How To Treat A Cat With Skin Allergies

Cat Allergies

Life with cat allergies -- whether they're yours or a family unit member's -- can raise a lot of questions. Could a cat allergy explicate your son'south never-ending cold symptoms? Will you lot regret giving in to your daughter's demands for a kitten, despite your allergies? Will a then-called hypoallergenic true cat allow you to accept the pet y'all've always wanted without making yous a sneezing, sniffling mess?

Read on to learn what y'all need to know about cat allergies, from causes to treatments to avoidance.

What Causes Cat Allergies?

About 10% of the U.S. population has pet allergies and cats are among the most common culprits. Cat allergies are twice as mutual as dog allergies. Merely contrary to what yous might remember, it'south non the fur or hair that'due south the real problem. People with true cat allergies are really allergic to proteins in the true cat's saliva, urine, and dander (dried flakes of skin).

How do these tiny proteins cause such a big allergic reaction in the body? People with allergies take oversensitive immune systems. Their bodies fault harmless things -- like cat dander -- for dangerous invaders, and assail them as they would bacteria or viruses. The symptoms of the allergy are the side effects of your trunk'due south assault on the allergen, or trigger.

Continue in mind that even if you don't have an actual cat allergy, your cat tin still indirectly cause your allergies to flare up. Outside cats can bring in pollen, mold, and other allergens on their fur.

And what about and so-called "hypoallergenic" cats? While some breeds -- like the "hairless" sphinx -- are said to exist less probable to trigger symptoms of true cat allergies than others, any true cat has the potential to cause problems. This is truthful regardless of its breed, hair length, or how much it sheds. So if yous know that you or another family fellow member is allergic to cats, getting one -- no matter what the breed -- is not a good idea.

What Are the Symptoms of Cat Allergies?

Symptoms of true cat allergies can include:

coughing and wheezing
hives or a rash on the chest and face
ruby, itchy eyes
redness of the peel where a cat has scratched, bitten, or licked y'all
runny, itchy, stuffy nose
sneezing

Symptoms of a cat allergy might develop in simply a few minutes or take hours to appear. About xx% to xxx% of people with allergic asthma have severe flare-ups after coming in contact with a cat.

How Do I Know if I Take a Cat Allergy?

Although the symptoms of a cat allergy may seem fairly obvious, information technology'south not always the true cat that causes them. Information technology's a practiced idea to get confirmation from your medico. After all, you wouldn't want to arraign Mr. Whiskers unjustly.

Your doc can practice a skin or blood examination to see if you're allergic. However, allergy tests aren't always correct; the doc may also want you to try living without a cat for a few months to run into how it affects your allergy symptoms.

How Are Cat Allergies Treated?

Cat allergies tin usually exist controlled with standard allergy drugs. Your doctor might recommend:

Antihistamines, which are available over-the-counter -- like cetirizine (Zyrtec), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), fexofenadine ( Allegra), and loratadine (Claritin); or some antihistamines such as azelastine (Astelin) come in a nasal spray
Decongestants, like over-the-counter pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) or allergy drugs that contain the ingredient pseudoephedrine such every bit Allegra-D, Claritin-D, or Zyrtec-D
Nasal steroid sprays, which touch allergy or asthma symptoms in various ways; steroid sprays are a mutual treatment for allergies. Budesonide (Rhinocort), fluticasone (Flonase), and triamcinolone (Nasacort Allergy 24HR) are steroid sprays that are available over the counter.

Allergy shots are another choice. Allergy shots are non always effective, and completing treatment can take years. They're also not used for children under age five. But they tin can be a huge assist to some people. Enquire your doctor if they make sense for you.

Unfortunately, there's no style to foreclose an allergy. Some studies have shown that exposure to pets every bit a immature child seems to reduce the adventure of developing pet allergies afterward. On the other hand, a kid who already has allergic tendencies may get worse with exposure to a pet.

Reducing Exposure to Cats

While medical handling can help control cat allergies, the all-time approach is simple: avert cats and their dander. Here are some tips.

Don't touch, hug, or kiss cats. It should exist obvious, but some people think a trivial cat contact is OK. Information technology isn't.
Beware of visitors who own cats. Even if your business firm guests leave their cats at home, they tin bring the dander with them on their clothing and baggage. This indirect exposure can cause serious true cat allergy symptoms in some people.
Plan. If you lot have to stay in a house with cats, ask that the cat be kept out of the room in which you volition sleep for a few weeks before you make it. Likewise, start taking allergy medication a few weeks beforehand. Once an allergic reaction gets started, information technology can be tough to control. Just taking medicine can prevent it from happening in the first place.

But what if yous already own a cat? Here's the most sensible advice: if you or a family unit member has cat allergies, you shouldn't have a cat in the home.

Of grade, such harsh advice may not be easy to follow. What if your kids take already fallen in love with a kitten? What if you intended to never, ever part with your cat? If the cat has to stay, at that place are other things you tin can try.

Go on your distance. Limit exposure to the cat. Certainly, another family member should have responsibleness for the cat's care and do things like cleaning the litter box.
Restrict the cat to certain sections of the house. Don't allow your cat to roam complimentary. Continue the cat out of your bedchamber at all times.
Keep the cat outdoors as much every bit possible. That's how some people become around their cat allergies. Notwithstanding, make sure your cat is safe outside.
Clean rigorously and often. True cat dander gets everywhere. So you demand to sweep and mop the floors, vacuum the rugs, and clean furniture regularly. Make sure to get a vacuum with a HEPA filter, because regular filters may non be fine enough to take hold of allergens. Become rid of carpets and drapes that tin trap dander.
Clear the air. A cardinal air cleaner -- likewise as filters on the vents themselves -- tin help prevent cat dander from circulating through the firm.
Consider bathing your true cat on a regular basis. Experts aren't certain if bathing really helps reduce the amount of allergen. But if it doesn't traumatize the cat too desperately, you could effort it and encounter if it reduces symptoms.

While these techniques might help, they may not be enough. As difficult as information technology might be, if keeping your cat is putting your health -- or a family member's health -- at risk, you lot take to consider giving it upward.

Whatsoever you do, don't assume that you can just look it out, that cat allergies volition naturally get better over time. They might very well get worse. Out-of-control allergies can practice more than brand life miserable -- they can increase the risk of asthma, which is a serious affliction.

And so don't ignore the signs of true cat allergies. Instead, come across a dr.. Together, you can effigy out the best way to tackle the trouble.