Cat Allergy Symptoms

Cat allergies are one of the most common allergies to animals. About 10% of people are allergic to cats and around half that are allergic to dogs. The specific allergy reactions can include the following:

• Sneezing.
• Burning of the eyes.
• Sore or raspy throat.
• Clogged ears
• Ringing in the ears
• Wheezing, may be difficault to breath.
• Red, itchy, watery eyes.
• Coughing
• Stuffy nose
• Itchy skin
• Rashes on the skin.

What causes an allergic reaction to cats?

Contrary to what people think, it is not the cats fur that people who suffer from cat allergies are allergic to. It is actually the cats saliva, urine & danda (dead flakes of skin) .

Are there cures or medication for cat allergies?

Immunotherapy can help people with cat allergies. Immunotherapy shots desensitizes the cause of the allergy. Increasing the persons resistence to allergens by more than 8 times. This is a fantastic option for mild cat allergy sufferers, this hasnt been so successful with severe cases.

If you are unsure whether or not you are suitable for Immunotherapy see your GP, he/she will give you any advice on the matter. Please bare in mind it is not possible to cure food allergies with immunotherapy.

There are also over the counter medicines which may work for you, Claritin, Allegra, or Benadryl have worked for some people. These may come in capsules or nasal spays.

What else can be done?

Well, there is the obvious simply avoid cats. Try and keep on top of any other allergies you may have. People who suffer from cat allergies normally suffer from mold, dust and other common allergies. Keeping on top of these particular allergies, can make the cat allergy less noticeable.

You could always keep your cat outside as much as possible, or restrict the cat from certain areas of the house, making sure you limit the amount of times you visit these particular areas.

Keeping the air clean can also help, you can buy air filters. These will minimize the amount of cat dander around the house. Clean the house as much as possible, keeping the house spotless will also help minimize the amount of cat dander around the house. It may be a good idea to get someone else to do this the first few times.