Desensitisation to cats

[riverpebbles]

My daughter (14) is desperate for a cat (as am I) and I think the right cat could really help her anxiety.

BUT. She, her brother and her father all have allergies to furry animals. We tried guinea pigs a few years ago and she gradually became more and more allergic to them to the point where we had to rehouse them. So I'm sceptical of being able to tell if they are likely to react until they've bonded with the cat and it is all too upsetting.

Also, all three of them become drowsy on antihistamines, even the new kind (is it loratidine?). My husband can't really function properly even the morning after taking antihistamines.

So. All in all, it feels like it is impossible and I should even consider this. Even if we got a Siberian cat, it is fairly likely that between them someone would have a reaction, and if it was my husband, raking antihistamines would affect his livelihood.

But at the same time, I just wonder if desensitisation treatment is actually a possibility? For potentially three people? How long does it take? Would they just be living in misery until it worked? I think I'm being ridiculous but I just feel like I have to look into it.

Just don't do it. Desensitization takes months/years, is unreliable and makes you feel ropey. It is possible that living with a cat might help suppress the allergy but equally it might make it much worse (two of my fur allegies became life threatening after prolonged close contact, a third was suppressed). They are allergic- so sorry, but a cat is not possible. Can you imagine how awful it would be if you have to rehome?

You can get cat breeds that are far less likely to trigger allergies. My friends dp and ds are both allergic, but they chose one of these breeds, have had him for 2 years with no problems. Can't remember the breed but it's a breed that are grey- you can google to see what breeds are like this. You will need to pay for one from a breeder though rather than go through a rescue.

Should also add they knew someone with that breed and went and spent some time with their cat to see if it triggered before paying for theirs