Cat Allergies!

How do y'all deal with cat allergies?!?!? I've just recently become super allergic to my best friends cat's and I wanna be able to go see her without her cats killing me!!! (or me wanting to kill myself for that matter!) It's really bad, and my eyes, ears, throat, nose and basically whole body have really become anti-cats lately :( What should I do?!?!?! Thanks for the tips and suggestions friends!

[margypops]

Thats interesting I get symptoms aswell I thought it was pollen and garden stuff ,can you get a rash from cats ?

[trdofbeingtrd]

Sniffles, I think you got that name regarding the allergies eh?

First off, if your friend don't mind, make sure the cats can be brushed. You might or might not know this, but it's not the hair that we are allergic to, it's the cat's saliva. They clean themselves with the saliva and then it gets on the hair. So it's not just the cat/s, it's anything the cat licks or gets the hair after it cleans itself on. Brushing the cat before and after visits will help. Also, if she vacuums any area the cat is known to sit/lay on, that should help also. Another thing that will help is ALWAYS wash your hands after you pet a cat or have your hands on areas that the hair is on or the cat licks. When you are at her house (or anywhere a cat/s is), don't put your hands near your face or eyes especially after touching any place in the house. When your eyes start to itch, wash them out with water, please, for the love of pete, don't rub your eyes with your fingers/hands when they start to itch. The reason for not letting the cat near your face is because many people including me have asthma attacks from the allergy. Another thing, if your friend don't mind, is to buy a shampoo that solves the saliva problem. If the cat/s is cleaned with this shampoo, it heavily controls the situation. Last thing, take a lint brush with you, and after the visit, clean off your clothes, this saves your car from becoming an allergy central, and from you constantly through out the day suffering even after you left your friends house.

I love cats, but I am deathly allergic to them. They love me, they always want to rub all over me...........I think they know..............

Good luck and keep us posted :-)

Margypops, yes, cats can give a rash from a person being allergic to them. If you actually get scratched from one or it bites you, it's not just a rash you get, but about an inch long bump from a small small scratch. Also, on an unrelated subject, you replied on a post that I also replied to, but your reply was removed for some reason.

[Dr Rajput]

Hi, welcome to the forum, it is clear that you are allergic to pets, your body has got sensitized to them and hence subsequent reactions to exposure are spontaneous and can be more severe.

Best way of management would be avoid further exposure. You need to keep the cat away from you. As for symptoms are concerned anti histaminics can be taken whenever there is attack and refrain from nasal decongestants (should only be used for 3-4 days intermittently).  

I suggest you to undergo skin allergy test. I suggest you to consult dermatologist for further management.  Take care and regards.

[ChitChatNine]

Hi,  I agree with the above post by Dr. Rajput.  Be careful, because if you take an antihistamine it's like putting a bandaid on a cut without cleaning it up or getting to the root ... allergies can progress with repeated exposure.

My daughter and my son both get symptomatic from cats and it's progressed into asthma, etc. We don't have a cat., but did for 20yrs and both tested negative or extremely tiny positive but both reacted!

C~

[Sniffles386]

I appreciate all the feedback! I HATE antihistamines and all the drugs and horrible side effects, I'm really looking into only homeopathic and holistic remedies! Hopefully I'll find something and I'll definitely keep everyone up to date!

Dr. Rajput, I would go see a dermatologist not allergist?!?!?