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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

Allergic to cats but want one

38 replies

Twizbe · 27/08/2022 21:42

DH and I have decided to get a cat. We've been thinking about it for ages and doing our research.

We did have a concern that DS might be allergic as he has other allergies. This week I took him to play with my friends cat to see if anything happened. No reaction - great.

But I had one!! I've never noticed any reaction before but then I've not been around cats much. At my friends I started to get a scratchy throat and felt like I was getting a cold. Once we left the feeling went.

Is this the death knell for us having a cat or might I not react to other cats?

OP posts:
Yarnasaurus · 27/08/2022 21:44

The thing is you won't know until you live with one. Rather than adopt with a risk of having to return, what about fostering with a local rescue with a view to adopting if you're ok?

And don't be fooled by promises of hypoallergenic cats, there's no guarantee with this at all, and it's often a myth.

Photosymphysis · 27/08/2022 21:49

<going for my first deleted post here>

Why not feed all the neighbourhood cats and then take it in turns to take one in and see if you continue to react to it?!

(JK, referring to a deleted thread, I'll see myself off the thread)

In all seriousness, I'm mildly allergic to cats. But I grew up with cats, have one now. It's worse if I have some time away. When I was at uni I'd have to take antihistamines and then wean off gradually when I came home for the summer.

I still react if I rub my eyes after touching the cat.

I'll still always have cats though.

Maybe see if you can foster a cat? (I know nothing about fostering cats though), or pet sit a neighbour's cat (knowingly, obvs).

Creepymanonagoatfarm · 27/08/2022 21:58

I have pet allergies.
And 2 dcats and 4 ddogs!! Antihistamines
. Hand washing. Nose spray for bed. No dpets in my room.
Mostly not affected anyway now!!

AllBellyandBoobs · 27/08/2022 22:00

My DH is allergic to cats but he gets used to them after a week or two - just has to remember to wash his hands after stroking them.

Amrapaali · 27/08/2022 22:02

If you can spend serious dosh, I'd look into pedigree siberian cats. They are really hypo allergenic. Mine definitely is anyway.

I only start sneezing when I clean her litter tray

MarmiteCoriander · 27/08/2022 22:04

As a child I would react to cats- I'd get itchy, red, swollen eyes, irritable, sneezing etc. By late teens, I thought I'd grown out of it- so we got a cat. Not only did I react, but my younger brother did too- despite never having any issues or allergies to them before. We had to give the kitten away.

I agree that fostering would be a better plan to start with- and see how you all get on.

Wolfiefan · 27/08/2022 22:05

I’m allergic to cats. The thing is that it can get better or worse. And no breed is hypoallergenic. You’re not allergic to the fur itself but the dander.
Fostering an adult with a view to adopt could work. Or spending time with an adult rescue before taking it on. I say adult as I took on two kittens and developed an allergy to one as she matured.

Pixiedust1234 · 27/08/2022 22:06

My dd is allergic to almost all cats but we went to cats protection and explained the problem (this was before covid). They allowed her to get close to the cat we chose before signing the adoption papers. They were also happy to take the cat back if dd reacted badly at home. We had a lovely 6 years with her, and she slept on dds bed and dd constantly smooshed her face into kitty's fur. No reaction. Next doors cat? Horrific sneezing and runny eyes, even outside.

Call up your local cats protection adoption Centre and speak to them Smile

Bodice · 27/08/2022 22:09

I have a cat allergy. We got a retired stud purebred Siberian. I was still allergic to him but less so than other cats. It was manageable. Plus siberians are utterly amazing cats, almost dog like. Def worth looking into.

kittenkipping · 27/08/2022 22:11

I'm allergic to cats. I did t know until I had them. Now I take an anti histamine daily and wash obsessively. But when my darlings do pass (hopefully in twenty years time) I'll get more. I'll hopefully never spend another year of my life without the love of a good cat

Original poster
Twizbe · 27/08/2022 22:14

Thanks all.

I've considers fostering but DH isn't keen because he's worried how the kids would take handing it back.

The rescue centre we're looking at would want us to do a few visits with them anyway due to DD age.

I'm going to hang out with my other friends cat and see what happens. I didn't have any reaction last time I went to her house, but her cat never comes near me.

I'm pretty happy to take a daily antihistamine as I really want a cat.

OP posts:
capedavenger · 27/08/2022 22:24

I'm allergic to cats and have had 2 cats for the past 14 years.
Each time I get a new cat a react to them for a while and it can get uncomfortable. I had a break of 11 months between my last cat and my current pair. When I got them I basically had a cold for 3 straight months. But it does wear off because you develop some sort of immunity to your own cats eventually. Now I don't react to them at all.

