Cat Allergies

Cat allergies are a very common type of allergy for pet owners. Around one-third of homes in the U.S. have a cat. Being allergic to a cat seems to be more common than dog allergies. This may be due in part to the quantity of allergens produced by the cat and the potency of the cat allergen.

Many people with cat allergies have a cat in their home. The bond between the cat owner and their cat is often a strong one with the cat being considered as part of the family.

The cat finds the cat owner to be very trainable.

Many people develop an allergy to the cat after the cat has already been in the home for awhile. This creates a real problem. Do you get rid of the cat or do you learn to live with your cat allergy? This article (and website) is about learning what you can do to improve your allergic condition. Getting rid of your cat may be the only option for some. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be the first choice. There are many tips, strategies and products designed to improve the quality of life for the allergy sufferer.

The Cat Allergen

More than one type of protein produced by the cat has been identified to cause an allergic reaction in humans. The most well known is the Fel d 1 protein. It comes from the Latin word Felis Domestica.

One source of the cat allergen is found in the dander (shed dead skin). Just like in humans, old dead skin is being replaced with new skin. When a large enough quantity of shed skin settles out of the air, it becomes visible house dust.

The cat allergen is produced in the sebaceous glands. These glands produce a substance that is wax-like and oily. The function is to lubricate the cat's hair and skin and to keep them in good condition. Even humans have these glands on the scalp. (That’s why there are shampoos on the market to address oily hair.)

The sebum (the oily substance produced from the cat's sebaceous glands) is on the fur and on the skin that the cat sheds. It is not the fur and skin itself that produces the allergic reaction. It is the protein on the fur and on the dander (skin flakes).

This oily and waxy matter makes the cat allergen a particularly difficult allergen to fight. It allows the cat allergen to stick to vertical surfaces (walls) that other nasal allergens would not cling to. It allows the cat allergen to cling to clothing and to be transported and present in places where there has been no cat present. It makes cleaning more work and more of an effort.

Another source of the cat allergen is found in the cat's saliva. Cats are well known for cleaning themselves by licking themselves. This action of licking themselves deposits the cat allergen onto their hair and onto their skin. This gives the dander and the coat hair a second source for collecting and holding onto the cat allergen.

When the cats are done licking themselves, the saliva dries. The allergen is so small that it flakes off and becomes airborne. Because of how much cats lick themselves, the quantity of the allergen in the air and in the environment is quite substantial.

The cat allergen is a very potent one. For those who have cat allergies, it does not require exposure to very much to produce an allergic reaction. Furthermore, the potency remains “active” for a long time. Some reports suggest that the protein is still capable of producing an allergic reaction up to 6 months or longer after the cat has been removed from the environment.

The Cat Allergen Particle Size

The cat allergen is extremely small in size. It is considered to be one of the smallest particle sizes of all the airborne allergens. The cat allergen can be as small as 1-20 microns in size. This characteristic presents a problem of its own.

The smaller and lighter weight of an allergen, the longer it can remain airborne. The longer it remains in the air before settling, the more of a chance it has of being breathed in by the person who has cat allergies.

The longer that the cat allergen remains airborne, the more it will be circulated through out the home. One avoidance tip is to restrict access of the cat from certain areas of the home such as the bedroom. In reality, it is impossible to prevent any cat allergens from getting into the bedroom. In time, the allergen will find its way in by floating in through an open door or air vent.

The particle size of an airborne allergen is an important variable when considering the impact that it has on an allergy sufferer. The smaller the size, the harder it is for the nose hairs, mucus, and nasal passages to catch it. The smaller the size, the further into the body it goes. It can be very troublesome for an asthmatic person to be sensitive also to the cat allergen.

Cat Allergy Symptoms

Being an airborne allergen, cat allergy symptoms are very similar to the symptoms of having hay fever. The allergic reaction is a response from histamine being released by the immune system. The effect that histamine has on the body is it is the immune systems way of expelling the allergen from the body and to prevent more allergens from entering into the body.

Like other airborne allergens, the symptoms will be related to the eyes, nose, throat, and sometimes the skin. The most common cat allergy symptoms are;

• excess mucus production
• red, itchy, and teary eyes
• sneezing
• itchy skin (may or may not be eczema)
• runny nose
• post nasal drip
• coughing
• scratchy throat
• allergic conjunctivitis

The symptoms that occur may be immediate or delayed. What symptoms occur depends on the sensitivity to the cat allergen. In my case, I am extremely sensitive to the cat allergen. I don’t even have to see the cat. If I walk into a home that has a cat, I can feel something in my eyes as soon as I walk through the door.

Hypoallergenic Cats

There are some cats that are considered to be hypoallergenic. There are also a couple of companies that claim that they have developed a breed of hypoallergenic cats. Whether this is true or not depends on your definition of the word hypoallergenic.

Hypoallergenic is a word that means “less allergy causing.” This often gets confused to mean “not allergy causing.” All cats have a protein that is capable of producing an allergic reaction to those who are sensitive to the protein.

Hypoallergenic is also a word that becomes confusing based on who is using it. There are people with cat allergies but not hypersensitive to the allergen. They point to breeds such as the Cornish Rex, Devon Rex, LaPerm, Sphynx, and the Russion Blue claiming that they do not produce an allergic reaction. This may be true. Unfortunately for me, it is not true. My immune system is so sensitive to the cat protein that even these breeds produce an allergic reaction in my eyes and my nose. I will always wash my hands after toughing any cat.

The Cat Hair

It is not the cat hair itself that causes cat allergies. The allergen gets deposited onto the cat hair as described above. There is no relationship between the length of the coat hair and the potency of the allergen.

