Allergic To Cats.

[Brylee]

This was the closest forum I could find to what I was needing.

I am allergic to cats but I love them so much. I have a few outside but they dont come in so I dont react to them. I recently found an abandoned cat down the road and I have been taking care of her. I have been taking 2 allergy pills in the morning and that seems to stop the itchy eyes and sneezing. But I have Eczema really bad on my arms and face and it breaks out really bad when I am with her. Allergy pills cant help that. Does anyone know how prevent that?

Plus my mom and brother are allergic to cats real bad too, is there any way we can keep her as an indoor cat without us popping allergy pills everyday? Any knowledge would be appreciated!

 

[kashmir64]

Up here we have this plant called simply 'snake weed'. If a human touches it, it will leave blisters and eventually scars. I take benedryl whenever I get into it. It also helps with some pollens. You could try this if you haven't already. I really don't know if it will work on animal dander, but since it's basically an Epi, then it should.

 

[Boris Diamond]

I don't know of any medicines that would allow you to be around cats.

There is a breed of cat that some people who react badly to other cats, do not react to. People mainly react to a substances in the saliva of cats, and with cats grooming themselves all the time, people will get exposed to it. This cat is very low in the factor in the saliva that causes people so much trouble. Also this breed has a very small number of sebaceous glands, so they have less dander, another irritant. It is the Siberian.

Since it is a purebred, it will not be cheap unless you go through a Siberian rescue. But you would need to spend time around the cat to see if you react. But it is a way for some allergic people to have a cat.

I have had two. And I may be biased, but they are great cats.

 

[Geoffrey]

This was the closest forum I could find to what I was needing.

I am allergic to cats but I love them so much. I have a few outside but they dont come in so I dont react to them. I recently found an abandoned cat down the road and I have been taking care of her. I have been taking 2 allergy pills in the morning and that seems to stop the itchy eyes and sneezing. But I have Eczema really bad on my arms and face and it breaks out really bad when I am with her. Allergy pills cant help that. Does anyone know how prevent that?

Plus my mom and brother are allergic to cats real bad too, is there any way we can keep her as an indoor cat without us popping allergy pills everyday? Any knowledge would be appreciated!

I am a human doctor, not a vet. I suggest that you consult your own doctor and ask him if you can be sent to an Allergy Specialist to desensitise you to feline fur. The other way to have a cat is to find a hairless cat. This would be expensive and it would be better for you to be desensitised.

With all best wishes,
Geoffrey

 

[sivyaleah]

I am a human doctor, not a vet. I suggest that you consult your own doctor and ask him if you can be sent to an Allergy Specialist to desensitise you to feline fur. The other way to have a cat is to find a hairless cat. This would be expensive and it would be better for you to be desensitised.

With all best wishes,
Geoffrey

I agree with this as well.
I recently learned I'm allergic to cats, along with nearly all trees and grasses.
I haven't dived into the allergy shots yet which would desensitize me because it requires a time commitment which I'm lacking at the moment. It means weekly shots for several months, than monthly for a time period and the entire process lasts up to 3 years. Then, you're ok for 3 years. Rinse and repeat as needed. Even with insurance I can see how that would add up!
I current am taking a pill (Zyxel - was prescription now over the counter), an inhaler 2x a day (Breo Ellipta - works fantastic), a nasal spray (Nasacort) and, prescription eye drops with an antihistimine in it.
This has helped a lot. I'm hoping once the main allergy season is over I won't need quite as many medications. The cats are NOT going anywhere! I'd never even consider it and my allergist is a cat lover and agrees.
Getting a hairless cat is helpful but not completely safe for allergies as it's the saliva which causes the reaction - not the fur itself.
It's possible that one particular type of cat can cause allergies to flare even worse than others. My sister had an all black cat and that one I could not be around at all. I would start wheezing as soon as I entered her house.

 

[AbbysMom]

This article has some tips.

Living with Cat Allergy

 

[sivyaleah]

This article has some tips.

Living with Cat Allergy

Great article!
Meant to mention that buying an air purifier for the bedroom has made a dramatic reduction in symptoms. We just bought another one for our downstairs area. I bought the best of the best, Rabbit Air. You can get specialized pre-filters that work with the ones already in it to target your worst problems. We obviously asked for the pet filter but there are others for odors, and virus trapment. I had low hopes it would work but seriously fellow sufferers, it's remarkable. But you need to get a good one not a cheap one. It must have a HEPA filter. Most of the inexpensive ones are ionizing and put out ozone which is terrible for both you and the air of the world.

 

[neely]

But I have Eczema really bad on my arms and face and it breaks out really bad when I am with her. Allergy pills cant help that. Does anyone know how prevent that?

I would highly recommend a dermatologist for the eczema not an allergist.

I am yet another allergy sufferer and some cats affect me more than others. When I saw an allergist I found out I was also allergic to dogs and had both a dog and cat at the time. He gave me a list of suggestions, one of them being an air purifier which sivyaleah recommended. In addition, I take allergy meds. now since I'm allergic to pollens, molds and outdoor irritants as well. It's obviously a personal decision but I cannot live without animals so I do my best to control the allergies. Best of luck, I hope you can get medical help and please check back to keep us posted.

 

[Geoffrey]

I would highly recommend a dermatologist for the eczema not an allergist.

neely , With all due respect, I suggest that a general practitioner is the person who would best advise you whether to see an Allergist or a Dermatologist. The GP has experience of the different specialists and knows to whom to refer for the particular problem. In Brylee 's case I suggested desensitisation - and this is usually best done by an Allergist.
With best wishes,
Geoffrey

 

[DreamerRose]

I agree with Geoffrey about this issue. It may be a trial to go through with the desensitisation, but it's worth it to get the love of a cat. Nothing can replace your relationship with your cat. Allergies can be overcome, but a loving cat can't be replaced.

 

[neely]

neely , With all due respect, I suggest that a general practitioner is the person who would best advise you whether to see an Allergist or a Dermatologist. The GP has experience of the different specialists and knows to whom to refer for the particular problem. In Brylee 's case I suggested desensitisation - and this is usually best done by an Allergist.
With best wishes,
Geoffrey

I was suggesting that the OP see a dermatologist for the eczema only and an allergist for her itchy eyes and sneezing. Perhaps I should have stated it differently and an initial visit with a GP would be preferable. My apologies to Brylee if the suggestion was worded incorrectly. Thank you for pointing that out.

 

[Brylee]

Thank you to everyone for the suggestions as soon as I try some of these methods Ill let you know how it goes!