NevaMama · 27/08/2022 22:29

I am really badly allergic to cats but always wanted one of my own. I was told that the Siberian Neva Masquerade breed was the closest to being hypoallergenic. We found a breeder and have now ended up with 2. I cuddle them all day long and have never sneezed/had itchy eyes once. They are more expensive but really didn’t fancy being on antihistamines long term. Also, it’s easy to say that cats will be kept out of the bedroom but hard monitor 24/7. If you can find a breeder I’d suggest going to cuddle one of these cats for half an hour to see how you get on. That was our test .. passed with flying colours and never looked back!!
Their stunning blue eyes are just an added bonus.

Allergic to cats but want one
Uselesswithusernames · 27/08/2022 22:34

I’m allergic to cat hair and grew up with cats 🤣. I’d generally get used to it and only suffer symptoms when I’d been to stay at my Dads for a week. As an adult we got a cat 2 years ago and it’s been the same situation. I’m far from an expert but this has been my experience if it’s of any help.

Discovereads · 27/08/2022 22:36

I wouldn’t. By the way, with many allergies it takes repeat exposures before you get a reaction. So your DS may still be allergic.

Astounding · 27/08/2022 22:50

The problem can be that you can be allergic to some cats but be fine around others. We adopted one and I used to sneeze a lot all the time we had her. If I stroked her and accidentally touched my eye, I’d get this weird, alien looking film over my eye and it’s would itch like crazy. After she died I got two Devon Rex cats. I was in a dreadful state with them. Wheezing to the point i just got in the car and drove to the GP who put me on a nebuliser. I had to take the cats back to the breeder. I’ve not owned a cat since. I’ve sat for my friends cat and was absolutely fine around him. I could even let him sleep in the bed with his head next to mine and have zero wheezing or sneezing. Another friend has a cat who I can’t even stroke because my hand starts itching.

i like the idea of spending time around any cat you are thinking of adopting like pixiedusts daughter was allowed to do by the Cat Protection people. That way you stand a good chance of knowing if you’re going to be ok with that specific cat. Saying that I was ok with the Devon Rexes for about 2 days and then the wheezing just kicked off. It seems cat allergies can be hit and miss so definitely make sure wherever you adopt or buy one from, they will take them back if you do end up really struggling, Lots of luck though. I really miss having a cat in my life.

kittenkipping · 27/08/2022 22:50

Oooo, I think teaching children good values and behaviour is perfectly demonstrated by fostering. It's hard to give back. But also joyous- these pets have found forever homes after being happy and safe with you until they did. As lessons and character building go- you can't go wrong in taking your children through the fostering journey. That said. Most first time fosters end up owners. Which is great, but actually causes some issues for shelters- reliable fostering is rare. In our local shelter 80% foster and adopt- which means very few regular trusted foster homes.

Fladdermus · 27/08/2022 22:56

I'm allergic to cats. I have a house full of cats. And anti allergy meds.

Ilovesriracha · 27/08/2022 22:56

Nevamama

What an absolutely beautiful cat.

TulipVictory · 27/08/2022 22:57

I am allergic to cats but have bengals, they are hypoallergenic and barely shed

NeverDropYourMooncup · 27/08/2022 23:10

I'm not allergic to my cats, but I'd react to somebody else's, more so when I didn't have any myself. I'm also allergic to housedust mite shit, something that was in abundance at that person's house.

So part of this can be housekeeping and part can be getting gradually acclimatised like you can with pollen by eating local honey, I suppose.

Wolfiefan · 27/08/2022 23:23

@TulipVictory no animal is hypoallergenic

Allergictoironing · 28/08/2022 08:25

I'm mildly allergic to cats, and always have been. However I finally did get cats of my own a few years ago, and found that my normal daily anti-histamine (prescribed for other allergies) seems to have done the trick. Sadly having a comparatively clear nose means I can smell the heinous odour of Girlcat's worst efforts in the litter tray!

HmmWhatNameToHave · 28/08/2022 08:26

Take a look at Siberian cats as they produce less of the FelD1 allergen in their saliva which is what most people are allergic to. Some breeding pairs produce kittens with lower amounts on the scale so it's worth speaking to breeders and visiting kittens to see if you react. Siberians are lovely talkative, fluffy cats who are into everything. We've found we have no reaction to the cat in our allergic household.
Siberian cat club explanation

Zippea · 28/08/2022 08:29

I’m allergic to cats and have three British Shorthairs, BSH are low on the hypoallergenic score. I contacted a breeder and explained the situation and she kindly let me visit a few times to see how I got on. I’ve had 5 BSH’s over the years and our last two have been rescues.