Even hairless cats have the capability of producing an allergic response. The sebaceous glands are still producing a substance to keep the skin in good condition. This substance contains the allergen. Even hairless cats lick themselves to clean themselves. The allergen from the saliva is deposited onto the skin where it eventually dries. Once dry, it is capable of becoming airborne.

There may be a relationship between the length of the cat hair and the quantity of allergens. Longer hair means more surface area for the saliva to deposit the allergen during self-cleaning. As the long-hair cats sheds, more allergens are released into the home.

Many cats are indoor/outdoor cats. Longer cat hair has a better capability of catching and holding onto other allergens such as ragweed, pollen, or mold spores. Pets can bring into the home other types of nasal allergens when they come in from the outside.

Cat Allergy Solutions

If you suspect that you might have cat allergies, the first step is to be tested by an allergist. What you do depends on what the results show. It’s tragic to get rid of your beloved pet only to find out later that you’re not allergic to cats and allergic to dust mites or cockroaches instead.

Nasal allergies are cumulative. Together, they all add to the total allergen load. All of us with nasal allergies have our own unique threshold of tolerance. Practicing cat avoidance strategies may not be enough to succeed if we also have other nasal allergies such as;

• Pollen Allergy
• Dust Mite Allergy
• Cockroach Allergy
• Ragweed Allergy
• Tree Allergies
• Grass Allergies
• weed allergies

It is very common to have more than one type of allergic rhinitis.

What tips and strategies you choose to try will depend in part on the severity or mildness of your cat allergies. The process usually takes the form of trial and error. What works for some may not work for others.

In my case, nothing works. I can reduce the severity of my cat allergies symptoms but I can’t eliminate the symptoms altogether. Even drugs only reduce the severity of the symptoms. For me, allergy medication may reduce the sneezing and runny nose but my skin still itches and my eyes still get red. Only complete avoidance works for me. But I still practice many avoidance strategies because my family and friends have cats in their home.

I believe in the avoidance principles. If you do not agree with me, then taking allergy medication or immunotherapy (allergy shots) are your only other options. Both comes with their advantages and disadvantages. And neither of them addresses the presence of the allergen in your home environment.

Below are some cat allergies avoidance tips to try.

• When you can, keep the windows open and let in fresh air. This will dilute the concentration of the allergen and help you breathe easier.
• Consider investing in an air purifier. With the cat allergen staying airborne for a long time, the air purifier has more of a chance of catching the allergen. Only a purifier with a HEPA filter will be effective. Consider a second air purifier for the bedroom of the allergic person. Anyone with allergies needs a room of oasis.
• Keep the cat liter box in a room that does not have carpet for easier clean up.
• Keep the cat liter box away from the intake vent.
• Clean the cat liter box slowly without stirring up the dust. If the box itself cannot be cleaned, then it should be replaced. The allergic person should never have to do this chore.
• I don't recommend a deodorizing cat liter product. It does a good job of covering up the smell. It makes it harder to identify a problem when it exists. If you don't have cat allergies, then it is a great product to buy.
• Always consult with your physician on the best strategy to implement. If you both feel like drugs is the answer, your doctor can tell you which ones is best for you.
• Consult with you veterinarian about products and a diet that will help minimize the allergen production.
• Avoid petting the cat. (But they can be very irresistible. So make sure you wash your hands afterwards).
• Use furniture throws and throw rugs that can be easily picked up and washed.
• Bathe your cat every other week. Try not to let too many weeks to go by without bathing the cat. Many times, the cat can be trained to tolerate it. But it is a simple fact that cats don't like to be bathed. It will just depend on the cat.
• If it becomes too difficult to give your cat a bath, use cat wipes to wipe the cat down. These should be on hand anyways to be able to wipe down the cat between baths. A damp cloth can also be used. This is an absolute must if someone in the home has cat allergies. This tip will help stop the allergen from becoming airborne.
• Wash your hands frequently. The cat allergen can be picked up from other surfaces other than the cat itself. Don't touch or rub your eyes unless you know for sure that your hands are clean. Use a good hand sanitizer.
• Brush your cat on a regular basis. The allergen is attached to the fur. By removing the loose fur and doing this outside, it helps prevent the allergens from being released into the air.
• Make sure your cat is neutered. The allergen production in a neutered or spayed cat seems to be less.
• Do not allow the cat into the bedroom of the person who has cat allergies. There always needs to be a place in the home for the person to be able to go to find relief. The bedroom door should always stay shut. This tip is a big help but the cat allergen will still make its way in somehow due to the length of time that the allergen stays airborne. That is why an air purifier with a HEPA filter is recommended for the bedroom.
• Consider changing your bedding to allergen proof bedding. This is especially helpful if you have more that one type of nasal allergies.
• Consider buying a steam cleaner to clean carpets, upholstered furniture, the bare floor and curtains.
• Consider buying a vacuum with a HEPA filter. Only a HEPA filter will retain the allergens that are caught. With cat allergies, cleaning is the most important thing that can be done. Vacuuming can collect the allergen before it becomes airborne. Make sure to use the attachments to get into corners and places that are hard to reach. Vacuum twice a week. This helps prevents the spread of the allergen to places that the cat has not been. Buying the right vacuum is well worth the investment and you'll be paid back in reduce allergy symptoms.
• Wash your bedding once a week. The cat allergen stays airborne for so long that some will settle on your bed. It is important to keep the allergens away from your bed in order to get a good night sleep.
• Take down the curtains and wash them once a month.
• Wipe down the walls weekly. The cat allergen can stick to vertical surfaces.

The Wikipedia encyclopedia has a good article on cat allergies if you would like to learn more.

Go to the avoid-nasal-allergies home page.

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