergic to their cat. I’ve no specific experience with siberians, but was planning on looking into this when we get our own place.
I have allergies, and three cats. I tried keeping them out of the bedroom, but 2 of them can open doors. My strategy for allergies starts with allergy shots. They do make them for cat allergens, I get them for several other allergens, too. I don’t have carpets. My cats are indoor-only; cats going outside produce more dander. My cats get a wash in the bathtub every month or so (this also really cuts down on cat hair). The cats also get 2 or 3 drops of acepromazine per gallon in the cat fountain. Ace really makes a huge difference in some cat’s saliva. The results are not the same in all cats, I have to wash my hands after petting Barbara cat, I only react to Cee-cee if I rub my eye immediately after petting her, and Hedwig the meezer can be used as pillow with no side effects.
The “immunity” is really just a tolerance, and it can go away. My parents have a cat (they didn’t when I was growing up, but they do now) and whenever I visit them I get a really bad reaction for 2-3 days but after that I’m fine. But if you travel much you’ll probably have to re-acclimate whenever you’ve spent any amount of time away from home.
We got our Bengal thru a rescue and I don’t know if he’s typical, but I swear, if he had thumbs, we’d have to hide the car keys!
And while I’m not usually allergic, when he gets in my face, I can get a bit snuffly and watery-eyed. We’ve also got a long-haired mix and she doesn’t seem to irritate me as much. And my daughter’s tortie doesn’t affect me at all.
Cats are nice, but so are bunnies. Rabbits have many of the same virtues as cats as pets (indoor, litter-box trainable, fluffy). Would you consider getting a rabbit?
I’d just like to point out that while allergy sufferers *may *build up a tolerance, the opposite can also be true. I’ve found that my allergies have gotten worse. They were never very bad to begin with, and they’re still quite manageable, but definitely noticeably worse.
I’d also try experimenting with different cats. I don’t mean different breeds, I mean different cats. All of the cats I’m regularly exposed to are pretty much standard domestic shorthairs. My allergic responses to them differ wildly. Among my own, I’m mildly allergic to the first, have no reaction to the second, and occasionally suffer greatly at snuggling the third. One of my best friends cats can sit on my lap for hours without producing any symptoms, the other has me a snotty mess in about thirty seconds. Neither of my dad’s cats seems to produce any symptoms, even though he’s much less compulsive with the vacuum cleaner than I am, and his house is much more furry. Go to the shelter on a few different days and handle different cats to see how you react to them.
I’ve had cat allergies since I was very young. My reaction starts with itchy throat and sneezing, then full onset asthma. I can deal with itchiness and sneezing, but asthma is a deal breaker. If I visit a house with cats (locked away or not) for more than a couple hours, I’ll have asthma for 4 or 5 days afterward. Totally reliant on my Albuterol Inhaler.
However, I have noticed, after enduring countless visits to one of my best friends house, I’ve become very tolerant of his cats. Eventually, I’ll get a reaction, but I can be around his cats for about 12 hours before anything really hits me. But it’s only his cats. If I visit any other house with different cats… oy, the itching and the sneezing and the can’t breathing!
Also, concerning myself, I’ve noticed the siamese breed to be incredibly intense. I stay away from siamese like the plague.
