Allergic to Cats - Some Things You can Try

My aunt is allergic to kittens. In fact, one kitten she brought home ended up sending her to the emergency room at the local hospital. She didn’t know she was allergic to kittens and was letting it sleep with her.

That didn’t discourage her from keeping that kitten, though. Because she had some allergy tests done she knew she was only minimally allergic to cats, so she kept the kitten out of her bedroom for the first few months. After that it didn’t bother her to be around the kitten.

She still has to be careful never to pet a cat and then wipe her eyes, or her eyes will get red and puffy.

Many people are allergic to kittens who are not allergic (or only minimally allergic) to cats. There seems to be a period of time, usually the first 2-3 months, when kittens produce some dander or something that affects people with allergies and asthma.

So if you have brought home a kitten, only to find that someone in the family is allergic, you have two choices. Find a home for the kitten right away while it is still cute and adoptable, or find out if the person is allergic to cats. If the tests show that the person is not allergic to cats, or only minimally allergic, hold onto the kitten. The person might experience some discomfort the first month or two, but after that everything should be okay.

If you choose to hold onto the kitten, keep it out of the allergic person’s bedroom. What I don’t recommend is putting the kitten outside. If the person is so sensitive that you can’t have the kitten anywhere in the house, then give it away (while it is still small and adoptable).

Other things you can try is allergy shots or chiropractic care along with a nutritionist. You’d be surprised how much asthma and allergies can be controlled with diet and supplements.

My aunt, the one who was so allergic to one kitten that she ended up at the hospital, now has seven cats in her home. She is fine, except when they bring home a new kitten. Then she again has to keep the kitten out of her bedroom. For a month or two she will have a little more trouble with asthma than usual, but she feels that this is a small price to pay for the joy of having a kitten.

It’s really up to you. What I hope you will do is consider the options and only get a kitten if you are willing to live with a little bit of discomfort temporarily. Of course, if the tests show that you are highly allergic to grown cats, then I recommend you get a dog or an aquarium of fish instead. They make great pets, too.