Can an allergy to cats ever turn serious, even analyphaltic?

[essbeeavenue]

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have never heard of it but I think things like that can trigger an asthma attack.

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Hi
I don't think they can. I have a severe allergy to cats too and I get to the point where I can't talk, get a rash all around my face, especially under my neck, eyes have a jelly like film on them etc etc.

Horrible isn't it. I dread visiting loads of friends and family because of it

I get hayfever and used to just be allergic to cats and would sneeze but then once they triggered a full blown asthma attack and I had never had asthma before. I can't visit my sister's house as they have 3 cats and I started to get very wheezy last time I was there.

DS had an anaphylatic reaction in august and i'm convinced it was from my mums cat.

Hospital said I wouldn't be able to prove it.

He's since had skin prick tests and had to have a steriod injection because cat came up so bad

I once had a severe reaction to someones kitten there was a nurse their and she thought I was having an asthma attack - I don't have asthma. I am still allergic to cats (we do have one though) but never had an incident like that again.

So I don't know but I suspect you can have a reaction severe enough to compromise your immediate health because you have an asthma type attack IYSWIM

A friend of mine suddenly developed a severe reaction to cats - if he hadn't have been rushed to hospital he would have died.
he had never suffered any reaction to cats prior to this and had most of his life had cats himself. He was mid-late 30s when this developed.
He now has to stay WELL away from cats and the children have to change their clothes and wash hands etc if they have been with cats before they can go near him. His dd forgot once and this resulted in him being rushed to hospital again.

I'm also very allergic to cats (and horses! Also occasionally housedust). I have an inhaler which I only ever need to use on the occasions I'm exposed to cats etc. I don't really consider myself asthmatic, my GP and I describe it as allergy related asthma. Exactly the symptoms you describe. I really struggle to sleep in a house with cats, and need antihistamines and an inhaler if I visit someone with a cat. I think I barely use it more than once or twice a month, but I always pack it in my overnight bag along with anti-histamines just in case. I think of it like having paracetemol in the house - no biggie.

I'd recommend you visit your GP to discuss whether an inhaler would help you. An inhaler doesn't make you an asthmatic, and you don't get a dependancy or anything worrying like that. They just clear the wheeziness, (which can be quite frightening) almost instantly.

I don't think your allergy can "turn anaphylactic". It just sucks, and can certainly be made easier to live with!

HTH

oops - withdraw the "can't turn anaphylactic" comment in light of the other posts!

I am similar to verylittlecarrot, very severe reaction to all animal hairs, and allergy related asthma.

It is horrible, but controllable with use of medicine and inhalers.

However have to say, as I get older anti-histamines get less and less effective, and symptoms seem to be getting worse