Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Cat allergies and asthma

30 replies

Enderwhere · 31/05/2025 00:10

DS has asthma and a lot of allergies to the usual things, cat in particular seem to really set off his asthma.
his dads partner is moving into his house soon and bringing her cat- I'm really worried about DS's asthma- it's currently somewhat under control but previously he has a lot of stays in hospital with asthma attacks. He gets wheezy when he's around cats and that's usually only for an hour or two visiting relatives.

will regularly (every other weekend) being around cats mean that he will become less allergic?
he does take anti hestamines already but they only help so much. Is there anything else I can do to help him/lessen the effects?
I have anxiety so maybe I am over thinking this but it's making me feel sick worrying he's going to have an asthma attack when he's at his dads now

OP posts:
Earlymornyawn · 31/05/2025 00:28

Agree with all other posters.
I have a cat allergy, which means i get swollen, streaming eyes, non stop sneezing, pain in sinus etc. Then I had to move in with a relative who had 3 cats. I ended up in hospital having developed asthma due to the high exposure to allergens.
No, exposure to allergens did not make my allergy lessen, it made it distinctly worse. I had never had an asthma attack before.
Please protect your son, as you well know asthma can be life threatening. You need to speak to the father and tell him that his child won’t be able to visit if there are cats living in the house, it’s totally irresponsible.

mumofoneAlonebutokay · 31/05/2025 00:21

Yeah, his dad is being very selfish and unreasonable.

Even if the cat is put outside when ds is there, the cat hair etc will set off his asthma

I was the same as a kid, with a bunch of allergies. And asthma attack as a kid is terrifying. And even the non threatening symptoms, difficulty breathing, itchy skin, runny eyes and coughing are bloody unpleasant. I feel really ticked off on your ds behalf.

I still have all of the allergies now, at 33. I take fexofenedine 180mg daily and ive been able to get a cat.

I was on the fexofenedine for maybe 2 years before getting her x

Edit, before her, my experience of cats had been visiting step dad's friends for a weekend and being ill the whole time. He was also a selfish prick.

Hoardasurass · 31/05/2025 00:19

No his allergy to cats is unlikely to lessen and could get worse. Also it won't just be at his dad's house that he's around the cats hairs as they will come home to your house on his clothes.
You need to have a serious discussion with his dad about this as if his allergy is bad enough to trigger asthma attacks that could hospitalise him then his dad should not be allowing his gf to bring cats into the house, either that or your ds can never visit his house again

Totallytoti · 31/05/2025 00:14

WTH is his dad allowing this?! I would make a big issue of it, given he could have an attack!

RafaistheKingofClay · 31/05/2025 00:13

Regularly being around them is unlikely to make him less allergic.

This seems massively irresponsible on the part of his Dad.

Swipe left for the next trending thread