More learner questions please.....+ an allergy question re Petal Cleanse & other allergy survival tips?

[paisleyII]

1. is it alright if i give her some (semi skimmed) milk?
   
2. is it normal for her poo to really stink.........(when i came down this morning the whole of the downstairs and upstairs landing smelt).
   
3. re Petal Cleanse, i order some yesterday online - do i once a week get a damp cloth, put some petal cleanse on and then wipe over her?.....
   
4. any more of your guys with allergy to a cat, own a cat and have some survival tips? (I have ordered two Bionaire air filter jobby (costing me a fortune but i'll do it for her...)
   

i feel like i have just had my daughter, like a new mum all over again, learning as i go along :) thanks for your help

[suzi2]

1. No, many cats don't tollerate cows milk well. If you really wanted to give milk then there are special 'cat milk's available at the supermarket. But if she's got fresh water and a reasonable quality cat food then that'll be fine.
   
2. Yes, they can be particularly stinky. What you feed them can change the smell though - dried foods tend to produce drier, less stinky poos. But some cats don't tollerate an all dried diet so a mix is probably best. I'm assuming the poos are formed well and she hasn't got the runs? Change of food etc can put their tummies off a wee bit to start with. Type of cat litter also makes a difference. IME the least stinky is the wood pellet based one. It's easy to change too as you can kind of 'sieve' out the wet stuff easily rather than clay clumpy stuff.
   
3. Never used it... would be interested to hear how you get on. We have a new kitten and despite being fine with previous cat, we're all a little allergic.
   
4. The allergens are usually in their saliva. so wash hands after petting. Wipe down surfaces and even walls to reduce the allergens. If you brush her to remove hair then that might help too as the hair coated in saliva is the problem. In most cases our tollerance builds quickly, but we have been catless for 2 months now so our new kitten is giving us more trouble than expected! Confining them to a few areas of the house (and not bedrooms etc) can help too. A good hoover is useful as well. And antihistamines :-)

[paisleyII]

thanks alot suzi2, good luck with your kitten and your allergies. i have also invested in an air purifier, no idea if it will help but i am desperate to try anything. i have just bought a brush too so will brush her hair which is long. i also just bought her in sainsbury's a toy cuddly furry rat, first time i have seen her play, lovely stuff :)