Is this possible?

[mscongeniality]

Is it possible to suddenly become allergic to your 13/14 year old cat?

Just that really. My BiL is saying he has developed allergies to his old cat and he wants us to take him.

As far as I'm aware it's possible to develop an allergy to anything at any stage in life.

As far as I know it is. However I'm often sceptical, especially when an older animal is involved.

We were asked to take a cat from someone DH knew as she had become allergic to him. For various reasons us and the cat weren't right for each other so he went to CP and shortly after he'd gone her house was up for sale and she moved away...

Adult onset allergies.

Yes, it's possible. I have one myself in fact although not to cats at the moment.

I have an adult onset allergy to food. Do you like the cat?.

Obviously you call bullshit if they get a kitten.

Okay I guess it could be true, but he was over last night and seemed completely fine.
I do like the cat he's really old and doesn't do much. The problem is our toddler. The cat is an outdoor cat but if he comes here we won't be able to let him out because the neighborhood cats would attack him. He used to get into lots of bloody cat fights in his younger days.
Also the cat is not a fan of children, whenever we go over he hides the whole time.

My toddler is 19 months and doesn't have any boundaries and inhibitions so this is going to be a huge challenge for me and extra work to keep them apart, so I guess I'm not too happy about it.

But at the end of the day I can't let the cat go to a stranger :(

Gosh. Allergies are so complex and so little understood. How does he even know it's his cat?

Has he - at least - offered to pick up the tab for all food, litter, vet bills etc etc?

PS - and what have his OH/family said on the subject?

My BIL doesn't have a partner and the only other family is another single BIL. He can't take the cat because he has a huge dog in a studio flat and they would go for each other.

No he hasn't mentioned picking up any bills; he is unemployed (by choice). So that's another additional expense to us.

I'm only saying yes to this for the cats sake but we really can't keep the cat long term. Does anyone know what the best course of action would be?

Ouch.

The trouble is that the cat is 'family'. I guess you have to give it a try?

PS - I took my current lad when he was about 14. There was never any question of it because I had a 'vacancy' and he was without a home, my mother having died. (He was her cat.) It's no small undertaking though so I know your position.