Love your cat, hate your sneezing? Tired of having itchy, watery eyes when your kitty curls up next to you? Or maybe you’d like to enjoy a visit to your cat-loving friend’s home without suffering from shortness of breath!
Cat allergies are no picnic. These allergies are about twice as common as dog allergies, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, so if you’re allergic to cats, you’re not alone. A cat allergy is actually an allergy to proteins in the cat’s skin, saliva, and urine. An allergy to cats is triggered “because the protein comes off of the cat’s skin, saliva, hair and urine and becomes airborne,” explains Dr. Bruce M. Prenner, a board-certified allergist with Allergy Partners of San Diego. “Disturbances in the air move the allergens around and they stick to inanimate objects, causing you to have an allergic reaction.”
The good news: “You can survive cat allergies,” according to Dr. Prenner. “Traditionally, the best way is to avoid contact with the cat if your allergies are severe, but it really depends on the severity of the allergy.”
If you want to cuddle up with a cute kitty but are allergic to cats, here are some suggestions for how to survive:
- Get Diagnosed
“Get the skin prick test that an allergist can offer, because it might tell you if the allergy is something else, such as mold or a different pet,” says Dr. Prenner. Typically, a prick test is performed on the skin, or a blood test called a radioallergosorbent (RAST) test is ordered. “Most importantly,” explains Dr. Prenner, “you need to make sure the cat is what you’re allergic to and that it’s not dust mites or another pet in the home.”
- Try Bathing Your Cat
“Bathing the cat is a simple way to remove the cat saliva from its coat, but that’s obviously not an easy thing to do because cats hate water,” says Dr. Nicole Singer, a veterinarian at Pleasant Valley Animal Hospital in Pleasant Valley, New York. “If you try, any cat-based shampoo would work, but most people take them into a vet practice who has experience bathing cats. The problem is that they are going to go right back to licking their coat again, but it might help some people.”
- Keep the Cat Out of the Bedroom If Possible
“The last thing you want is to be sleeping and wake up with an allergy attack,” says Dr. Prenner.
- Filter the Air
“Think about a HEPA filter,” says Dr. Prenner. HEPA stands for high-efficiency particulate air, and this type of filter forces air through a mesh that takes the particles out of the room. “It’s portable and available in the big-box stores. It reduces the amount of airborne allergens in the room,” he says. At the same time, keep your home clean by vacuuming it often and using a dust mask while vacuuming.
- Use Antihistamines
“There are three over-the-counter antihistamines that are non-sedating or less sedating,” says Dr. Prenner. “Claritin (loratadine), Allegra (fexofenadine) and Zyrtec (tetirizine) can help.”
- Use Nasal Steroids
“Nasal steroids,such as Flonase and Nasonex, can be used, and most clinical studies show some efficacy,” says Dr. Prenner.
- Try Herbal or Homeopathic Remedies
Homeopathic remedies may involve a pill under the tongue that has an extremely diluted form of an allergen, with the theory that this helps build up immunities to the allergen. Consult practitioners of non-Western medicine for guidance.
- Try DIY Treatments
Some people recommend a daily spoonful of honey or the use of essential oils. For example, an Oklahoma-based skincare expert and blogger swears by a salve of lemon, lavender and peppermint she made to help reduce her husband’s cat allergy symptoms. She’s posted the recipe at Jenni Raincloud.
- Change Your Diet
A diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the amount of allergic reactions and adding an extra dose of Vitamin C to your diet might help keep your sneezes at bay, according to the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Other supplements, including zinc picolinate and cod liver oil, also have anti-allergic properties and may help.
- Choose a Hypoallergenic Breed of Cat
If you’re interested in having a cat but worried about allergies, investigate non-shedding cats.”There are hairless cats that won’t shed and you won’t have an allergic reaction,” says Dr. Singer. Oriental and Javanese are two examples of non-shedding cats that are better suited for someone with a cat allergy.
Lisa Iannucci is a freelance writer who has written health articles for many national newspapers, websites and magazines as well as several health-related books.
