Your email address will not be published. Allergic to cats? You can still be a sneeze-free cat parent! Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya via Unsplash. Photo by Eric Han on Unsplash. Submit a Comment Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. To have the greatest success it's important to choose the right breed of cat to own. Several breeds of cat have far fewer allergy inducing dander and skin than other breeds.
These breeds are safer to own than other breeds when you are allergic to dander, because their fur has fewer layers. This means that there is less dander and less fur to fly around, so people with dander allergies are able to tolerate them much better. The Sphinx cat, which is nearly hairless is one of the most popular breeds for people with dander allergies, while the Siberian is less likely to cause allergies for people allergic to the glycoprotein found in the saliva and skin, because their saliva has very low levels of Fel D1.
There are no hypoallergenic cats; cats that have been bred to show distinctive hypoallergenic traits, such as a lack of the allergy causing protein or different fur. Be wary of breeders or pet shops who make this claim. Create an area in your home that is "allergy free", preferably a bedroom or other room where pets are expressly forbidden and denied access. Keep the air clean in this room using a HEPA air cleaner. Use HEPA air cleaners throughout the rest of the home, and avoid furnishings where dust and dander can more easily accumulate, such as cloth curtains and blinds and carpeted floors.
The substances that cause these reactions are called allergens. A cat allergy can cause symptoms ranging from mild respiratory problems to a life-threatening syndrome called anaphylaxis. Cat allergies are among the most common allergies. According to one study , about 12 percent of Americans are allergic to cats, but in Europe, it is much higher at around 26 percent. The symptoms of cat allergies vary depending on the protein someone is allergic to and their exposure to that protein.
Very rarely, people with a cat allergy can develop a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis makes it difficult to breathe, can lower blood pressure to dangerous levels, and can send the body into shock. A person who has trouble breathing or feels like they are choking following contact with a cat should seek immediate emergency care. Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening reaction.
A person who is allergic to cats may continue to have symptoms even after the cat is no longer present. That happens because cat dander and other cat allergens can land on furniture and rugs, remain on unwashed clothes, and linger in linens.
People with allergies who want to live with cats or visit homes that have cats can do several things to manage their symptoms. Trying these can help alleviate the severity of allergies. No specific treatment or preventative strategy can guarantee a person will not develop cat allergies. Allergies develop when the immune system overreacts to a usually harmless substance.
Some people who have adverse reactions to cats think that they are allergic to cat hair. It is not hair that causes the reaction though. These substances contain some proteins that can cause allergic reactions.
This causes them to later develop an allergy to cats. Share this article. What did you find helpful? What was not helpful? Say more Sign me up for the PetMD Newsletter. Submit Feedback. Still have questions? Continue to Chewy. Connect With a Vet Experienced vets answer all your pet questions via chat or video.
0コメント