Allergic to litter? Please advise

[Jojo&Tutu]

Both my assistant and I are coughing and sneezing a lot. There is a strong vibration from radio-frequency on my home. We had tinfoil on back French doors and took it down. The coughing and sneezing is worse. I have a new cat but she does not shed at all. I am using Tidy Cats lightweight unscented litter. There is a light faint litter odor. Has anyone had increased allergies to this litter? Is there one you had a lesser response to?

 

[heatherwillard0614]

Are you using unscented or fragrance free??

 

[maggie101]

So removing the tin foil caused the allergies to come back? Having a larger box not in a small room will help

 

[heatherwillard0614]

"Unscented" means that the product doesn't have any perfumes in it but there may be certain fragrances that are meant to mask other odors. Consider underarm deodorant. If you notice, it actually has a smell. It's meant to mask your body odor and some of the ingredients of the product, itself. It just doesn't have any perfume even if it does have scent additives used for other purposes.

"Fragrance-Free" means nothing. No scents, perfumes or masking agents are used. The smell from the product is the way the stuff normally smells. Fragrance-free laundry detergent is an example. The reason for it is because some people are sensitive to or just, plain, don't like the perfumes or scent masking agents from their detergent getting on their clothes, causing people to feel uncomfortable or, in some cases, having skin rashes or allergic reactions.

 

[Alldara]

Tidy cats is clay I assume?

Clay dust causes respiratory issues in many people.

Moving to a non-clay litter should help. There are many options. For truly dust free, you'll need to go non-clumping.

Here's a thread of different options and reviews: Litter reviews

 

[cmshap]

I am confused about what the aluminum foil has to do with anything? Or what its purpose was. Maybe that's another topic.

You said "I have a new cat." To me, that is the likeliest explanation.

Whether you see her shedding or not, she is shedding. Furry animals lose fur naturally, it's just how their bodies work. And any human can be allergic to some individual cats but not others.

My mom is allergic to most cats, but not all. She currently has a cat that she specifically picked out because it does not activate her allergies nearly as much, and she is a cat lover who really wanted one. But when my mom comes over and spends even a little time with my cat, her eyes become red and irritated, her nose runs, etc.

Just consider that it's the cat. You have to look at these situations taking into account all the possible explanations, and start with the simplest of them. I hope it's not actually the cat, so you can continue to live together.

 

[Alldara]

Just consider that it's the cat. You have to look at these situations taking into account all the possible explanations, and start with the simplest of them. I hope it's not actually the cat, so you can continue to live together.

With milder cat allergies it's quite normal to be allergic to a cat at first and then have it reduce in time. Your body becomes uses to the cat.

Mild cat allergies is really easy to have solutions to. (My wife and I both have. A new cat even gives my wife hives at first. ) but yes, you're right too about the specific cat.


My understanding though, is that they had more of an issue when around the litter. I was much more allergic to cats when they had dusty litter as the litter dust was also on them! I used to have to mask to clean their litter boxes even.

 

[game misconduct]

i use that litter and have no issues with it aside from my own all year long allergies . i also have family that lives in your location also and noticed there's lots of local wild flowers and weeds growing where no homes are built. add in that ocean breeze your home is probably has lots of pollen floating around inside .might be good to see a doc get tested for what your allergic to then get allergy shots( hopefully its not the cat)

 

[cmshap]

Mild cat allergies is really easy to have solutions to. (My wife and I both have. A new cat even gives my wife hives at first. ) but yes, you're right too about the specific cat.

Maybe share what you've done to help overcome this issue?

Jojo&Tutu could possibly benefit from knowing how you've dealt with it.

 

[Alldara]

Maybe share what you've done to help overcome this issue?

Jojo&Tutu could possibly benefit from knowing how you've dealt with it.

If they need the information, I'll let them ask no need to unload too much in the thread if allergies to litter is the issue. Changing the litter is the easy solve for that.

 

[Jojo&Tutu]

The foil on my French doors blocked excessive radio-frequency coming into my home. Removing it increased the radio-frequency and that increase of environmental exposure can cause allergic reactions or can cause greater allergic reactions - my allergies to worsen. No I am not allergic to cats. Been tested negative and my assistant is reacting too. Could be the pollen that has increased or maybe just this litter. I used to use nonclumping clay litter but my current cat is a prolific pee-er and I’m disabled now would create some difficulty to change litter often. Am not sure what to do or which other litter to try.

 

[Alldara]

Jojo&Tutu As I started to have mobility issues and chronic fatigue I actually switched to Okocat paper. It's non-clumping.
Scrubbing all the clumping stuff off the box all the time wasn't working anymore.

I find Okocat is fast absorbing so even when Nobel peed a LOT it wouldn't puddle and it wouldn't get on his feet. That was a nice plus!

I can use Okocat two ways: clean a bit every day and dump after a month (maybe adding a scoop or two of fresh throughout the month).

Or I can just leave it a week and dump.

It's lightweight too and then I don't have to scrape anything off when I dump it. For my disabilities, it's very accessible like that. But each of us are different! I don't know what will work well for you.

Since you know best what will work for the type of accommodations you need, check reviews here: Litter reviews (that is a clickable link)

You can look for things as you scroll through those litter reviews like if someone says it's good for allergies or what it's made of.

Here's some other reviews too: 10 Best Non-Clay Cat Litters in 2023 - Reviews & Top Picks - Excited Cats

11 Best Non-Clumping Cat Litters Of 2023 - Cats.com

 

[heatherwillard0614]

A Alldara how does the okocat paper non clumping litter work? Does it disintegrate like the pine pellets? I'm looking for a new litter and have never even heard of this one before..

 

[cmshap]

No I am not allergic to cats. Been tested negative and my assistant is reacting too.

All I am saying is that any human can be allergic to any cat. Even if you have no history of allergies to other cats.

You could be right, I'm not trying to say I know what the answer is. Just describing what it sounds like to me.

I work in a field where troubleshooting problems involves eliminating possible solutions, before you find the one that fits. My only point was to consider all possible solutions, starting with the likeliest ones.

 

[Jojo&Tutu]

Y

Are you using unscented or fragrance free??

es

 

[Jojo&Tutu]

Y

es

Yes

 

[Alldara]

cmshap Allergies to the litter is very common. Clay is the most used litter and clay dust aggravates athsma and allergies. Dust in general aggravates athsma and allergies. (Think about why clay miners need masks...but we breathe that in and let our cats do it too!)

No allergist ever pointed it out but my doctor immediately did. She had me start masking to change the litter.

Now that I've gone truly dust free, I don't need to mask and I have no reaction. I also don't have any issues with my cats being near my face outside of shedding season. I had BAD reactions to Lily who was a litter digger. She kicked up a lot of dust and carried it on her fur so of course id be most allergic to a dusty cat.

 

[Alldara]

A Alldara how does the okocat paper non clumping litter work? Does it disintegrate like the pine pellets? I'm looking for a new litter and have never even heard of this one before..

No. Unlike other pellets it absorbs without breaking down. The pellets usually just look darker.

I didn't mind the paper pellets from Exquisicat either. I just didn't find they absorb as fast.

 

[heatherwillard0614]

Ok because I don't know how I would like the pellets that break down... I haven't tried it but I just don't know how I feel about it disintegrating like that

 

[Alldara]

Ok because I don't know how I would like the pellets that break down... I haven't tried it but I just don't know how I feel about it disintegrating like that

It's just a learning curve really.