Suggestions For A Cat Owner With Allergies

[CurlyEmy]

I’ve always loved cats but never got one because I’m very allergic. Hives, itching, swelling, cough, all of that. Recently I got a Siberian Kitten because I heard Siberian cats are hypoallergenic. I have 3 more days to return him if I get an allergic reaction and sadly I am slightly allergic. It’s A LOT less, no itchy eyes and very little sneezing. I’m drinking Claritin. I want to keep him really badly though. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Yesterday I got hives from playing with him but I think he’s very dirty. His bum has a lot of pee I think because it’s a bit stained (which I’m allergic to). He was rubbing himself on me and that’s when I got hives. So I bought “Allerpet” and wiped his bum really really well with it. Today I have no hives even though he slept with me. I do however have shortness of breath, just a bit. I’m also running a HEPA filter. I think I might bathe him today, because he stinks. I don’t know if he got in something before coming with me. He smells like sour milk! Is it ok to bathe him? He’s 13 weeks old.

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Royalty]

I’ve always loved cats but never got one because I’m very allergic. Hives, itching, swelling, cough, all of that. Recently I got a Siberian Kitten because I heard Siberian cats are hypoallergenic. I have 3 more days to return him if I get an allergic reaction and sadly I am slightly allergic. It’s A LOT less, no itchy eyes and very little sneezing. I’m drinking Claritin. I want to keep him really badly though. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Yesterday I got hives from playing with him but I think he’s very dirty. His bum has a lot of pee I think because it’s a bit stained (which I’m allergic to). He was rubbing himself on me and that’s when I got hives. So I bought “Allerpet” and wiped his bum really really well with it. Today I have no hives even though he slept with me. I do however have shortness of breath, just a bit. I’m also running a HEPA filter. I think I might bathe him today, because he stinks. I don’t know if he got in something before coming with me. He smells like sour milk! Is it ok to bathe him? He’s 13 weeks old.

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

I’ve always loved cats but never got one because I’m very allergic. Hives, itching, swelling, cough, all of that. Recently I got a Siberian Kitten because I heard Siberian cats are hypoallergenic. I have 3 more days to return him if I get an allergic reaction and sadly I am slightly allergic. It’s A LOT less, no itchy eyes and very little sneezing. I’m drinking Claritin. I want to keep him really badly though. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Yesterday I got hives from playing with him but I think he’s very dirty. His bum has a lot of pee I think because it’s a bit stained (which I’m allergic to). He was rubbing himself on me and that’s when I got hives. So I bought “Allerpet” and wiped his bum really really well with it. Today I have no hives even though he slept with me. I do however have shortness of breath, just a bit. I’m also running a HEPA filter. I think I might bathe him today, because he stinks. I don’t know if he got in something before coming with me. He smells like sour milk! Is it ok to bathe him? He’s 13 weeks old.

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

I’ve always loved cats but never got one because I’m very allergic. Hives, itching, swelling, cough, all of that. Recently I got a Siberian Kitten because I heard Siberian cats are hypoallergenic. I have 3 more days to return him if I get an allergic reaction and sadly I am slightly allergic. It’s A LOT less, no itchy eyes and very little sneezing. I’m drinking Claritin. I want to keep him really badly though. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Yesterday I got hives from playing with him but I think he’s very dirty. His bum has a lot of pee I think because it’s a bit stained (which I’m allergic to). He was rubbing himself on me and that’s when I got hives. So I bought “Allerpet” and wiped his bum really really well with it. Today I have no hives even though he slept with me. I do however have shortness of breath, just a bit. I’m also running a HEPA filter. I think I might bathe him today, because he stinks. I don’t know if he got in something before coming with me. He smells like sour milk! Is it ok to bathe him? He’s 13 weeks old.

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

I can only recommend this if you are allergic please ask your pharmacist if you can take it first though I recommended this to a friend and she now has a kitten after previously being allergic. But I'd like you to check with your dr or pharmacist first.

 

[Royalty]

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I can only recommend this if you are allergic please ask your pharmacist if you can take it first though I recommended this to a friend and she now has a kitten after previously being allergic. But I'd like you to check with your dr or pharmacist first.

We used to own a ragdoll cat and because he had furry knickerbockers he used to get his poop stuck in the hair around his bum sometimes. So I took him to the groomers n got them to trim the area so nothing would get stuck, I didn't trust myself to snip with baby scissors in case he moved n I caught him, it cured the problem we had it done regularly,

 

[Kieka]

There really is no such thing as a cat who won't cause allergica reactions for someone with a cat allergy. Hypoallergenic cats just means that they are less likely to cause severe reactions. However, even within those breeds there are some cats who will cause more or less reactions and it also depends on the indvidual human in the mix.

I have allergies, it usually takes about six months for my body to adjust to getting a new cat. I take a Zyrtec daily, nasal spray and am on a breathing medication all related to my allergies. We don't have curtains in my home, the furniture is leather so allergens don't settle as easily on it, we have hardwood floors and I always cover my bed with a blanket or sheet that I remove before sleeping. A lot of it is just accepting there will be some problems from time to time, cleanliness of your home and animals, and knowing yourself. There are still times after years of living with my current cats, that I feel my allergies getting worse on a particular day. I will usually take a Benadryl and go see a movie to get away while my system relaxes. Rashes or skin reactions will mean a shows and frehs clothing on top of the Benadryl. Expecting to have no reaction ever is setting yourself up for disappointment.

