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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Cat allergy

29 replies

MarasmeAbsolu · 14/03/2017 00:11

I used to have a cat as a child - a very independent outdoorsy one. No problem whatsoever.

And then - very little contact with any, for years. Roll on to this month when we adopted a lovely little kitten. The DD and myself adore her. But ever since she arrived, I very had a tickle throat, which feels a little more than just tickly tonight. I can breath OK and am not wheezing I think. Just coughing a bit and feeling not quite right...

No itchy eye or sneezing - just the throat. I am however now panicking that it is allergy, that it could be getting worst etc....

What the fuck do I do?
Could this get very much worst fast?

OP posts:
hapagirl · 14/03/2017 10:30

Oh no! I really think it depends on the person and the cat but I'm not a doctor. When we got our cat we discovered my 10 year old DD was allergic. So I got an air purifier, good Hoover, kept kitty out of Dd's bedroom and had anti histamines on stand by. I'm happy to report that after a couple of months she seems to be immuned to our cat. I still keep her out of her bedroom and she does still have a reaction if she is overly tired. But on normal days she can stick her face into her fur and be fine. I'm not sure if this happens to everyone or if we are just lucky. Good luck.

9GreenBottles · 14/03/2017 11:32

As well as the things hapagirl mentions, try using Petalcleanse on the kitten's fur and the spray for around the house. Good luck!

Original poster
MarasmeAbsolu · 14/03/2017 11:59

Anyone?

OP posts:
Original poster
MarasmeAbsolu · 14/03/2017 12:00

Not sure why this posted now :/

Thanks for the suggestions. Never had any allergies so feeling a bit worried and wondering whether the symptoms i experience are "real"

OP posts:
Original poster
MarasmeAbsolu · 14/03/2017 12:46

Greenbottles - how practical is it to clean a kitten? have never tried, but can imagine some reluctance from the cat?

OP posts:
perhapstomorrow · 14/03/2017 13:05

My symptoms started like yours. A tickley throat that caused me to cough. Took me two years to realise that I was allergic to the cat!! I have an air purifier, hepa filter hoover and banned her from my bedroom and this helps. But some evenings when she gets cosy next to me I now start sneezing and wheezing!! My symptoms have got worse but I won't get rid of our cat!

9GreenBottles · 14/03/2017 13:46

Well, cleaning them isn't their favourite thing, but it's not horrendous with the Petalcleanse - you just measure out the liquid and dip some kitchen towel into the liquid and rub it all over their coat. I've got 4 cats and only one gets really stressed by it and even that is reducing every time as she gets used to it.

Original poster
MarasmeAbsolu · 14/03/2017 14:23

thank you for the advice.

A quick question - how long does it take for the allergic symptoms to recede once you leave the house?

OP posts:
hapagirl · 14/03/2017 20:00

When my DD's was bad at the beginning the symptoms didn't go away even when we left the house. Hope yours gets better. X

readyforno2 · 14/03/2017 20:03

Hi op,
I'm kind of allergic to our dcat.
Although I do think it's more of a tolerance thing. I took antihistamines for the first few months when we got him, but gradually phased them out. He's just turned 3 (we got him as a kitten) and the only time I notice any symptoms is when I've been on holiday.

ozymandiusking · 14/03/2017 20:12

Ask your GP for a blood test to see if you are allergic to cats. It's as easy as that.

SuperFlyHigh · 14/03/2017 20:16

Strangely enough after growing up until about age 6 with a cat (from birth) i then (when we had no cat) got very allergic with them, watering eyes, sneezing etc.

Years later my parents got a cat but I was no longer living at home. When I visited them I decided to wash my hands after touching it (if I did) then I had to stay there once for a fortnight and during the fortnight my allergy disappeared. It disappeared so much I actually got my own cats. So you can desensitise to them.

Original poster
MarasmeAbsolu · 14/03/2017 22:38

Thank you for your positive stories

Went to the GP tonight - she got me steroid spray as well as antiH - which kind of worked.
She ruled out the allergy test, based on the fact that my symptoms were convincing enough [difficult breathing + weird blotchy skin].

