Cat question

[Chipshotz]

Hi - thanks in advance for any help.
A good friend recently had a health scare and has been diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure.
His brother feels that living with his cat will be dangerous for his health. I understand many people benefit from pet companionship and wonder if this could be a problem.
Any information regarding this situation will be appreciated.

Jim

[Chipshotz]

Thanks chris. Your post makes sense and could be a factor. Lets hope not, he wants to try it.

[Chipshotz]

Thanks for your reply.
He definitely wants to return home with his cat. Staying there alone will not bode well for him. He loves company.

[gmachris518]

The problem with owning a pet when you suffer from CHF, isn't the pet, but the dander that falls from the pet.  A lot of people who weren't allergic to certain substances pre-chf, find it difficult to breath when there is foreign substances in the air, be it, pet dander, room deodorizer, perfume, etc., it doesn't matter, the CHF patient can be adversly affected.

I used to love sitting around a campfire at night, and now the smoke makes it almost impossible for me to breath.  The same goes for fragrances in the air, my lungs begin to fill up and it's hard to breathe.

As far as the cat goes, the cat has dander, and I'm sure it uses a dusty litter box, that most likely doesn't get cleaned as often as it should.....so, you have the smells of cat urine and feces, along with the dust from the litter box, and then the cat wanting to be close to it's owner regulary.  I can see where the cat might be a problem for the CHF patient.

[kenkeith]

I believe your assessment that people benefit from a dog or cat that requires some care.  There is no evidence caring for an animal is harmful to an individual"s health...in fact just the opposite.