What If I am having second thoughts on getting a cat?

[olamanna125]

My daughter has been wanting a cat for a really long time now but we are all allergic. I have asthma so I am afraid it will make it harder for me to breathe having a cat around. I have been doing a lot of research and have come across medium hair cats. It says how they should be better for people with allergies and even asthma. what if we get the cat and our allergies are bad. what should i do then after spending lots of money on the cat???

 

[verna davies]

You could foster a cat from your local shelter then if all is well either consider adopting the cat or go for the cat you choose. I cant imagine a short/ medium or long haired cat would make a difference to your allergies as all shed fur.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I agree about the fostering. Most rescues offer 'foster to adopt' programs. But, your daughter would need to understand what this might mean and be OK with any possible outcome.

Have you considered talking to your doctor about the extent of your condition and what having a cat might mean?

 

[susanm9006]

I will be the naysayer here. If you know you are all allergic then getting a cat is really setting yourself up for heartbreak. While there are some cats that cause less allergic reactions most shelter cats aren’t among them. Before you consider bring one into your home, find a friend that had a cat and visit at their home where you can spend several hours immersed in cat territory.

Also, you can received treatments for allergies that might make having a cat possible. I would suggest you also do that before bringing a cat home.

 

[neely]

My daughter has been wanting a cat for a really long time now but we are all allergic.

TCS has an excellent Article and helpful information about how to live with cat allergies:
Living With Cat Allergy [A Comprehensive Guide] - TheCatSite

There are many of us here, myself included, who are allergic to cats. Over the years we've had a lot of cats and some bother me more than others as well as reacting differently to each individual cat. However, I do feel I've built up an immunity with the help of allergy medicine and some of the suggestions in the above article.

 

[kashmir64]

I will be the naysayer here. If you know you are all allergic then getting a cat is really setting yourself up for heartbreak. While there are some cats that cause less allergic reactions most shelter cats aren’t among them. Before you consider bring one into your home, find a friend that had a cat and visit at their home where you can spend several hours immersed in cat territory.

Also, you can received treatments for allergies that might make having a cat possible. I would suggest you also do that before bringing a cat home.

Agree completely.
Although a Siberian cat has lower levels of Fel d 1 (the protein that causes cat allergies), they are not completely allergen free, and chances of finding one in a shelter is almost 0.

 

[Furballsmom]

This, from petmd, may also help, along with the excellent comments you received above ;
11 ‘Hypoallergenic’ Cats for People With Allergies including a pet food listed at the bottom of the article--here is the description, from Chewy.com

• Purina Pro Plan LIVECLEAR cat food is the first cat food line with the power to significantly reduce the major allergen in cat hair and dander.
• Using a key protein from eggs, this low allergen cat food simply and safely neutralizes Fel D1, a common allergen in cat saliva.
• Guaranteed live probiotics and natural prebiotic fiber in this turkey cat food formula support the digestive and immune health of your furry friend.
• With 10% less fat than LIVECLEAR Chicken & Rice Formula, this indoor weight control cat food helps meet the unique nutritional needs of indoor kitties.

 

[BoaztheAdventureCat]

My daughter has been wanting a cat for a really long time now but we are all allergic. I have asthma so I am afraid it will make it harder for me to breathe having a cat around. I have been doing a lot of research and have come across medium hair cats. It says how they should be better for people with allergies and even asthma. what if we get the cat and our allergies are bad. what should i do then after spending lots of money on the cat???

My brother used to be allergic to cats when he was a toddler. When we switched to a mostly alkaline diet, his allergies were nonexistent, and now we live with 4 cats! Dr. Robert Young's book The pH Miracle is what got us into a mostly alkaline diet for a while. I'm not getting paid to promote the book, LOL, I'm just letting you know what's helped us so that we can have cats. What works for me may not work for you, but it might be worth trying. :} Also, if you get a cat from a shelter or rescue, ask if they will allow you to return the cat should something go wrong. Also, there are curly-haired cat breeds, like the Cornish Rex. I don't know if the Cornish Rex is hypoallergenic, but I know that in the dog world, generally it's the curly-haired breeds that are least offensive to allergy sufferers, so maybe that's the same in the cat world as well?

 

[Cat McCannon]

Brushing a cat everyday and consistently vacuuming the house will reduce the allergens. It won't eliminate the allergens, but it will greatly reduce them. We can give you all the advice in the world, but in the end, only you can decide what the right choice is.

 

[rubysmama]

I don't have allergies myself, but I know someone who will get all stuffy and sneezy around other people's cats, but is fine having their own. So it could be that you'd eventually become immune to your own cat.

There's several threads on the topic. Here's some of them::
Is Anyone Else Allergic to Your Cats?
Allergic to some cats but not all?
Allergic To Cats.
who's crazy enough to adopt a cat while being allergic to cats??

And here's the link to all the ones with "allergic to cats" in the title
Search Results for Query: allergic to cats

 

[GranolaLouise]

I will be the naysayer here. If you know you are all allergic then getting a cat is really setting yourself up for heartbreak. While there are some cats that cause less allergic reactions most shelter cats aren’t among them. Before you consider bring one into your home, find a friend that had a cat and visit at their home where you can spend several hours immersed in cat territory.

Also, you can received treatments for allergies that might make having a cat possible. I would suggest you also do that before bringing a cat home.

I use albuterol and eye drops occasionally and you will have times when the hair/dander gets to you,especially at night. You may get used to it and reaction may be mild if the pet lives with you for a while. Mine was severe when I first got the cat and then lessened to almost nothing! You remind me of ME! I had a dr suggest shots every week and I would have to walk around with an epipen if I got the shots..No Thank You! But don't give up.... Here is what I did....
Go visit some shelters on the weekends, inhaler and a bottle of water in hand AS WELL AS A HAIR LINT ROLLER for the trip home in the car and see what happens when you handle the pets. . You may want to have a Benedryl or other antihistamine or eye itch drops handy just in case.
First time I spent time at a shelter I had to stop at a CVS and get some supplies to allow me to make the drive home. But after that I never had a severe problem like that ever again. It could be that the wrong cat hair crossed my path that day.
But give it a try.