Cat Allergies & Workable Solutions!
I got a whole lotta FUR!
Let’s face it people, cat allergies are a fact of life. Cat owners are all too familiar with the social awkwardness that can be created when entertaining friends or family that have allergies inside your cat-filled home. That said, it is still possible to have your feline friends coexist with your feline-allergic friends and yes, they can even become buddies! With a little bit of research and a few handy products, allergies do not have to dictate your social life.
The first stop on your anti-allergy shopping spree should be over-the-counter medication. There are many brands and delivery methods out there, but most anecdotal evidence points toward Claritin being the most effective brand. My personal choice ended up being Claritin’s RediTabs because they really do start to work in less than a couple of minutes. It’s best to take allergy medicine as a preventative measure, of course, usually about half an hour before you start rubbing your face in the kitty’s belly; but if you greet your guests at the door with a tab, that should solve most problems. Also remember that if your persistent allergies are fairly mild, you may build up immunity to the cats with time and exposure.
Because cat allergies come from the hair (or saliva to be more accurate), you need to focus on creating as much of a fur-free environment as possible. Wood, tile, or vinyl floors are ideal and vinyl covers work best with furniture. Carpet and fabric can be real fur magnets! Another personal recommendation is to have a separate wire brush just for getting hair out of furniture.
I’m getting my saliva everywhere!
Speaking of grooming brushes, nothing stops the spread of cat hair like going straight to the source! Regular cat grooming like brushing greatly reduces shedding and is the absolute best and easiest thing you can do to remove allergens from your environment. The most effective brush for my cats has been the much-talked-about Furminator. The Furminator is quite a bit costlier than most other brushes but has absolutely been worth it for me as it picks up much more fur than other brushes I’ve tried. Just be careful not to overdo it and remove more of your cat’s hair then necessary and supplement the occasional Furminator session with an easily-washable gummy brush which will help pick up the loose hairs. Your mileage with the Furminator, as with all pet products (and pets themselves!), will vary considerably.
While cleaning and grooming routines will always be the most effective solution to fight cat allergies, it is also a good idea to also keep an air purifier running to cover any invisible microbial allergens. Unfortunately, this is where your investment could start to get costly, as the general consensus on air purifiers under $100 is that they don’t quite do the job. After reading what feels like every review for every purifier under the sun, I finally settled on the Winix PlasmaWave 5300 model which is a decent compromise between effectiveness and affordability at $150-$200.
If I am ever fortunate to live in a space large enough to require two air purifiers, well, I’ve already set my sights on the high-end-but-worth-it Rabbit Air Minus2A which you can even get with fancy artistic face plates if money is truly no object. I should also mention that all air purifiers do require a filter change a few times a year. It’s not a lot of work, but just another step to be aware of on your path to an allergen-free home.
And for those of you that wish there was a vaccine to make this all just go away, well, you might be in luck! Adiga Life Sciences, a biomedical research firm based in Alberta, has announced that they have reached a breakthrough in the quest for a cat allergy vaccine. This news article from MSNBC says that early trials were successful and Adiga has begun fine-tuning the dosage of the vaccine. While this is very exciting news indeed, it could still take 10 to 20 years for this kind of product to pass through the trials and regulation necessary to enter the marketplace.
Just because I’m a nudist doesn’t mean I won’t trigger your allergies… sorry
Lastly, a few words about supposed “hypoallergenic” cats– the whole subject can be very controversial so please use extreme caution when looking at any claims of allergen-free felines. While several breeds of cats are generally believed to produce fewer allergens and there is at least one company attempting to breed or engineer a hypoallergenic cat, the waters remain very murky.
Once your friends and family have been allergy proofed, they can get to know your cat better by learning about cat behavior in our Cat Chat blogs!
Do you have any allergy stories or product recommendations to share? Let us know in the comments section below!
Also, dairy can cause allergies to cats because dairy produces phlegm which puts a strain on your immune system. So when introduced to cats, your already compromised immune system can react. I recommend that people who have cat allergies (and anyone really) give up ALL dairy since even a small amount can affect you.
How long after removing the cat from the house would an a allergic reaction be reduced once from the vunerable person.
Hi Rob, you’d have to fully clean your house and air it out to get rid of allergens.
How do you know if you are allergic to a cat?
I have acute sinusitis and my cat which is a feral cat sleeps on my bed will this be a probable cause and waht can I do besides give the cat away which I really do not want to do?
