My kitten vs. my allergies: help!
Betsy Schwartz
What I've heard is that there are two proteins in cat dander to which
people can develop allergies. Some people are allergic to just one, and
some are allergic to both. Some cats produce one or the other, some produce
both. This explains why some people are only allergic to *some* cats.
We're mildly allergic, and one thing that really helped us was getting rid
of as many *other* irritations as possible, mainly dust and mold. We moved
from an apartment with wall-to-wall carpet and wallpaper and panelling
(mold and mildew city) to one with painted walls and wood floors which we
can vacuum every couple of days. BIG difference! I'm allergic to mold and
probably dust mites, and it sure helps to have the overall level of
irritants down.
Try to get rid of as many dust-and-cat-hair traps as possible: throw rugs,
curtains, furniture drapes. Vacuum DAILY and make sure you get the cat hair
out from behind the radiators, under the furniture, and so on. Have someone
else in the family brush or comb the cat daily! Also, keep the kitten out
of your bedroom; it's hard, but your body will really appreciate getting a
break at night from the cat hair. You might want to invest in a
good-quality vaccuum or even an air conditioning system with a good filter.
Cat shampoos that you use once a week are supposedly very helpful.
I would also check into recent developments. Here in Boston, last year,
there was a big study of a new treatment for cat allergies. I don't know
what became of it but there might be new hope! (most of the participants,
apparently, were single men with severe allergies who were finding out that
many of the nicest single women have cats!!!) So, if you haven't seen an
allergist recently, try again!
best wishes,
Betsy
--
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T Heinis
I can't actually help you with your allergy problem
but have an interesting comment to make. You
mentioned you owed a siamese. I have allergies
but my siamese gave me very little problem with
them. On the other hand, when my daughter got
one; hers gave me fits of eye watering and nose
running.
-----------------------------------------
Emmett Hoops <eho...@capital.net> wrote in article
<53k9fg$m...@Usenet.Logical.NET>...
I'm a 37 year old daddy to two lovely daughters, husband to a lovely
wife, and companion to an 8 week old kitten. I love cats; I've always
loved cats. Trouble has been, I'm allergic to them. An allergist
once told me that I could go into anaphylactic (sp?) shock if I were
exposed to excessive cat dander.
I once had a Siamese cat, who, incidentally, was the single best pet
in the whole world, since time began. She died at age 8, five years
ago. I've pined since then for another kitty, and now God sent us
one. Neighbors, actually, but I figure God had a hand in it.
Anyway, my allergist told me that Siamese cats have far less dander
than the garden variety cat.
My questions: is the foregoing statement true? Are some cats worse
than others for allergy sufferers? Also, is there anything (such as
bee pollen?) out there to help counteract the reaction in me?
I'll keep the kitty no matter what. My nose isn't as dear to me as
this cat is!
Emmett
Laurie M.
Betsy Schwartz <bet...@northshore.shore.net> wrote:
>best wishes,
>Betsy
In addition to the above, you can also pursue allergy shots....
Laurie
"There is, indeed, no single quality of the cat that man could
not emulate to his advantage."
Carl Van Vechten
Emmett Hoops
Rapunzel03
Yes, it's is true that Siamese have far less effect on the sinuses than
any other cat. The problem is that we sometimes don't have a choice in
which kind of kitten we fall in love with. The only advice I can give you
is to try temporary relief with antihistamines. There are many kinds out
there, some are over the counter, others you will need a perscription for.
I have found Claritin-D works well for me, however my allergies are not
to cats, but to pollens in the air. I have two cats, step-cats, and if it
were them I were allergic to I would still be looking to antihistamines as
well.
Good luck, and there's always hope you may eventually become tolerant to
thier dandruf in time.
REMEMBER to consult your doctor. He/She will have very important
information for you to consider as you try "new" medications, like side
effects, etc..
Sincerely,
Dawn
Michael Olsen
I (sniff...) think I can help (haaa-CHOO!). My wife and I raise Birmans
(CallisteCats Cattery), and we recently sold a kitten to a woman whose
cat allergy was so bad we were convinced that if she didn't go into
anaphalactic shock on the way home, then the kitten would be back for a
refund in the next day or so (something we *do* allow for :)
This was about a month ago, and she is having *no* problems now. Her vet
recommended a product for sale in pet stores (sorry, I can't remember the
name) that is sprayed on a paper towel and used to wipe dander and dried
saliva (the _actual_ allergens -- it's *not* the hair). It worked a
little, then she tried a spray product called 'FIT' which is sold in the
produce section of the grocery store and used to clean pesticide residues
off fruit and vegetables!!! She swears by it!! Spray on a towel and wipe
down kitty -- that's all. She doesn't use antihistimines at all.
The other advice of not allowing kitty into the bedroom :(( and to vacuum
regularly :/ is also very good. Also, try an electrostatic furnace air
filter -- they are about $20 and seem to work very well (we use one called
'WhistleAir'), they are permanent and cleanable. The only other advice we
give to sensitive kitten buyers is to get the kitten used to regular baths
(an art in itself) and perhaps to wipe kitty down a couple of times a day
with a moistened handtowel. A person we know that shows Korats wipes his
cat down with a towel moistened with water and a tiny bit of lemon juice
before every ring. The lemon juice is mostly citric acid, and will
solulablize and carry away the allergens. BTW, FIT is mostly citric acid
and baking soda (which, having a chemistry background, seems really dumb
-- it forms sodium citrate, water and CO2, so why not just put some sodium
citrate in soda water?).
Hope this helps someone live happily with their kitty :)
Michael