I took the antiH and got better this evening - but GP's opinion is that we may need to rehome the kittens - which is heartbreaking.

DH wants me to give it some time - his idea of "some time" is til the end of the WE :(

The air filter is on - I am also looking into deioniser and the petalcleanse is on order. I am crossing fingers but am also so so worried :(

OP posts:
TipTop333 · 14/03/2017 22:45

My sympathies. I hope the antihistamines keep everything under control for you so you can keep the kitten.
I'm in a similar(ish) position where I have never had a cat and I know I am allergic. But I want one. And not sure whether we can risk getting one in case antihistamines can't control it.

dalmatianmad · 14/03/2017 22:51

I'm allergic to our cat, I keep her out of my bedroom and I have to wash my hands if I've touched her otherwise my face swells up and I become really wheezy.
I take antihistamines if I do feel unwell, been manageable for the last 6 years Smile

gamerchick · 14/03/2017 22:59

I developed an allergy to our cat and unfortunately it seems to be progressing. Antihistamines do help somewhat but I'm needing loads now just to be able to breath without discomfort.I keep her out of my bedroom and change the rest of the beds/damp dust/Hoover mega regularly and will take other steps the more I go on. However I do have a cut off point where she'll have to go though.

I wouldn't care but I'm not a fan of cats and wouldn't have got one willingly. She's very happy and well cared for so I have the willing to do what it takes but fuck im miserable.

Good luck man, liquid piriton seems to be the most effective.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 15/03/2017 11:47

I hope the antihistamines help. Being allergic to cats would be one of my worst nightmares.

I went to the doctors a few years ago as I had an itchy throat and eyes and kept coughing. She was insistent that it was most likely my cat despite me pointing out that I was fine all winter so therefore it was probably something to do with pollen and even if it was the cat he's non negotiable! She referred me for blood tests but I never went as a) I'm terrified of needles and b) I ended up in hospital with pancreatitis.

I still get the symptoms but I just dose up on antihistamines 3 or 4 times a day and put it down to pollen.

hapagirl · 15/03/2017 12:30

Good luck. It sounds like it's early days for you yet. I would say it took about 2 months for DD to be symptom free and never take antihistamines. She is so happy. She's the first kitty we've had and she discovered at age 10 that she is a cat person like me. But I do think we lucked out this time and have ruled out getting a second kitty in case it didn't go so well. Xx

Original poster
MarasmeAbsolu · 15/03/2017 13:01

hapagirl - great to hear.
Your DD's immune system is a young one - mine an old probably less flexible one :(

Pink - 3 / 4 doses a day!? that's commitment!

it IS early days. I crossing fingers that the next few remedial steps [kitty wipes, HEPA filter and habituation] will make a good impact!

OP posts:
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 15/03/2017 14:42

I'm 99.9% that mine is caused by various pollen allergies, not the cat as I'm sure it would be just as bad in the winter as it is from February to September. I was told by another GP that it was OK for me to take up to 4 antihistamines a day, any more than that and even the non drowsy ones will probably make me sleepy.

TipTop333 · 15/03/2017 17:04

Which antihistamines do you take pinksparkly?

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 15/03/2017 18:26

I take ceterizine and I buy the cheapest one I can find and I use an over the counter nasal spray when I remember as the stronger one prescribed by the doctor made my nose sore.

Fluffycloudland77 · 15/03/2017 20:50

It took about three weeks for dhs allergy to subside.

There was a vet on here whose opinion was that true cat allergy was over diagnosed and that owners would rehome and then regret it when the symptoms didn't subside.

Original poster
MarasmeAbsolu · 15/03/2017 21:02

out of interest - did anyone get tested?

I have 30 days supply of flexofenadine and steroid spray. I ll see if I can gradually get better within the next 4 weeks....

OP posts:
SuperFlyHigh · 15/03/2017 21:44

op, don't know if advice is the same now but many years ago when I was definitely allergic to cats they wouldn't test me but did say eg if I wanted to be desensitised that had to be my only allergy and as I had hay fever too that ruled me out.

My brother was tested at I think 4 years old for many things and dog and cat hair (but it's not quite that I think?) were 2 of the allergies.

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