Thanks
To Robs question…i moved into a so called no pets allowed townhouse park and the place i had moved into had been new carpetrd, all re-painted new lino…you name it…and after a few days i went to the manager and knew there was a cat living there before me…she had to confess. I think it was due to the air vents?..just a heads up
Hi, I have severe cat allergies however I don’t believe I always had them. I used to have a cat when I was young, 11-14 but when I came into my teenage years I suffered an acute eczema attack and my doctor advised me to re-home my lovely cat, I was heartbroken. Since then my skin becomes extremely itchy and eyes swell and water and become itchy whenever I get into contact with a cat. I really really need a cat in my life as I love them and no other pet suits my lifestyle. I live in Ireland and as my allergy is so severe I don’t think Clarityn will be strong enough, have you any ideas for a cure please? Many thanks, Debbie
My boyfriend and I just moved in together and, from what he knows, he is pretty allergic to cats. Most of his friends have cats and my parents have two; when he goes to visit he gets watery eyes and gets sniffles after a couple hours, not immediately, which leads me to believe he is not severely allergic. He never grew up with pets so he has never been too sure about long term issues. I know I am mildly allergic to cats…I grew up with them though (my mom sure does love her Maine-coons) so I am used to the occasional running nose and itchy eyes. I desperately want to adopt 2 kittens, but I will be heartbroken if I have to give them up once they are full grown. Does anyone have any information about products called bioAllers Animals Hair and Dander treatment or Allerpet? From what I read they both work, and along with an air filter, keeping cats off the bed, and grooming and vacuuming every day, I think it may just work out. Any thoughts?
My daughter loves her cats but recently she has been coughing non stop for a week now.We have tried cough mixtures different types to no avail, could she be allergic to cats? Please help she is now on a nebulizer.
My cat is 4 months old now. We give him Whiskas (wet food) as well as the pellets. Since Sunday we give him Pamper and he land in the hospital with pain in his body as well as nausia. He came home and then again the same problem. Do you think this is the change in food causing this sympthoms.
Hi Elsa, I think this is a question for your veterinarian. We have an article about how to properly switch a cat’s food so they do not get an upset stomach. If your cat has not improved he should go back to the vet and have a wellness exam performed to make sure there is nothing serious going on. Good Luck.
I am in the exact same situation as Debbie Lush, like identical!!We need help!
I am so sad…. I have 2 beautiful, loving, cuddly, sweet and gentle Maine Coon Cats that I adore and have had for only 1 year now….but have just learned that I am severly allergic to them. I had asthma as a teenager but it basically went away approx 20 years ago….now this last year I have noticed I was a walking asthma/allergy, all day…all night…so much so that I am back to using an inhaler just to breathe. I finally went to the doctor and she ordered blood work…. and sure enough it came back that I am allergic to cats and ragweed. Ragweed I can’t control…but the cats, sadly I can. This breaks my heart to get rid of them, I love them so much and they are SO loveable, and love to be held and snuggled. If anyone is interested….please call me at 610-517-4145. But you MUST be a cat LOVER!!!
So sorry to hear that Dawne
Have you tried putting an ad on Craigslist to re-home your cats? Also facebook is a good way to reach out because you can post photos and they can be shared with friends and friends of friends. I’m sure you will find them a good home. Good Luck!
Hi,I am terribly allergic to cats,and i just adore them.When i was 6,I had a cat that gave me no allergy problems,but the cats i had before and after her have made me sick.I am thinking about adopting a new cat,but my parents wont let me because of my allergies.Do you have any solutions for me to get my allergies gone as fast as possible?
To Debbie Lush and Megan, I’ve been severely allergic to cats since I was a child. I could walk into a room and within 10 minutes tell you if a cat lived there even without seeing any evidence. My eyes would water and itch, my nose would run then clog, and I would get this horrible itch in my throat. As an adult in my 30′s, I’ve found the following mixture of allergy/asthma meds helps me control my allergies:
Zyrtec (For allergies, now sold over the counter in the US)
Singulair (For asthma, now has a generic but I do NOT like the generic; does not work the same)
Symbicort (Inhaler; I take the one for COPD but there is one just for asthma now)
I also have a rescue inhaler. I’ve found that as long as I keep up these meds, I can visit my mom (who got a cat recently) and spend the night at my best friend’s house with little to no adverse reactions.
My mom was severally allergic as well but she went to an ENT and found out she had a deviated septum. After she had surgery to fix it, her allergies improved so much that she was able to get her cat and has built up an immunity now. I hope this helps. I’m a cat lover but not sure if I can handle living with one yet.
My wife had breast cancer and after her chemo treatments she was no longer allergic to our cat. We had to put our cat down 7 months later because of the cats health issues (17 years old), will my wifes allergies still be gone or will they come back? We don’t too get a cat and then return it if her allergies are back.
Hi Doug, I suggest you foster a cat from your local animal shelter and see. Fostering means you take a cat home to care for it and then you give it back when the shelter has room to put the cat out for adoption. Fostering is temporary care taking but foster parents often end up keeping the cat or dog. You can read more about fostering here. Hopefully your wife’s allergies will be gone for good!
