Child allergic to our four cats!

[pigglepot]

I strongly suspect my 16 month old is very allergic to our fo cats. She didn't used to be when she was tiny but I think she has become allergic and now has an awful red itchy rash in various places all over her body. We went on holiday last week where there were no pets and it almost completely cleared up and since we have been back it has got worse again. I don't want to put her on a daily medication for this obviously. Has anyone had any experience of allergies getting better or solutions to solve it? I would like to try things before considering getting rid of the cats who I do love and have had for a lot of years.

[quote TroysMammy]@Sparrowsong my thoughts exactly if the cats were there first [/quote]
Haha!! The cats are definitely lower maintenance even with the weeing issues! 🤣

We switched to natusan which seems to have dealt with most of the litter issues. Only trouble is that they like it so much that they now come in for every wee!

I am allergic to cats (but not all cats affect me equally badly) but I used to really suffer at my sister’s house with her two cats. I would have to use my inhaler on a daily basis when I stayed with her. She got something called ‘Petal cleanse’ ( they make it for dogs, too). You just put some petal cleanse on a cloth and rub it over your cat - the cat just feels like it is being stroked, so they do not mind it at all. It worked like a charm for me. It would really be worth trying for anyone who has a cat allergy.

Beaphor calming treats and Biokat Cat Litter.

I've found those two things to be amazing.
Sometimes cats can be stressed out by little things and we don't even realise.
One in the morning and one at night has been great for mine.

I don't really subscribe to the 1 litter tray +1 per cat.
Mine share and have never had any issues. Although I do clean it out morning and night.
I think two little trays would be fine with the above litter. But I suppose it depends on how your cats get on. Mine are brothers so used to sharing everything.

I would also suggest Pet Remedy diffusers. Much better than Feliway in my opinion and you only need them in the places your cats love to hang out the most. I have mine in my lounge.

Four cats weeing and pooing in the house is making me itch to think of. I don't care what the Dr says I bet your daughter's excema is caused or exacerbated by living with these four animals. I bet you will end up having to re-home them.

@joystir59

Four cats weeing and pooing in the house is making me itch to think of. I don't care what the Dr says I bet your daughter's excema is caused or exacerbated by living with these four animals. I bet you will end up having to re-home them.

The usual thread stirrer, out in force again!

@ScottishNewbie

Beaphor calming treats and Biokat Cat Litter.

I've found those two things to be amazing.
Sometimes cats can be stressed out by little things and we don't even realise.
One in the morning and one at night has been great for mine.

I don't really subscribe to the 1 litter tray +1 per cat.
Mine share and have never had any issues. Although I do clean it out morning and night.
I think two little trays would be fine with the above litter. But I suppose it depends on how your cats get on. Mine are brothers so used to sharing everything.

I would also suggest Pet Remedy diffusers. Much better than Feliway in my opinion and you only need them in the places your cats love to hang out the most. I have mine in my lounge.

Ooo thanks I've never heard of any of these things I'll have a look at them thank you!

@joystir59

Four cats weeing and pooing in the house is making me itch to think of. I don't care what the Dr says I bet your daughter's excema is caused or exacerbated by living with these four animals. I bet you will end up having to re-home them.

Lol ok well I'll take your advice over the advice of a consultant dermatologist then shall I 😂. They don't all wee and poo in the house all the time and I agree it's disgusting- there are just a few areas in the corner of the hallway for example where they occasionally wee and even more occasionally poo. As soon as they do it we clean it of course so it's not like the house smells and is covered in poo.

My dd and dh has a cat allergy. We still have a cat

The house is hoovered daily to make sure all dander is away as much as possible

The cat is not allowed in dd’s bedroom or allowed to sleep on dh’s bed (we sleep separately)

Dd and dh can have asthma attacks if the allergy kicks off but luckily we seem to have it down to a work of art and the cat can stay

Also look at petal cleanse. It’s a liquid that helps remove the allergen from fur

@ScottishNewbie

Beaphor calming treats and Biokat Cat Litter.

I've found those two things to be amazing.
Sometimes cats can be stressed out by little things and we don't even realise.
One in the morning and one at night has been great for mine.

I don't really subscribe to the 1 litter tray +1 per cat.
Mine share and have never had any issues. Although I do clean it out morning and night.
I think two little trays would be fine with the above litter. But I suppose it depends on how your cats get on. Mine are brothers so used to sharing everything.

I would also suggest Pet Remedy diffusers. Much better than Feliway in my opinion and you only need them in the places your cats love to hang out the most. I have mine in my lounge.

Sorry in your other comment about number of litter trays I have to admit it's the first time I've heard of the one per cat rule too. I think main thing is keeping it really clean and fresh as you've said by making sure it's cleaned out everyday. We've used catsan and wood pellets in the past for litter which they seem to like and is much cleaner and nicer than the cheap stuff from the supermarket. It sounds like the advice is we need to introduce a tray or two again at least in the meantime whilst they learn to stop going in the house.

On the stress front I do wonder if it's because of our daughter who is a rowdy toddler. She leaves them alone most of the time but it's obviously not what they are used to as they are used to just us.

