How To Have A Cat With Allergies

What Causes A Cat Allergy

A cat allergy develops when your immune system overreacts to a protein in cat dander, urine, or saliva. This protein is what allergists call sticky. It clings to things like hair, carpets, furniture, and clothing. And because cats spend so much time cleaning themselves, its not hard for traces of cat saliva to end up spread throughout a home.

When your immune system responds to the harmless cat protein, it acts as though its dangerous. The body induces an immune response in an attempt to get rid of the allergen, which leads to a range of allergy symptoms.

How Do I Know If I Have A Cat Allergy

Although the symptoms of a cat allergy may seem fairly obvious, it’s not always the cat that causes them. It’s a good idea to get confirmation from your doctor. After all, you wouldn’t want to blame Mr. Whiskers unjustly.

Your doctor can do a skin or blood test to see if you’re allergic. However, allergy tests aren’t always correct the doctor may also want you to try living without a cat for a few months to see how it affects your allergy symptoms.

Living With An Allergic Cat

inCat’s health

Have you been asking yourself the question what if my cat has food allergies? what is a hypoallergenic diet for cats? how do I find food for allergic cats? questions, we will try answering in a short and simple way. The topic of what is the best food for cats with allergies is not simple and the science is not perfect or maybe our pets are perfect and we simply need to learn how to feed our cats better.

The term food allergy is used to describe an abnormal reaction to an antigen within consumed food. If your cat is allergic or has an allergic reaction in simple terms its immune system is reacting to a specific protein found in the food it ate. The problem is that the cats immune system thinks that certain protein in a food is an invader, not a food item and starts an immune response. Science knows the mechanism of food allergies but it doesnt know why these allergies occur and why some cats have them and others dont.

Cat food allergies are very common and they mostly present as skin problems but can also show other symptoms the list is long from gastrointestinal signs like vomiting, flatulence or diarrhoea to behavioural changes. The symptoms can appear alone or together, sometimes all symptoms at once. A terrible experience for the owner and the cat, which is not only scratching itself but also suffering from have gastric problems.

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Reducing Exposure To Cats

While medical treatment can help control cat allergies, the best approach is simple: avoid cats and their dander. Here are some tips.

• Don’t touch, hug, or kiss cats. It should be obvious, but some people think a little cat contact is OK. It isn’t.
• Beware of visitors who own cats. Even if your house guests leave their cats at home, they can bring the dander with them on their clothing and luggage. This indirect exposure can cause serious cat allergy symptoms in some people.
• Plan. If you have to stay in a house with cats, ask that the cat be kept out of the room in which you will sleep for a few weeks before you arrive. Also, start taking allergy medication a few weeks beforehand. Once an allergic reaction gets started, it can be tough to control. But taking medicine can prevent it from happening in the first place.

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

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

While these techniques might help, they may not be enough. As hard as it might be, if keeping your cat is putting your health — or a family member’s health — at risk, you have to consider giving it up.

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What Is The Most Common Food Allergy In Cats

It is the most common food allergen in cats, but they can also be allergic to beef, turkey, egg, soy, or milk, as well as less common meat sources such as venison and duck. Grains and gluten are not an allergy to cats.

Managing Cat Allergies

Despite the fact that cat allergies are difficult to treat, there are some remedies available. Keeping your cat indoors is an option if you want to avoid exposing them to allergen particles. Another method is to use an allergen-free pet bed, which can help reduce your exposure to the allergen. Some cats may require medication to combat their symptoms.

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Becoming An Advocate For People With Allergies And Asthma

Kathy got involved with the AAFA in 2005 as a volunteer when her kids were small. They both had food allergies and asthma. Kathy was diagnosed with a severe cat allergy as an adult.

Now, her job involves sharing information that can help. That includes what she has learned about managing her own allergies.

For me, this is all very personal supporting patients and families who are dealing with these conditions and the challenges that they bring, she says.

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Keep Your Cat Out Of Your Bedroom

You might be accustomed to snuggling with your kitty in bed, but sleeping with your cat when youre allergic will definitely cause problems. Keeping your cat out of your bedroom wont eliminate allergens from the room, but it will cut down on them drastically and should allow you to breathe comfortably.

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Stay On Top Of The Litter Box

A lot of people may be under the impression that waste products from the cat do not cause an allergic reaction but this is a common misconception. The urine of your pet also contains many allergens, and when left to fester, these can spread into the air and trigger your symptoms.

