New kitten - worries and doubts [sad]

[Canshopwillshop]

We got a new kitten about 7 weeks ago just after we lost our old dog. i posted at the time that I regretted doing it so quickly but things settled down to a degree and she has become part of the family. However, 2 things are worrying me and I find myself blaming the kitten about them and I am hoping for some rational advice!

firstly, my 4 year old Bengal boy has suddenly started suffering from cystitis and the vet is saying it could be stress . The thing is, boy cat seems to enjoy the kitten - they play fight, they groom each other and chase each other round the house before curling up on the same bed. Surely he wouldn't be doing that if he resented her presence and was stressed out? On the other hand, maybe it's because he misses old dog? I am using Feliway but not sure if it makes any difference.

The other thing is that DD has had a cough (no other symptoms) which has been going on for about 5 or 6 weeks and I am worried that its because of the kitten even though DD has no known allergy to cats (we have had cats all her life and shes 10) and has never reacted to big cat in any way. In any case, both big cat and kitten are Bengals which are supposed to be quite good for anyone with allergies. What's the likelihood of her cough being triggered by the kitten?

I think I am being unfair blaming the kitten for these issues but would love some words of advice as I am driving myself nuts thinking about it!

By the way, I am not letting any of this affect how I treat kitten - she is a lovely little thing with bags of character and I just want to be able to enjoy her without these issues clouding things.

First off, congrats on the new arrival!

Second, could the new kitten be playing a lot more then old dog and (sorry) creating more dust?
Sometimes the mad antics can stir up a lot more dust mites and dust than an old dog and an older cat.

I think the cough may be related to the new kitten, but not an allergy to the kitten as such, rather the extra dust stirred up? Might this be a factor?

Or maybe your dd has a cough? The GP would be able to diagnose what it is...I wouldn't mention allergy fears to the GP: let her diagnose her-
Your dd may have a viral infection.. If its allergy, you will know what to to.

Oh how silly, I meant to say kitten pictures please!

Venus - thank you, hadn't thought of the dust issue.
Here is a picture

Absolutely adorable.

Can't really help with the cystitis issue, but with regard to the cough I do know that there is definitely a virus going around at the moment that causes a cough that lasts for weeks. My ILs have it, our best friends, and several people at work. If it started with a cold then that might be it. Maybe take her to the GP to get it checked out though. I developed mild asthma/cat allergy unexpectedly a few years ago although it isn't nearly bad enough for me to consider giving up my cat though, but I got an inhaler which makes all the difference.

Thanks grinning. She did have a fever and stuffy nose a while with the cough a while ago, then the cough seemed to be going but then came back - I'm wondering if she caught another virus on top of the last one. I have has her chest checked and its clear and she is not wheezy or breathless. I'll give it another few days and then make another appointment if no better.
Can I just ask how your cat allergy affects you? DD doesn't get itchy eyes/runny nose or any of the other classic signs.

I get mild asthma sometimes. Just a bit of tightness and maybe coughing, mostly first thing in the morning. Sometimes I sneeze or get runny eyes if I get cat hair up my nose/in my eye. If she pricks/scratches me with her claws then the break in skin gets itchy for a bit just like an insect bite. I always used to have hayfever and this far better than that, but all year round instead.

nothing to add OP , just , oh wow, what a gorgeous kitten
if only i could persuade my DH aka miserable git to have one like yours

She is just so sweet!

"I do know that there is definitely a virus going around at the moment that causes a cough that lasts for weeks."

Indeed. Actually, we went through a similar cat allergy scare to you, OP. We got our gorgeous boy from a shelter two months ago and around the same time DD1 and I caught this annoying virus. It went on and on and on - over 6 weeks in total (and we had the same thing with the cold seeming to go, then coming back a week later with a vengeance). It was like a persistent dry cough which made it difficult to breathe, and DD1 got exhausted from any exercise at school. We also suspected an allergy (while being surprised because I used to have a cat and had never had symptoms) and so went for an allergy test. I think we were tested for about 16 of the most common environmental allergens - grasses, trees, a few different dust mites, cat, dog, horse, etc. Negative for everything, no allergy.

The ENT specialist we saw (we're not in the UK, so when you got to a doctor you get to see a specialist straight away) said the virus we caught was probably being exacerbated by it being this time of year - sudden colder temperatures after summer, central heating going on in houses, etc.

So generally I would say the allergic symptoms are more likely to be a persistent virus than an allergy, but you can only know for sure with a proper test.

Can't help you with the cystitis, though! Your boy might enjoy the playing on the one hand, while finding the new situation generally stressful. In which case things will get better with time.

Thanks Archfarchnad - that's really helpful. I will definitely ask for allergy testing if the cough persists.

Canshop - I agree that your DD's cough could easily be a virus. Coughs can last for weeks.

If it is an allergy, it may settle down as your DD adjusts to the new cat (allergic people are said to get used to their own pet). I'm allergic to cats and chose Balinese kittens because I know they have a lower level of the protein in the saliva that triggers the allergy. In fact, our new kittens do make me and DS2 a little snuffly and I've had to increase my inhaler use and take regular antihistamines, but the advantages and general loveliness of the cats outweighs this disadvantage. I have also just started using this - can't yet tell if it's working, as it takes a few weeks, but the reviews are good.

I'm sorry your dog died. I understand about the difficulty in adjusting to a new pet, especially so soon after a previous loved pet has died. We waited a year before getting our new kittens, after our previous Balinese kitten died of FIP, and it has still taken me weeks to feel anything like the love for these new kittens that I felt for him. I can only assume that it's a kind of unconscious defensive mechanism. They have won me over now, though. It just took time.

Thanks Toffee - I have also heard that you can get used to your own pet so am hoping that if it is the kitten, then things will settle. I had read about Petal Cleanse and recently ordered some.

Wow! He's stunning.

Dh is allergic to our cat so he has two inhalers now. He knows this is a better outcome than the cat being allergic to him

Fluffy