Sorry to break this to you but you HAVE TO get rid of the cats. It's heartbreaking, I know, but it's the only solution.

My parents refused to get rid of the cats and I would end up in hospital my breathing would be so badly compromised. Even now, I regularly encounter people who "don't believe" in allergies, because they don't have them so cannot understand those who do.

I absolutely love cats. I tried to have one when I bought my own house, but it soon became clear that it was a very bad idea.

Find new loving homes for your cats, and concentrate on creating an allergen-free home for your child.

here is a cat specific one if you want to see if it helps your dd at all

I’m allergic to cats and have always had at least one cat. I ok if the cat is kept out of bedrooms and if allowed on the sofa the throw is washed a couple of times a week.
Current cat sits in a basket on the dresser but she’s an odd cat.
Try changing the litter. Current cat likes the wood pulp pellet things. And not much of it.
Many years ago we had a Tom cat that would only go in soil so that’s what we put in the litter tray!

@AmandaHoldensLips

Sorry to break this to you but you HAVE TO get rid of the cats. It's heartbreaking, I know, but it's the only solution.

My parents refused to get rid of the cats and I would end up in hospital my breathing would be so badly compromised. Even now, I regularly encounter people who "don't believe" in allergies, because they don't have them so cannot understand those who do.

I absolutely love cats. I tried to have one when I bought my own house, but it soon became clear that it was a very bad idea.

Find new loving homes for your cats, and concentrate on creating an allergen-free home for your child.

To be clear as my update said the dermatologist had said it is NOT the cats she is allergic to. Her skin isn't an allergic reaction to anything it's just eczema.

Interesting to see a possible link to impetigo. My ds had impetigo when he was about 10 and after that got eczema. Fortunately only mild. None of the rest of the family got either impetigo or eczema.
I do have a cat allergy though which is of the itchy eyes and runny nose kind. Still kept the cats though! I also was desensitised as a child. Lived with cats for many years without issue and then when I returned after a break of a year or so it suddenly flared up .... same cat that I had never had previous issues with.

I think you're desperate to keep the cats under any conditions tbh - and I understand this to a certain extent

You say she coughs a lot and has a runny nose as well as the skin condition. It's really remiss of you to keep these cats tbh.

A previous poster gives good advice about putting them all in a cattery for a fortnight and then thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting on day 1 of this. I'd also arrange allergy tests - it'd have to be privately to get them done ASAP

And only then can you see for sure - by doing both of the above

To put a baby through this though isn't kind at all. 4 cats is a lot - especially if some are long haired - so your house must be covered in fur, dander etc - all those particles in the air plus litter trays too.

Oh and btw - the dermatologist wouldn't know that. You're just hearing what you want to hear. They don't know the cause of eczema, they don't have a clue

And I know this because my son has suffered badly for 14 years and seen countless experts. Not one can say definitively why he has it

And - apologies for the triple post - you're the poster who says your 4 days are pissing all over your house

Yuk. This must be a deeply unhygienic home for your child

*cats not days

I was covered with eczema - it was the result of assorted allergies including the flipping cats! Eliminating each thing reduced the severity of the eczema from understanding the CMPA, never using fabric softener, and not living with cats amongst others. Whilst the eczema still exists it is no longer as bad as I have taken out those things which make it worse.

4 cats is a lot - especially if some are long haired - so your house must be covered in fur, dander etc -

Long haired are often less allergenic than short haired. They certainly are in my case. Maybe something about the dander being more insulated. Whatever it is, being in the same room as a domestic/British type short haired cat almost always sets me off whereas most long haired or Siamese types don't seem to cause any issues and the few that do have to be really in my face.

I see the cat trolls are out in force 🙄 She’s a toddler, their mostly snot encrusted homunculus until 5.

Dn had eczema before they had cats & shockingly has grown out of it in adulthood.

I'd get a test if she's allergic, if she is you need to get rid of the cats

I had many short haired cats over the years, no problems, got one long haired and now I'm severely allergic to ALL cats, dogs and other haired pets. It started with itchy eyes and progressed to skin rashes, swelling of the eyes and then throat. Prescribed medication did nothing and in the end my GP said get rid of the cats before you stop breathing.

All I had to do was stroke a cat and my eyes swelled shut and my throat would close up. It was very upsetting to rehome my cats, especially for my son, but as soon as they had gone my symptoms pretty much stopped.

Now I'm left with a severe allergy. If I touch an animal, or if a dog even licks my hand, my eyes and throat swell shut. It's very scary. Please get the allergy tests done on your daughter, and keep an eye on her symptoms, as they may change/ worsen.

@RolyPolyBatFace I'm sure you'll be very disappointed to hear that her skin has totally cleared up with only a small amount of treatment from the (apparently clueless) dermatologist. Sadly you won't be able to pointlessly slag my parenting and animal care off any longer. Looks like the cats are staying and the daughter isn't allergic to cats.

They've also stopped having accidents in the house- again very sorry to tell you that as I know it's not what you want to hear 🙄

Thanks to everyone who provided helpful advice and tips.