This is why it is essential that you stay on top of changing and cleaning the litter box as and when your cat uses it.

If you have a cat that goes outside, it is possible to train him to do his business outdoors only. This may take some work, but it could drastically reduce the number of allergens you are exposed to within the home.

Maintaining An Optimal Environment

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Symptoms Of Chicken Allergy In Cats

There are a few symptoms of chicken allergy in cats that you should be aware of. These include itching, redness, and swelling of the skin, sneezing, watery eyes, and runny nose. If your cat is displaying any of these symptoms, its important to take them to the vet as soon as possible to rule out any other possible allergies or health conditions.

Food allergy symptoms, as opposed to skin or gastrointestinal symptoms, will be felt by the majority of people. Cats can develop chicken allergies at any age, including at any stage in their development. Among the most common foods that cause allergies or intolerances are chicken, fish, beef, lamb, dairy, and eggs. If the allergy is not properly diagnosed, treatment may be initiated even before the allergy is diagnosed. There are a variety of tests available to evaluate the skin and the blood. An allergic reaction to food can cause rashes or itching, and steroids are used to treat these conditions. Pet Insurance covers the costs of many different types of pet health issues.

You should carefully read the labels of your cats food and treats if you want to ensure that they do not come into contact with chicken. Cross-reactions between similar proteins are quite common. If you believe your mother may be allergic to chicken, you should discuss with her how you will limit or change the diet or treats you consume.

Why Does My Cat Have Itchy Skin And Diarrhea

Some cats may have allergies to certain foods. This can cause skin itchiness, vomiting, or diarrhea. Your veterinarian can help you find out which foods are irritating your cat and create an appropriate diet. Atopic dermatitis. When a cat experiences allergies, their bodies can often react with a skin condition called atopic dermatitis.

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Living With Pet Allergy

The best solution to pet allergies is to avoid exposure for example, by not having a pet in your home. Often, the only solution is to find the pet a new home. You should also avoid smoking, as this makes allergies more likely to develop.

Washing the pet, restricting it to one area of the house, using high efficiency particulate air cleaners and removing carpet havent been shown to work.

If you have a pet allergy, always wash your hands after touching the animal and never let it into your bedroom.

If you cant avoid exposure, you might be able to treat the symptoms with medication, such as:

• nasal steroid sprays

Another option is immunotherapy, which is also known as desensitisation. Its offered by a specialist known as an immunologist, and takes 3 to 5 years to complete.

Managing Atopic Dermatitis In Cats

Atopic dermatitis is a diagnosis of exclusion. This means that your cat has consistently been on flea preventatives, has completed a food trial, and is still very itchy. At this point, the treatment options include:

• Continuing to use corticosteroids

• Using an immunomodulatory medication like Atopica

• Blood testing for allergies to start immunotherapy

Corticosteroids

Corticosteroids are anti-inflammatories, which means that they reduce the inflammation associated with cat skin allergies. Commonly used corticosteroids are prednisolone and triamcinolone.

Possible side effects include increased thirst and kidney injury. In cats, corticosteroids are usually quite safe, but they must be used at a dose that is as low as possible while still controlling your cats skin disease.

Atopica

Atopica, also called cyclosporine, suppresses the immune system cells that are associated with allergies so there is less inflammation. Possible side effects of cyclosporine are stomach upset and diarrhea, but it is generally considered safe in cats.

Allergy Shots

The final possibility for atopic dermatitis is immunotherapy, or allergy shots. Immunotherapy means that we are trying to change how the immune system sees the antigens so that it no longer reacts.

This starts with a blood or skin test to figure out exactly what environmental antigens your cat is reacting to. Once the test has shown what your cat is allergic too, a laboratory makes a serum of the antigens.

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Owning A Cat When You Have Allergies

Before deciding you cannot have a cat, check with your doctor first and pinpoint exactly what causes your allergy.

If you or someone you live with is allergic to cats, you may think that you can never own one however, this is far from the truth. The benefits of having a pet usually outweigh the drawbacks of pet allergies for many people. You’d be surprised to know how many people, with non-life-threatening allergies, live with pets despite having allergies to them! There are several ways to manage your cat allergies and if you, like many other people, prefer not to be tied down to a regimen of drugs and sprays, it is still possible to own your very own furry companion.