We have this article on the subject, Living With Cat Allergy

 

[Pjg8r]

I’ve also heard that kittens develop dander the older they are. If you are showing allergy symptoms to a kitten it sounds like they may get worse as the kitten gets older. I don’t know that from personal experience.

 

[MeganLLB]

We don't have curtains in my home, the furniture is leather so allergens don't settle as easily on it

Can I just ask how you manage to have leather furniture with cats? My cats would shred it to pieces!

 

[Kieka]

Can I just ask how you manage to have leather furniture with cats? My cats would shred it to pieces!

They have some small scratches and pricks from claws but nothing major in three years, despite the cats occassionally using it as a spring board or hiding around it. If you actually look at it you can see the marks or sometimes feel it, but nothing that you'd notice walking by or without looking for it. We have a cat tree at one corner where the cats tried to scratch and have stuck to the tree since. There is one chair my boy tried to scratch that we can't put a cat tree by, instead we keep a blanket draped over it so if he tried the blanket gets pulled down on him.

Honestly, the cats seem to dislike the leather in general. They will go on blankets or us but rarely just the furniture. Rocket here is barely touching the leather, mostly on the two blankets, just her head was touching the actual couch because of the height of the blankets.

 

[MeganLLB]

They have some small scratches and pricks from claws but nothing major in three years, despite the cats occassionally using it as a spring board or hiding around it. If you actually look at it you can see the marks or sometimes feel it, but nothing that you'd notice walking by or without looking for it. We have a cat tree at one corner where the cats tried to scratch and have stuck to the tree since. There is one chair my boy tried to scratch that we can't put a cat tree by, instead we keep a blanket draped over it so if he tried the blanket gets pulled down on him.

Honestly, the cats seem to dislike the leather in general. They will go on blankets or us but rarely just the furniture. Rocket here is barely touching the leather, mostly on the two blankets, just her head was touching the actual couch because of the height of the blankets.

View attachment 242941

Wow. I always preferred leather, but Artemis scratches at my couch and chairs already. I have a chair that spins and he lays on his side and claws at it and spins the whole chair around in circles. He does something similar to the couch-lays on his side and drags himself along the floor pulling himself along the bottom of the couch.

 

[Kieka]

Wow. I always preferred leather, but Artemis scratches at my couch and chairs already. I have a chair that spins and he lays on his side and claws at it and spins the whole chair around in circles. He does something similar to the couch-lays on his side and drags himself along the floor pulling himself along the bottom of the couch.

Yeah, that may not work as well. Our guys weren't big on scratching furniture before the switch. The cat tree at the corner has been enough for them. My boy only scratches the chair when someone is in it and he wants attention.

 

[r-kins]

If he stinks of sour milk then there's definitely something very wrong! A bath will help HIM (and is necessary!), although I'm not sure if that will help your allergies. Humans are allergic to proteins that cats produce, which are in saliva, dander and urine. I didn't know about the urine but that's what WEB MD is saying: Information on Cat Allergies

Where would you be returning him to? Is it a safe place? Did he smell when you got him? Beware of returning him to a terrible breeder that doesn't take care of their animals, as it would surely be bad for him.

As far the allergies themselves, I take Allegra and nasal spray, as well as don't touch my eyes after touching cats or dogs. If he smells that bad it would be worth taking him to a groomer, which also will probably reduce the allergens he's carrying around. But if that will work in the long term, I couldn't tell you.

 

[jennifer26]

I would suggest looking into these products for your laundry and carpets - ADMS Anti-Allergen Spray is safe for carpets, rugs etc and locks in the dander so it doesn't affect you. I spray it on my rugs every few weeks/month and it's amazing.

Then I use Allergen Laundry Detergent for sheets/bedding and any blankets etc that the cats sleep on - it's amazing!

 

[MoochNNoodles]

DH is allergic; although it sounds like not to the level you are.

He takes daily allergy meds. But we also keep our bed cat free. For many years that meant keeping our girls out of our bedroom altogether. I also keep a small fleece blanket on Noodles' favorite sleeping spot on the couch. DH can move that when he sits down and it can be washed easily. Regular vacuuming and cleaning helps. I vacuum the couch also. We try not to wear clothing in bed that we've been around the girls in. When the girls were kittens we bathed them a few times to see if that helped because DH never reacted at a friend's house and they bathed their cat weekly. I haven't bathed these 2 in years now though.

DH is also diligent about changing our houses air filters every 3 months. And we use a decent quality one.

 

[Etarre]

My husband is also allergic to cats. He gradually built up a tolerance to being around them after suffering through some allergy attacks whenever he forgot to wash his hands after touching the cat. He also learned to steer clear of her favorite snuggly blankets and chair, and I vacuum a lot. But it sounds like your allergies are more severe.

Have you considered seeing an allergist and getting allergy shots? Ideally, I think you'd do this before getting a cat, but perhaps you could still do it. My friends, who are both allergic, wanted a cat so they both got the shots for several months. It only worked for one of them, though, so they had to get a rabbit instead. But it might be an option for you.

 

[MRG2018]

I agree with Etarre , you can get annual shots.
There are certain products to reduce dander. Reduce the number of surfaces/textiles etc etc that accumulate dander/skin/dust mites.
Use an air purifier, use a vacuum cleaner with a hepa filter.
This will make a huge difference. Male cats are more likely to produce an allergic reaction than female cats.

I have read online that Siberian cats are touted for their low allergic probability, but its no guarantee. It completely depends upon your surroundings and your body's response to the allergens. Visit a doctor to understand how this is going to affect you for a long period and then make a decision about adopting the cat.