My Daughter is allergic to cats and over the holidays family was visiting and brought a blanket that ther cat layed on. Now she cant sit on her couch without having a reaction, becaust the blanket was on that couch. Any suggestions on cleaning the couch.
Hi Rick, I’m sorry to hear that! I recommend steam cleaning the couch. Bissell makes a steam cleaner specially designed to remove pet stains. I think you can also rent a portable steam cleaner at your local grocery or hardware store. I think that will be your best bet! Good Luck.
I meet a wonderful, loving, caring, beautiful woman I would love to marry. I’m looking for anwsers to my problem with the allergy and asthma to her 6 cats they all live in the house. Can surgery really help, have tried some over the counter meds they haven’t work yet. I didn’t want to give up yet. We both had a hard first marriage, so this one will be our second. I truly love her and will do any thing to keep her. But in the begin when we started dating, she did say the cat are a package deal. So, no way around it! Is there a way to change my situation. Would love some feed back on it?
Thank you.
Hi Keith, I agree that you should not give up. Most often a combination of different things is what works best. The only way to figure out what those things are is to read, research, ask questions and try new things. Erika D. shared what works for her below, have you talked to a Dr. or Allergist about medication? Perhaps a combination of medication and “maintaining the home” are areas to research. By maintaining the home I mean, brushing the cats to reduce the thickness of the undercoat, adding air purifiers, replacing carpet with tile etc. I am not sure about surgery, I would talk to a specialist about it. I hope this helps, just keep researching and trying new things and hopefully you’ll find what works sooner rather than later. Take Care!
I have two long haired cats and I am allergic to them as well…..and have asthma. BUT, I have been feeling much better with weekly allergy shots (3 per week), claratin D or Zyrtec, and Advair inhailer. I will do whatever it takes to keep them! I know that allergies vary in severity from person to person. But, I hope that everyone who wants to keep their kitty or kitties finds the medicinal “cocktail” that works for them.
Thanks Kathy, I myself don’t have allergies but the more I research the more it seems like a “cocktail” yields best results. I admire your dedication to your furbabies
I have been diagnosed with cat allergies, asthma and eczema. I take a zyrtec(alertec from costco)every day and for the most part it takes care of the problem as long as I don’t get scratched. I really think living with 3 cats my body has somewhat adjusted to the cats. I did not test allergic to rabbits but if I get near a rabbit or guinea pig I break out in hives and my eyes itch and swell shut. There’s no way I’m giving up my cats!
i have really bad allergies to cats my doctor has told me that being around cats could kill me but i’m happy to say that i have two lil fur babies and i would never get rid of them I take claritin extra strenght 24hrs twice a day and make sure to clean my apartment from top to bottom at least once a week i also take my cats to the groomers for baths and a good brushing to help lower the dander it seems like alot but it means that i get to keep my fur babies without being sick all the time …ps if you feed you cat a raw food died it can help lower the dander gene in their saliva
Thanks for sharing your tips Renae! Cat allergies are a tough topic because every person is different and what works for one may not work for another. That is why it’s so helpful when readers share their personal advice. We admire your dedication to your fur-kids, take care!
Hi, I live in a house and I have 3 cats. My mother is VERY allergic to cats, once she was around cats for too long and she had to take a puffer and asthma medication. Anyway, my mom and dad are coming to visit me for a month and I don’t know what to do! I am NOT getting rid of my cats but I am not letting my mother suffer. Is there anything that she can take so that she is not allergic anymore? But, I mean permanent because one of the cats is hers and I want to give it back. (I got it when she became allergic and it is a terrible fighter and I need to get rid of it) How can I make it she is not allergic? Any pills?
Hi Epona, The tricky thing about cat allergies is that every person is different. My advise would be for your mom to see an allergist or Dr. to come up with a plan before she comes to visit you. Then she can adjust it as needed. The commenters on this blog have left a lot of useful tips. The best thing you can do is clean your house, FURminate the cats and get an air purifier, that may help. Cat allergies can be very serious and can lead to Anaphylaxis which can be fatal. You may need to make back up plans if the allergies are too intense for your mom. Hope this helps, good luck!