Any and all cats and dogs may cause reactions for people who are allergic to animals. Cats tend to cause more reactions than dogs for allergic people, although some people are more sensitive to dogs than cats. Contrary to popular belief, there are no “non-allergenic” breeds of dogs or cats even hairless breeds may cause symptoms.

Myth #: You Have To Re

If you have a life-threatening allergy to cats, your only alternative might be to find them a new home. However, most people have less severe reactions and can manage symptoms successfully.

Some things you can do to limit reactions include:

• always wash your hands and avoid touching your face and eyes after handling your cat

• regularly clean surfaces and change litter to reduce dander

• wash your cat weekly with a pet-specific shampoo, ifyour cat likes being bathed

• restrict cats access to rooms you want to keep allergy-free, such as the bedroom

• get a vacuum specifically designed for reducing allergens, such as ones with a HEPA filter

• use air purifiers with HEPA filters.

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Purina Institute Cat Allergen Diet Study

The Swiss scientists arent the only ones to bring a cat de-allergenator to market: Purina Pro Plan LiveClear cat foods.

Purina has taken a different approach to tackling the Fel d1 protein. They are working to neutralize the allergen through a cats diet.

The company recently published a study explaining how an egg product ingredient can be introduced to a cats diet to help neutralize the major cat allergen, Fel d1.

The concept is similar to the vaccine, with the goal being to decrease levels of active Fel d1 found in cat saliva.

While Purinas study did not yet incorporate humans allergic response rates, an encouraging 86% of cats saw at least a 30% reduction from the baseline Fel d1 levels.

Recovery And Management For Allergies In Cats

With time, the commitment of loving pet parents, and a close relationship with a veterinarian, allergies can be managed, and your cat can enjoy a good quality of life. Allergies cannot typically be cured, but with monitoring and early intervention if flare-ups do occur, cats can quickly return to normal.

Risk factors, especially with cats with atopy, include environments with long allergy seasons and high pollen levels. Cats with multiple types of allergies are more difficult to diagnose, treat, and manage.

In addition, some allergies like flea allergies and contact dermatitis, become more severe and chronic as cats age. Work with your vet to determine the best treatments to manage your cats allergies, given the specific diagnosis and its personality.

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How To Prevent Cat Allergies

Other ways to minimize cat allergy symptoms when living with cats include:

• Avoid hugging and kissing pets if you are allergic to them
• Wash your hands regularly, especially after coming in contact with furry animals.
• Keeping pets out of specific areas such as your bedroom can reduce allergy symptoms since you spend about eight hours every day in this room. So can keeping your pet off of upholstered furniture.
• Grooming: Have someone who doesnt have allergies brush the cat regularlyoutside, not indoors.
• Vacuuming: Regularly vacuum using a double or micro-filter bag in the vacuum to reduce the amount of pet allergen present in carpeting that leaks back into the room air.
• Air purifiers: Use HEPA air cleaners, which can be a big help in removing unwanted allergenic particles from the air.
• Remove carpeting and rugs, which can trap pet dander and other allergens, low pile carpet can reduce trapped dander.

Keeping animals outside may only a temporary solution, since pet dander will eventually make its way indoors as it is carried on clothing.

Tell Me About The Major Cat Allergen Fel D 1 And Why Is It Important

All cats produce the cat allergen Fel d 1, the major component in cat allergy, regardless of breed, age, hair length, sex or body weight, but at differing levels. This means that not all cats are equally allergenic. However, there are no cats that are hypoallergenic even though there have been attempts to breed these. Intact male cats produce more Fel d 1 than females, while neutered males produce similar levels to females.

It is often thought that cat hair itself is the allergen, but its what is on the hair, the Fel d 1 protein produced in the cats mouth and skin that is the main allergen. The cat spreads this through its hair during the grooming process as it licks itself and it then gets into the indoor environment and with shedding it then gets onto the furniture and walls.

Fel d 1 is very sticky, light in weight and easily becomes airborne. It has a very small protein structure that can easily get deep down into the airways of the lungs to cause problems, that can exacerbate asthma in sensitised individuals. As it is so sticky, it attaches itself to hair and clothing and gets in places you would not suspect, even behind radiators and skirting boards. It can last for many months before breaking down, which makes it a real nuisance allergen to get rid of. It is often transported out of the home on clothes.

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