Get Rid Of Rugs And Carpets
Even with regular vacuuming, rugs and carpets can harbor cat dander and contribute to allergy attacks. Rolling up rugs can be an immediate solution, and replacing carpets with options like hardwood, laminate or tile will cut down on the amount of dander in your home more permanently. If youre attached to soft flooring, try sticking to area rugs and having them cleaned on a regular basis. That way cat dander wont have an opportunity to build up too much in the carpet fibers.
Make Some Rooms Off Limits
Fact:
Airborne cat allergen levels have been found to be much higher in rooms where cats are physically present.
Do you see where were going with this?
Designate cat-free spaces in your home.
In other words: keep your furry friend out of the bedroom or other areas where you spend a lot of time.
According to Allergist Dr. Dana Wallace:
The ideal situation is one where the cat has its private room where it lives most of the time. This really significantly reduces the exposure of dander to the rest of the house.
To top it off:
Restricting kitty to a certain room or area will also make it easier to keep up with cleaning efforts.
In one word: great!
What Causes A Pet Allergy
The job of the immune system is to find foreign substances, such as viruses and bacteria, and get rid of them. Normally, this response protects us from dangerous diseases. People with pet allergies have over-sensitive immune systems. They can react to harmless proteins in the pet’s urine, saliva or dander . The symptoms that result are an allergic reaction. The substances that cause allergic reactions are allergens.
Pet allergens can collect on furniture and other surfaces. The allergens will not lose their strength for a long time. Sometimes the allergens may remain at high levels for several months and cling to walls, furniture, clothing and other surfaces.
Pet hair is not an allergen. It can collect dander, urine and saliva. It also can carry other allergens like dust and pollen.
Cat and dog allergens are everywhere. Pet allergens are even in homes and other places that have never housed pets. This is because people can carry pet allergens on their clothing. Also, allergens can get into the air when an animal is petted or groomed. Pet allergens can also be stirred into the air where the allergens have settled. This can happen during dusting, vacuuming or other household activities. Once airborne, the particles can stay suspended in the air for long periods.
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Cat Allergy Management And Treatment
Avoidance is the best way to manage a cat allergy. If you have a cat and are allergic to cats, consider removing the cat from the home.
If you have a cat but dont want to find it a new home, or if your family wants a cat even though someone in the household is allergic, here are some strategies that may help keep symptoms at bay:
- Keep the cat out of your bedroom and restrict it to only a few rooms. Be advised that keeping the cat in only one room will not limit the allergens to that room.
- Dont pet, hug or kiss the cat if you do, wash your hands with soap and water.
- High-efficiency particulate air cleaners run continuously in a bedroom or living room can reduce allergen levels over time.
- Regular use of a high-efficiency vacuum cleaner or a central vacuum can reduce allergen levels.
- Giving your cat a bath at least once a week can reduce airborne cat allergen.
Treatments for cat allergy vary, depending on the symptoms.
Your allergist can help determine what treatment would be best to treat your cat allergy. Nasal symptoms often are treated with steroid nasal sprays, oral antihistamines or other oral medications. Eye symptoms are often treated with antihistamine eyedrops. Respiratory or asthma symptoms can be treated with inhaled corticosteroids or bronchodilators to either prevent or relieve respiratory symptoms.
Allergy shots are an effective treatment of allergies by building tolerance over time through gradually injecting increasing doses of an allergen.
Air Purifier For Cat Dander
As you can imagine, there are many many air purifiers on the market. If you have cat allergies but you want to live with a cat , then an air purifier that works well for picking up cat dander is essential.
Get an air purifier with a HEPA filter 99.7% which traps microns as small as 0.3 microns.
I have the air purifier on pretty much 24/7. I let it rest sometimes for a few hours every few days and then turn it back on again. This is one of the best ways to help reduce dander, and hence, allergic reaction from cats.
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Cat Breeds That Produce Less Dander
Even with all this technological advancement, scientists havent produced a genetically modified cat that is hypo-allergenic. I am against that anyway, because what about all the regular cats in shelters that need loving homes?
But there are cat breeds that produce less Fel d1 and Fel d4 proteins found in the dander that are the culprits in causing allergic reactions for humans.
There are about 8 breeds that are less allergic reaction prone for humans. Although thats a pretty slim selection, they are a wide variety in terms of appearance and personality, so you can find the breed that suits your personality the most. But I mean, theyre cats, so if youre a cat lover, any cat breed should melt your heart.
My favorite of these cat breeds is the Russian Blue, not only because they are beautiful but also because they love to cuddle.
How Do You Get Rid Of Allergies In Cats
Consider adding an air purifier with a HEPA filter to help remove airborne allergens. You might also try adding probiotics to your own diet. If you dont seem to be adjusting, you can also try getting shots to help your cat allergies. These immunotherapy shots work on the same principle as exposure to a cat over time.
