Treating cat allergy

Guess_Who

Hey,

So my bf is pretty allergic to cats & since I have one he can't breathe in my house. It's becoming a big problem to me that we can't spend any time here & long term I really can't see me being comfortable with having to re-home my pet.

Has anyone gone through anything similar & can you recommend any options for long term treatment of a cat allergy?

Thanks in advance

Slunk

Ill be watching here as the last while I have got a reaction to my gfs cats. I'm fine in the house but when I rub them or they nudge my face I get a slight irritation.
I know your gonna say try not touch them but they're cool little cats and I like looking after them.

Pumpkinseeds

Have you tried antihistamines?

Guess_Who

Hi pumpkinseeds,

Yes he's tried OTC anti-histamines but unfortunately they didn't do much to help & made him really drowsy.

We'd been hoping that exposure might reduce the symptoms because I was mildly allergic when I got the cat first & it went away but it didn't work.

Rips

Its seems difficult to imagine in the long term but you could try a combination of things and see if it helps?

Is the cat indoor/outdoor, short haired, long haired? Coat quality?

Establish a cat free area/room(s)? Even if it means moving furniture about to have a sort of functional area? A kitchen/living area with laminate/tiles would be best, no carpets or furnishings to harbour dander. Cover the couch and furnishings with a clean throw that you keep up for when he comes around? (One the cat doesn't have access to.)

Put the cat on a supplement for its coat, see it you can reduce shedding, groom more frequently? You could groom the cat more frequently and wipe down with a moist cloth daily or after coming in from outside.

And step up on the hovering/cleaning? Maybe early in the mornings so dander and particles are not agitated and in the air.

My OH's brother has a bad cat allergy, he can't visit us really because within 20mins he's sneezing and has red weepy eyes, but when we have had the cat with us when visiting OH's parents, its not so bad, he just stays away from the cat. The odd sneeze, thats all.

Our cats quite sleek and a minimal shedder though, and is indoor only.

I would think that he would need to get allergy tablets that agree with him as well though, so many people are plagued with hay fever/pollen allergies, and they just have to find the right meds to get relief. My friend takes a half dose of OTC allergy meds, but she takes it everyday from spring to autumn and that's what works for her. Takes time to build up and be effective.

yaya*

I know some people will scoff but I used to have reaaaaalllly bad hayfever, until I went to a homeopathy guy in Dublin (PM me if you live here and I'll pass on his name).
It was really bad at the time of taking all the tablets and drops etc but that was 10 years ago and *touch wood*, I haven't had a problem since. I've no idea if it would work with a cat allergy but worth a shot maybe?

VonVix

A friend of mine was allergic to dogs, she told me her allergies stopped when she cut out dairy from her diet, now she owns four dogs! Not saying it works for everyone (or is even an easy thing to do) but it seems to have worked pretty well for her. I do think diet can be a factor when it comes to allergies... a taxi driver once told me that he hasn't had hayfever ever since he stopped drinking Smithwicks and went on to Guinness instead lol.

betty63

Hi, I am new to Boards but am interested in this post and wondered does anyone have any more tips? My husband has got his childhood asthma back as a result of our cat. We've the cat a year now,she was an abandoned kitten. My husband really wanted a cat & would love to keep her. People said his symptoms might ease as he got used to the cat, but he's still wheezy and taking ventolin.
We've a hepa filter and a Pet-type hoover..
But I feel so sorry for him, because he's also a type 1 Diabetic, so has enough on his plate. He wonders is there
some other allergy treatment he could try, e.g injections etc. I'm just bracing myself to tell the kids that we might have to try and find a kind home for kitty....Much as we love her, it's not fair if someone's health is suffering...

sambuka41

Don't think it will help with asthma but I found that doing nasal rinses really helped. I suffered with sinus problems for years and it got much worse when my cat became and indoor cat. I went to see a specialist and daily rinses in the first few months, and now only 1 or 2 a week and I haven't had a sinus infection in nearly 18 months!!

I'm not one for medication if I can avoid it so this is a more natural way of dealing with it.

Nody

Are you brushing the cat every day to remove the loose hair etc.? That may help but there's no fool proof way I'm aware off sadly.

tk123

betty63 wrote: »

He wonders is there
some other allergy treatment he could try, e.g injections etc. I.

The injection is called Kenalog but you may have problems finding a doctor that will give it - it has a HUGE list of side affects.

Prevalin spray is very good too because like a gel that coats your nasal passage and make a barrier. The only thing is that the sensation is a bit weird but you get used to it. I also use neilmed nasal rince everyday (as well as (generic Zirtek) for my allergies and it makes a huge difference.

Don't forget too that there's been a chill/dampness in the air the last few weeks - I've felt a difference and have been using my inhaler all morning.

Nody wrote: »

Are you brushing the cat every day to remove the loose hair etc.? That may help but there's no fool proof way I'm aware off sadly.

+1 It's the dander people are allergic to so you need to groom regularly to remove the allergen.

New Home

I seem to remember it was a protein in the cats' saliva that people are allergic to, and that obviously gets spread all over the cats' bodies when they groom themselves. Maybe trying different types of anti-histamine - not just different brands, I mean, and do get a doctor's or at least a pharmacist's opinion - and wiping the cat's fur with a damp facecloth might help.

Good luck!

Pumpkinseeds

I saw this and thought of you.

http://jacksongalaxy.com/2014/08/28/allergic-to-cats/?utm_source=jg&utm_medium=fb&utm_term=20140830&utm_campaign=allergic-to-cats