Some great advice here, and thought to stop by. As a long-time cat and dog owner who also happens to suffer rather severe allergies to cats, far worse when I was a child, though. Back then, I was pretty much allergic to just about everything such that, by even being in the same room or area with a cat when combined with other allergens (dust, ragweed, grass and/or pollens) was rather overwhelming, necessitating that I leave the vicinity immediately. Looking back, I well relate to Claritin’s advert that is currently airing on TV (yes, it was that bad, and while the advert is funny there is nothing funny about allergies or suffering, at all). Started on a regimen of allergy shots following a proper test, weekly shots for years until becoming a teenager at which point I stopped the shots, not a single one since and yet have enjoyed the companionship of cats ever since. My first feline who lived to a ripe old age (over 20) well tolerated the bath–loved it in fact, with a little blue dawn dish detergent, followed by a nice towel rub-down (weekly). In between, daily brushings with a fine-tooth comb (flea comb works well) dipped in water, sometimes with just a touch of blue dawn mixed in (removed dirt, dead skin and fur, along with the saliva, and left him shiny, happy purring and fresh). So successful was this regimen that I adopted/rescued another cat, only she didn’t tolerate the bath. Even although cats are fine swimmers, some really don’t mind the bath at all (and my little guy loved it), for others it is very stressful and why it is they will claw their way out any which way they can, including up your arm if need be to get out. Why put the cat–or yourself–through that?! If a cat doesn’t tolerate water (some do, but vast majority do not) it’s no problem as a daily wipe down with a cloth along with the comb dipped in water with blue dawn mixed in works fine on its own, too. Good housekeeping (vacuum with a HEPA Filter is a must, and might if you can consider a central vac). Steer away from foods known to trigger allergies and/or sensitivities (especially if you are allergic and/or sensitive to them, of course), and shower (wash your hair and change clothing) when coming in from the outdoors during pollen season, even if not particularly allergic to pollen, etc. This, so as to reduce allergens (dust, pollen, ragweed, etc.) overall which may not trigger a response, but could overwhelm the system such that, when a cat comes into the picture, it becomes the straw if you will that breaks the camel’s back. Allergy shots which build-up immunity over time are also available and have been for a very long time; they do work, and something to discuss with your doctor. Used to be the standard go-to procedure when patients presented with allergies, but not necessarily any more. This, because there are other effective means of reducing allergens–good-housekeeping and air filters which remove allergens from the environment, and goes back to what I was saying about being triggered as a child when in a home that had a cat where other allergens such as dust, etc. were also present, it being the combination of everything combined that triggered a very bad response, but which would clear as soon as I left the home, nothing quite like fresh non-dusty air! In my own home, it’s not a problem unless I get a scratch, in which case it’s a local reaction only (like a mosquito bite, no biggie). Allergies do change over time, which the medical community well understands and reason why the allergy shot isn’t a “go-to” remedy like it used to be; there are also OTC antihistamines (Benadryl is well tolerated even by children and pets themselves; while it is not long-lasting relief like Claritin, needing to re-dose every 4 hours or so, as required, but it works much more rapidly and remedies hives as well, which Claritin doesn’t). One of the hardest things to do when you have a beautiful cat is to keep that cat out of the bedroom at night, so hard I well realize, but something for your own sake and that of the cat’s as well allergy sufferers depending on the severity of the allergy, keeping in mind there are other triggers out there such that, while a cat or any other allergen on its own might not trigger a reaction, will if taken together as a combination. A few hours of good sleep, in a cat free room with an air filter in the bedroom, does wonders. In terms of allergic guests visiting a dwelling with a resident cat, good housekeeping with a good wipe down of the cat as above said is often enough for mild sufferers, putting the cat in another room having an air filter in it being another option, just not your own bedroom IF you yourself are allergic to cats! And yes, I am over all of my childhood allergies–whether the shots actually helped or I just outgrew them as a great many people do in fact is unknown, likely the latter though as a child while allergic the shots did help; completely allergy free with the exception of one (and one only), which just so happens to be CATS! By following the above protocols (great advice, to which I thought to add as said) I enjoy the company of cats, and will continue to do so. Not to mention that there are a great many cats and other allergy triggers out in the environment, such that it’s quite simply impractical if not altogether impossible to avoid cats and other allergens as said, to which good housekeeping, etc. goes a very long way and, in combination with the cat wipe-down and bedroom rules enables millions just like myself despite our allergies to enjoy our cats! Now, if I could only train the dog to use the litter box, or my new cat to enjoy the bath (both great animals, and well worth the effort which in reality isn’t all that hard, doesn’t take much, and in no time becomes routine). Again, great article/advice, and glad I popped by.
I just adopted a 5 week old kitten, and I’m already in love with the little guy. Over the last few days, anytime he bites or scratches me I’ve been breaking out in hives that have been getting worse each time. I would really appreciate some advise because I really do not want to give him up!!
Hi Sara, Allergies, treatment and relief vary person to person. There is advice left here by other commenters that may give you some ideas of things to try. I suggest you see a doctor or allergist and purchase a pair of thick gloves because the biting and scratching kitten phase lasts a little while. 5 weeks is very young to be separated from siblings. 8 – 9 weeks is usually the age they are separated because they need that time to socialize and learn bite inhibition. If your kitten is the only cat in the home, play, which involves a lot of biting and scratching will be directed at you. If you only have a reaction when he bites and scratches, he’ll grow out of it in a few months so just hang in there! Hope that helps!
Very helpful Rocketdog! Thanks for sharing your tips!