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Diagnosing Allergies In Cats
It can be difficult to discover what a cat is allergic to. Elimination diets and exclusion trials with different cleaning products, food dishes, beds, and medications may be necessary to discover what causes an allergic reaction if it isn’t obvious. Some blood and skin tests are available for detecting some kinds of allergens.
Current Cat Allergy Treatments
If avoiding cats isnt possible, or you just really, really want a cat despite an allergy, Blaiss recommends at a minimum to never allow the cat inside your bedroom, where you spend about eight hours a day.
Products such as antihistamines, nasal steroids and asthma medications can provide some relief. But medications treat symptoms, not the cat allergy itself. To do that, you need immunotherapy, which is given as shots in an allergists office.
Immunotherapy retrains the immune system to tolerate more cat protein without reacting. Typically, patients go to an allergists office for weekly injections with small amounts of cat protein during a buildup phase that lasts for several months. Thats followed by monthly maintenance injections for three to five years.
Research shows that cat immunotherapy can reduce symptoms in many people, and that the results last. But some people react to the injections, while others quit because of the inconvenience of as many as 80 injections in all.
A lot of people quit before three years. There really is a need to get the duration of it down, says Dr. Harold Nelson, an allergist at National Jewish Health in Denver.
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Infections Caused By Cats
Allergies are a manifestation of the immune system’s over-reaction to a non-infectious substance. But you can also get an infection due to cat exposure, such as ringworm, or an infection due to a cat scratch.
A parasitic infection caused byToxoplasma gondii is spread by cat feces. This parasite is very dangerous for pregnant women because it can cause birth defects.
Infections caused by cats are different than allergies.
How To Get Rid Of Cat Allergies Permanently: 30 Actionable Tips
This is the most complete list of cat allergy remedies on the Web. Period.
In fact, youll find 30 actionable tips and tricks on this page.
So, if youre looking to get rid of your cat allergies, youll really enjoy this list.
Ready?
Before we dive into the list.
Question:
What is a cat allergy?
Heres the deal:
The job of our immune system is to find foreign substances
and get rid of them.
People with cat allergies have an over-sensitive immune system.
It reacts to harmless proteins that are present in a cats saliva, urine, and dander .
A word of caution:
Cat allergy symptoms range from mild to severe.
Seek medical help immediately in case of a severe reaction!
Whats the cure?
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America , the best treatment is to avoid contact with cats or the areas where they live.
Removing kitty from your home is often the best treatment.
Let me guess
No contact or removing is not an option!
So here are some strategies on to how to deal with cat allergies and
keep your feline friend.
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Getting Shots For Cat Allergies
If you dont seem to be adjusting, you can also try getting shots to help your cat allergies.
These immunotherapy shots work on the same principle as exposure to a cat over time. The injections contain cat allergens starting in tiny doses that are gradually increased.
Youll get an allergy shot once or twice a week for about six months, with boosters every three years or so.
Make an appointment with your doctor so they can run some allergy tests and prescribe this treatment.
How I Feel Now
I miss when I had my cat-aversion. I would just avoid them and they would mind their own we would both be happy. Now, I like cats! I think they are intelligent, instinctual, primal, and just fascinating to observe! I was convinced to give them another chance and I’m glad I did. The last flare-up spooked me, though. I’m definitely motivated to do some research, but I think I’m a little ways from having a cat of my own.
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What Are Allergies In Cats
Allergies are an abnormal immune response to a harmless stimulus. When your cats body contacts an allergen through their skin or after breathing it in, a chain reaction starts thats out of proportion to the danger your cat is ina hypersensitivity reaction.
Immune system sentinel cells release cell signals that cause itching, swelling, and redness.
Cats are not usually born with allergies- they develop as your cat ages. Cats are usually diagnosed between six months and three years, but as diagnosis is often difficult, cats have been diagnosed as old as 14 years!
Keep Out Of The Bedroom
OK, I know what youre thinking. Theres no harm in snuggling with your furry friend.
But consider this:
You spend at least one-third of your time in the bedroom.
Thats a minimum of eight hours every day that you expose yourself to potential allergens!
Heres the deal:
You need to make your bedroom a cat-free space.
Start by washing bedding, pillows, and drapes in hot water
and from then on keep the bedroom door closed.
Also, keep cleaning as it may take weeks before you notice results.
The bottom line is this:
Keep kitty out of the bedroom.
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Dog Allergy Management And Treatment
Avoidance is the best way to manage a dog allergy. If you have a dog and are allergic to dogs, consider removing the dog from the home.
If you have a dog but dont want to find it a new home, or if your family wants a dog even though someone in the household is allergic, here are some strategies that may help keep symptoms at bay:
- Keep the dog out of your bedroom and restrict it to only a few rooms. Be advised that keeping the dog in only one room will not limit the allergens to that room.
- Dont pet, hug or kiss the dog if you do, wash your hands with soap and water.
- High-efficiency particulate air cleaners run continuously in a bedroom or living room can reduce allergen levels over time.
