Cats About Town Society
Dedicated to stopping the suffering of homeless &
abandoned cats & kittens
P. O. Box 1224, Orangevale, CA 95662-1224
(916) 484-3700
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Cats About Town Society |
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ALLERGY RELIEF If you plan to add a cat to your household. Keep the cat out of the bedroom. Combat your cat's skin problems! Contrary to popular belief, cat hair itself is not allergenic. The primary offender is a protein (Fel d 1) found in the saliva and skin of all cats. However, some of this protein is transferred to the hair as the cat grooms itself, and hair floating in the air can irritate the respiratory tract of individuals with asthma and other airway diseases. Also, other substances that you may be allergic to, such as pollen, dust and mites, may cling to your cat's hair, especially if the cat goes outdoors. If you are one of the roughly 30% of cat owners who are allergic to their cats and don't want to give them up, these strategies may help reduce your symptoms. You may want to try one at a time or select several or all of them to try. Whatever you decide to do, though, give it time! Allow at least two months before you decide it isn't helping. Bear in mind that allergens are cumulative. A strategy that helps a little, if combined with another that does the same, may lower the presence of cat allergen in your home to a level you can tolerate with no or at least fewer symptoms. If you plan to add a cat to your household. If you plan to add a cat to your household, choose a female - they produce only two thirds of the Fel d 1 of male cats. If you have a male cat, neuter him. This will decrease the level of Fel d 1 on the skin as this allergen is under hormonal control of testosterone in male cats. Bath your cat in warm water once a week. Try using a creme rinse or spray-on coat treatment specifically intended to neutralize the protein allegin (Fel d 1). If your cat hates the water, try introducing him to bathing gradually over time. Put him in the tub or sink and begin with the tail or a paw. Next week add another paw, etc. Do not yell at or spank him. Feeding a favorite treat while in the water works for some cats. If you can get your cat to associate bathing with something he already expects and tolerates, or even likes, bathing him will be less traumatic. Try establishing a ritual of playing and grooming, combined with treats. Some cats accept blow drying as part of the bathing process, while others hate the sound of the blower motor. Most cats, on the other hand, enjoy being dried with soft fluffy towels and being combed and petted afterwards. If you find that you can't personally bathe your cat, take him to a professional groomer. Have someone (other than the allergy sufferer) brush and comb the cat outdoors or in an area where the air is vented to the outdoors regularly to remove hair and dander. Keep the cat out of the bedroom. Spending part of the day in an allergen-free zone may allow you the relief you need to see you through the balance of the day. Combat your cat's skin problems! If your cat has any condition that causes dry, scaly skin or excessive scratching or licking, try to find an effective remedy. Try to keep your cat free of parasites, such as fleas or worms, which can cause itchy or dry skin. Feed a good quality food. Some poor quality foods may contribute to the problem. Consider using a damp mop instead of a vacuum. The exhaust of most vacuum cleaners stirs up particles of cat allergen to such an extent that the allergy suffer will often be more rather than less symptomatic after the house has been vacuumed. If you must vacuum, check a consumer's publication to find which models are highly rated for filtration of allergens. Use a high efficiency micro-filter cleaner. If possible, leave the vacuuming to another family member while you go out and stay away long enough for the dust to settle. Fel d 1 sticks to porous materials, which in turn are difficult to clean thoroughly. Eliminate, as much as possible, upholstered furniture, wall-to-wall carpeting, shag and deep-pile rugs, down comforters and pillows, draperies, and tapestry wall hangings. Substitute with leather, cane, wood, chrome and glass, plastic slipcovers, washable scatter rugs, and blinds for windows. Enclose mattresses in vinyl and launder bed linens frequently. Replace foam or feather-filled pillows with hypoallergenic ones, wool blankets, afghans and quilts with synthetic blankets, and put the nick-nacks, stuffed toys, books and other "dust catchers" inside a glass case for display or pack them away. Use a HEPA-type (high-efficiency particulate air) air purifier and an electrostatic filter in your heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems or use a free-standing air cleaner with a HEPA filter in at least your bedroom, but preferably in all the rooms you cat favors. Make sure the unit you choose has the capacity to clean all the air in your size room at least twice and ideally four times an hour. Look for a dealer who will allow you to rent a unit before you purchase. Increase the airflow in the house with a fresh air heat exchanger and open the windows when weather permits (if other allergies such as pollen allergies aren't present). You may be allergic to substances other than Fel d 1. The only way to tell for sure is to be tested by an allergist. Take steps to eliminate these other allergens in your home also. Mold is a common allergen that thrives in cool, damp areas with poor ventilation, so install vents in the bathroom, kitchen, laundry room and basement to remove excess moisture. Use cleansers that kill mold around sinks, showers, drain boards, air conditioners, and humidifiers. Limit plants and use soil less mixtures - plants and potting soil support mold growth. Many allergy-prone people are also hypersensitive to roach urine and/or dust mites and their feces. Control cockroaches, and keep the area under and around your bed dust-free. A number of people of discovered that they are allergic to their cat's litter. Try using one that is free of perfumes, or change to a different type of litter, for example from a clay litter to one made from wood. Antihistamines and decongestants are available over the counter and can be effective in alleviating sneezing, runny or stuffy noses, and itchy, watery eyes. The wheezing and/or shortness of breath that signifies bronchial constriction and spasm (asthma) will require a doctor's prescription for a bronchodilator, which provides immediate relief, and a corticosteroidal anti-inflammatory agent, which helps prevent future attacks. A third class of drug, called an allergy blocker, works by blocking the release of histamines by the immune system. Allergy shots - works by making your immune system less sensitive to whatever you are receiving the shots for by gradually increasing the amounts over time. Holistic medical practitioners have started to question the extent to which our modern diet and lifestyle are contributing factors to the increase in allergies of some kind that 20% of Americans suffer from. Pointing to the fact that allergy is an abnormal immune system response, they reason that help lies in taking steps that strengthen and support our immune system. They urge a richly varied diet of organic fresh foods, served raw when possible or prepared in ways that maximize nutritional values. Avoid foods such as meat, milk and dairy products, derived from animals fed chemically grown grains and overtreated with hormones, antibiotics and other chemicals. They also suggest curtailing as much as possible the use of drugs that suppress symptoms rather than cure disease through support of the body's own healing processes. Every strategy for helping you cope with your allergy to cats has two price tags attached: money and time. There's no question that the cheapest, fastest, and only surefire solution is the one a doctor probably suggested in the first place: getting rid of the cat. But you also know that the so-called remedy ignores the adverse affects on body and mind of having to part with a beloved companion. That's what makes the effort to make things work out worthwhile. It's gratifying to have an ever-increasing list of ways to find relief. |
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