Will my baby be allergic to cats?

[CoreyLewis25]

Hello,

Hope you are all well. Apologies in advance if it’s the wrong thread.

I am hoping anybody can help.

I am curious if there is a way to discover whether or not my 7 month old would be allergic to cats?. The mother is massively allergic and myself (the father) I’m not allergic. We have family members we have not been able to see as they have cats due to how allergic the mother is but now that the mother is going back to work I’d like to see those people.

Thanks,

Corey.

I think you’ll just have to visit them and see. If he is allergic you’ll find out if he’s sneezing lots, runny nose etc.

there is evidence that early exposure to cats and dogs reduces likelihood of being allergic later on in life (probably more so if you live with a cat).

My mum is really allergic to cats and I'm not. Although I do have other allergies. I don't think it's something that you can inherit.

You might find different cats can cause a reaction.
Dd was fine with our cat but not with grandparents cat.

all you can do is try if out.

but if you do you need to change baby's clothes and bath baby upon return.

I am severely allergic (anaphylactic & asthma reaction) and if dc visit friends with pets they have to strip out of their clothes and brush their hair outside.
clothes get washed straight away.

it's not fun, but can't be helped.

You can have specific allergy testing (skin prick with an allergen and see if it reacts) but it would be a bit bonkers to do that to a baby.

DH is allergic to cats and 1/3 of our DC are. Could you borrow something catty from one of your family to test?- we found out when DC slept under a blanket that had been brought (to a mutual friends) from a catty house.

And be ready to go to hospital, have antihistamines etc ready just in case.

And check with your DW first.

I read that allergies don’t start showing up until 6 or 7.

We had loads of pets when l was little. Dog and a rabbit, and next doors cat was always in the house. I remember it scratching my arm at about 7 and the scratch swelled up. This was the first indication.

I had cat allergy first, but by about 12 l was allergic to every animal. Severely allergic. Cats are the worst which is why l guess it was the first to show.

Living with animals as a child made no difference to my allergies.

I'm more allergic to cat saliva rather than their fur, but obviously as cats lick themselves clean stroking them can be problematic.

Having said that, one of the worst reactions I ever had to a cat was a really sleek short haired version – no idea what breed it was.

bollocks

I had my first allergic reaction to a pet as a baby.

It’s not bollocks. I didn’t start getting allergies until about 6.

My dad is seriously allergic to cats (and other animals), but neither me nor my brother are.