Baby Eczema and Cats - to get one or not?

[oscarwilde]

My DD2 (7 months) has mild eczema - blotches on her legs, a large patch on her temple which she scratches constantly when distressed, and very occasionally a breakout patch in her elbow crease. We haven't found a cause or a trigger for anything as yet but there is a history of allergies in the wider family.
We'd like to get a kitten/cat but DD1 is only 3 and will not understand if we need to rehome it, not to mention how unfair it would be to the cat.
Has anyone introduced a cat into this sort of situation and how did you go about it? I'm inclined to wait until DD2 is older and past the crawling stage but not sure if that would make a blind bit of difference.
Would it actually be better to introduce a cat when she is younger so that she might grow out of an allergy/have a less severe reaction when she is older?

Are there any breeds [apart from the scary bald cat in the episode of Friends] that are allergy friendly?

I would take the child who has allergies and spend some time with someone with a cat, or speak with a rescue centre. That may help determine whether you youngest is likely to be allergic. We did this when we got another animal for my eldest (aside from the cats, dogs and fish!)

Both my DC have had cats around since before they were born. One has allergies the other does not.

As for being around cats at a young age, cats get out the way of little children they are not silly!

I personally believe that it is better for children to be around animals and eat a bit of dirt when they are little. Our hyper sensitivity as a nation is as a consequence of our over cleanliness!

As an eczema sufferer all my life I'd wait baby was older and probably less sensitive. Agree to exposing dc to other cats. Also consider getting an allergy reducing cat, I'm sure there is a proper term.

I happen to be allergic to cats and come out in white lumps rather than it affecting my eczema.

I love those bald cats! We got an adult cat from cpl when ds was 5 months but had mild eczema. 6 months later his eczema flared up and got infected all over, he had to have antibiotics every other week! BUT he was referred to dermatology and had tests for cat hair allergy, grass pollen and dust but none of these were significant. You won't really know if they are allergic to cats until they are in close contact. Can you spend a whole day with a cat?