- Regular use of a high-efficiency vacuum cleaner or a central vacuum can reduce allergen levels.
- Giving your dog a bath at least once a week can reduce airborne dog allergen.
Treatments for dog allergy vary, depending on the symptoms.
Your allergist can help determine what treatment would be best to treat your dog allergy. Nasal symptoms are often treated with steroid nasal sprays, oral antihistamines or other oral medications. Eye symptoms are often treated with antihistamine eyedrops. Respiratory or asthma symptoms can be treated with inhaled corticosteroids or bronchodilators to either prevent or relieve respiratory symptoms.
Allergy shots are an effective treatment of allergies by building tolerance over time through gradually injecting increasing doses of an allergen.
How To Get Rid Of Cat Allergies
Itching. Sneezing. Wheezing. Rashes. Weepy eyes. Coughing. The many symptoms of cat allergies are just as unbearable as kittens are adorable. Its the ultimate conflict for cat lovers. The first step to getting rid of them requires knowledge of the causes. Ill give you a hint: its a protein in cat saliva and emitted from glands under the skin. It is neither hair nor dander that causes cat allergies. However, this protein does stick to the hair and dander, and therein lies the cat allergy problem. Well, that and the cat itself.
It sounds like theres no hope left. Yet, if you cant bear the thought of living without a cat in your life, there is hope. With some lifestyle changes , mild to moderate allergy sufferers can welcome a cat into their lives. Some people, like it or not, simply cannot live with cats. If you dont want to get rid of cats in your life altogether, try the info below.
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Best Cat Breeds For People With Allergies
Randa is a writer & former assoc. digital content editor at the American Kennel Club. She’s also mom to 1 Corgi & 2 orange cats.
Hives, sneezing, swollen or itchy eyes anyone with an allergy to cats will easily recognize the symptoms of a reaction. And if youre allergic to cats, you probably know someone else who is too.
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America , as many as three in 10 people with allergies in the U.S. are allergic to cats or dogs. In fact, cat allergies, the AAFA reports, are about twice as common as dog allergies.
Nevertheless, you might be looking for a friendly feline to join your family and are wondering if there are cats better-suited for allergy sufferers after all, theres always talk about the best hypoallergenic dogs. What about the best hypoallergenic cats?
Although no cats are truly non-allergenic, some breeds are said to produce fewer allergens compared to others. Read on through our list of the 10 best hypoallergenic cat breeds to learn more.
A Familiar Feline Surprise
About a month later, my partner and I went up into the mountains, meeting some good friends of ours to climb. We get up to the mountain about 6:30 am and it is quite brisk, low 40s and we only have our light summer jackets with us. Our friends were in their camper, finishing up breakfast the tantalizing warmth was overwhelming. We jumped into their adventure-home, to get warm with them… and their two cats. “No worries”, I thought, ‘my allergies are resolved!’ I thought wrong.
About 5 minutes in their cat-inhabited camper, and I was scrambling to escape for the crisp mountain air. It was just like my childhood itchy back, itch in my throat, lungs tightening, and eyes swelling. I got out of the camper, went to my car, only to discover I forgot something in my backpack at home: my rescue inhaler.
So silly, I shouldve had it, I always double-check too, but not this time apparently. I was lucky and the mountain air helped me recover a lot. If I had stayed in the camper longer or touched one of those cats, I would have been in trouble!
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Am I Allergic To Cat Hair
To help you understand how these new treatments would work, let me quickly break down cat allergies.
If you are amongst the 1 in 5 people worldwide who suffer a range of allergic symptoms when youre near a cator even near someone who has a catyour allergies are actually NOT caused by the animals fur.
This is why a short-haired cat likely invokes the same allergic response as a long-haired Persian cat.
The culprit behind your sneezing and wheezing and puffy eyes is a protein in a cats saliva and sebaceous glands . That glycoprotein is called Fel d1.
When cats groom themselves, some hairs break loose and become airborne. The offending protein in the salivathat Fel d1 allergenis carried on the hairs, so they become distribution vehicles for the potent allergen thats causing your inflammatory response.
How To Get Rid Of Cat Allergies Forever
Are you sick of taking allergy medication everyday? You can try cat-proofing remedies at home such as getting an air purifier or a vacuum for cat hair .
The short answer to getting rid of cat allergies forever is allergy immunotherapy. Many people who suffer from allergies to cats dont know how to get rid of cat allergies forever, because theyve never talked to a doctor about it. But there are precautions you should know when considering if its for you.
Allergy immunotherapy is basically allergy shots. Its not guaranteed to work to reverse all allergies like allergy to food, but it has a high probability of working for allergies to pollen, bee stings, dust mites, and pet dander. Woo hoo!
So why doesnt everyone get it? Mostly because its costly, very-time consuming, and most people hate getting shots.
Heres what you need to know about allergy shots as a method to get rid of cat allergies forever, and make your own determination as to whether its for you.
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