Have Allergies, and Own Pets?

[Danustouch]

If so, chances are you've read alot of material saying you should give them up. Or...you've already come close to smacking your allergist at the very suggestion of giving up your "Best Friend".

New evidence says that if you don't already have an allergy to pet dander, but DO have allergies to other airborne pollutants...Giving up your pet many not only be unneccesary, but also, unwise.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/718394.asp

[Twilight Garden]

Thank you so much for pointing out that article. I printed it out to show someone who may be very interested in that. She's been tested and has allergies, but not to cats. Someone keeps trying to make her feel like her cat is evil and worsening her allergies. BAH! I knew the little guy was innocent! :D

[StarryDancer]

Agreed -- what is it that these allergists have against cats, anyway? :p

My allergist said it takes up to 20 years for a "cat allergen" to leave a house, and therefore it's not worth the angst to get rid of them.

He did roll his eyes when he learned I have 4, though! :rolleyes:

[Cats' mother]

Giggled at the mention of your four StarryDancer - it's nice to know others out there are as "mad" as I am - I have five and wouldn't get rid of any one fo them for all the tea in china, etc, etc.

The article was interesting - but have to confess the bit about washing the pets twice a week is likely to cause untold hassles for the pet - they are going to end up depleted of natural oils and then next thing they will have all sorts of skin allergies and reactions - so that's one thing I would be careful of!

Must confess that when I started suffering with sinusitis and the dr suggested an allergy test, the first comment was "fine, but if I'm allergic to my cats, that's not the solution!". :p Turns out I'm not - and maybe that's where the article has hit the problem on the head - since I have had cats my entire life! :)

[Danustouch]

I've also read, that spayed female cats produce the least amount of problems for allergy sufferers. Then, unspayed females, then neutered males, and the ones that cause the MOST amount of problems, are unneutered males. I've found this to be true with my own cats, when they were young, before they were spayed/neutered. The ones I had the worst trouble around, were my unneutered male kittens, before we got them "fixed". I still have more trouble with my male cats, then my female, however, I don't normally have any reaction to them, unless i'm already having a "bad" allergy day. And then, it only get's to me, if I'm petting them.

There are also other things you can do to cut down on your reactions to cats. There is a spray out there, or was a few years back, called "dander down". It is non harmful to cats, and you just spray it on their fur, and it keeps their dander from flying around too much.

In addition, the type of vaccuum you use may decide how much dander you are being exposed to. I forgot what the "Best" type is for allergy sufferers', but I've heard that hepa filter vaccuums are great, and that is what I have in my house.

There are also those "ionic breeze" air filters...they are supposed to be great for allergy sufferers.

One of the best ways to cut down on how much of a reaction you have, is by keeping them out of your bedroom. If you keep the cats out of your bedroom, and keep the door closed, and even add an air filter, you at least have a "Safe Room" to go to when your allergies start bothering you.

[Cats' mother]

:( Sorry, but the chance of me being able to keep the cats from my bedroom is nil delux - four of them sleep with me during winter - and we are having what could pass for winter here (South Africa) at present, although I am currently sitting sans shoes or long sleeves at 8:30pm!!!. During summer, unless it is really hot (20 degrees C plus) I always have at least two of them on the bed. Must confess that that is my choice, but that is the way that it will remain!!!

Did you notice the whole detain in that article re the vacuum cleaners? I tend to concur with that comment, as I really think that all these vacs being sold as being super dupers, tend to use those kinds of bells and whistles to justify the additional cost!

I haven't come across the "dander dust" type stype to spray on the cats - but there is a niggling thought that worries me there - what does that do to the cats in the long term?

[Twilight Garden]

To help with the dander, my mom just wipes her cat down with a damp paper towel once a week. No need to actually wash them with a cleanser. She was allergic to cats before she got one. Now that she has one, she doesn't have problems with them anymore. It's beyond me!...

[Sora]

I'm fine with the animals, but my mom isn't, something about needing to breathe. So we got a hedgehog. They're just as much fun as any other rodent, but non-allergenic. I strongly recomed them for people with allergies or people who just like 'em. We've had two so far, and are thinking of purchasing more and breeding.

[WandererInGray]

Originally posted by Cats' mother
:( Sorry, but the chance of me being able to keep the cats from my bedroom is nil delux - four of them sleep with me during winter - and we are having what could pass for winter here (South Africa) at present, although I am currently sitting sans shoes or long sleeves at 8:30pm!!!. During summer, unless it is really hot (20 degrees C plus) I always have at least two of them on the bed. Must confess that that is my choice, but that is the way that it will remain!!!
*smiles* If that's the case, Cats' Mother....may I suggest that you wash your sheets once a week, wash and dry (or dry clean if they're feather pillows) your pillows at least twice a month. Keep your pillowcases changed regularly, and try to air out the room about twice a week.

That should help cut down on any difficulties and not make you have to kick them out of the bed room.

I didn't want to kick my cats out (have three at the moment) but have ended up doing it on the weekdays, not because of allergies, but because they disrupt my sleep patterns so badly it's an absolute must.

[Cats' mother]

:( Must confess that there are mornings when I wonder whether being sans cats wouldn't make the morning wake-up call easier :huh: - but on the whole, the special love is worth more than all the hassles. :sunny: Thanks for the advice re all the washing - do the whole bed clothes story already - the pillows I hadn't considered, and really ought to even though they don't sleep on the pillows!

[StarryDancer]

Oh, hedgehogs! They are soooo cute! When I'm 90, and my cats have all gone across the Rainbow Bridge, maybe I'll get me a hedgehog!

Funny thing about the cat dander, though. They've all got it -- I could stuff mattresses with the stuff! But the one cat I'm clearly allergic to is my eldest, She Who Drools. I've heard that it's actually the saliva people are allergic to -- though since they wash themselves with it, it would seem to hardly matter whether 'tis the fur or the spit. But me, I vote for cat spit as the allergen!

[Danustouch]

Regarding the dander sprays....

This was actually reccomended to me by a veterinarian a few years back. I don't know if it is still on the market, but it was then, and the veterinarian assured me that it was perfectly safe for animals, and had been tested for long term side effects.

[Cats' mother]

I have also heard the theory about the cat saliva - and it makes sense to a large degree when I think about the way that the skin can crawl and get inflamed when one of the cats nips me when playing.

With regard the article that started this thread - in the last couple of days I have chatted to a couple of people about the whole concept of people being allergic to cats - and cannot tell you the number of people who have mentioned that they are allergic to cats - but they live with them none the less and their allergies survive - but they do suffer if they spend time away from cats and then suddenly enter the "fray" all over again - must be something in it.

[Goddess Rhiannon]

I take a drug called zyrtec and it helps indoor and outdoor allergies....so my pets can stay..