Really want a cat but live with someone who is allergic - any hope?

[SwallowsandAmazonians]

I understand from Googling that no cat breed is actually hypoallergenic.
I also read some types of food can help, or getting the cat when a kitten, or that some people get used to it...
But she is quite allergic so I'm not sure if there's any way this would actually work.

I wanted a dog but it turned out my DD is very allergic to dogs. I really hoped she’d grow out of it (she was 2 at the time) but when I asked the immunology consultant if she would grow out of it, he said “do not get a dog as a pet”. So I got a cat.

The allergy is to something in the animal’s dander (skin flakes) and saliva. So despite many people saying that some dogs (or cats - like those bald ones) are hypoallergenic, there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog or cat. Although cats don’t lick you as dogs do, they lick themselves for grooming and when you stroke a cat, the allergen transfers to your own skin. Likewise dander once shed remains around the place for ages and can trigger the allergy for months.

DD is ok around a dog for an hour or so if I have given her anti histamine before, which is what I do if we’re going to a house where there is, or has been a dog. But I couldn’t be dosing her daily for the rest of her childhood as obviously that would be unfair, and also the antihistamine only reduces her allergic reaction, it doesn’t eradicate it.

Don’t get a cat.

Get a poodle. They are hypoallergenic and gorgeous too.

But not remotely a cat. Which is what the OP wants.

I have many cats and an allergic husband. He took antihistamines initially when each cat arrived but he actually gets used to them. Still allergic to others cats but so long as he didn't cuddle them and then rub his eyes etc he's generally fine. But, we did have to get rid of every carpet in the house. He was struggling until we did that. All hard floors for us

We have two gorgeous siberians and no-one that is allergic has reacted to them.

We had cats when DD was born and she showed no signs of allergy but when we decided to get a new cat she reacted badly when we went to visit kittens. I said that we couldn't get one but the kitten owner was a friend and she said that if DD reacted badly again she would take the kitten(s) back.
After a few weeks Dd was fine, if she had been very bad we would have sent them back. Now she only reacts if a cat sleeps on her pillow (which she encourages) or for the first few days after she comes home from Uni
We have no carpets and a no cats in bedrooms rule (that DD breaks)

Not gonna happen if you value or like or love the person you live with

I am allergic to cats

I have friends have hypoallergenic cats they still make my nose twitch eyes water come out in a rash whatever if I know I’m going near cats I will take an antihistamine tablet and it does help, but it doesn’t stop

I have a friend who developed an allergy, she used to rub her face on every cat she saw and it seemed to go.

I probably wouldn't recommend it like

I'm mildly allergic to our cat but it's just the feeling like her furs filling my throat and nose. I take antihistamines and lock her out of my bedroom.

It's miserable though, maybe you'll have to make your peace with not having one.

It depends on the type of allergy. Eg if it causes asthma attacks/wheezing, its probably not worth the risk.

I'm allergic to cat and dog dander - ie the tiny skin bits they shed and that can get caught between the hairs. I was allergy tested and on a scale of 1-6, I'm 6 for both - so v allergic.
For me though the symptoms are eczema - not asthma. I can also get sneezing/itchy eyes but as I have to take year round hayfever tablets anyway, that's under control.

I can't have the cat sit on me and I need to hoover the bed etc if he's been on there. Its been fine (6 years now). What has probably also made it ok is its a very outdoors cat (rescue cat).

I have lived briefly with a dog before and it was horrendous - I already knew I was allergic to dogs before I was tested. Its much worse for me with dogs and I really can't be around them much.

dh is (was?) allergic to cats and dogs.
When we stayed at my mums, he would get an allergic reaction, but over the space of a few years it diminished.
We then got a cat who lived downstairs (no sleeping on the bed). He was fine, and we now have a dog and 2 cats!
I can't work out if he has just aclimatised in general, or to our animals specifically.

My dd suddenly became allergic to my mums cat as a teen, we had one cat and one dog at this point, and she was never allergic to them. She had to take antihistamines going to visit my mum.
She reacts when at friends houses with their cats and dogs.
She then wanted a kitten. A friend had kittens, so we agreed that she could go and play with them regularly and see if she reacted to them. I can't remember if she did at first, but by the time they were ready for re-homing, she was not reacting to them, so we took a kitten. She does not react to him. She still reacts to my mum's cat (actually now a different cat) and to unfamiliar cats and dogs.

So for her it is definitely a case of her system has got used to her own pets.
But this is so random, and unpredictable, it is not a risk I would take.

All of the tips and tricks only work for an extremely mild allergy. Allergies can also be progressive. Each exposure makes the next even worse.

my mother went from cat owner with no sign of allergy to someone who could end up in a&e from a cat exposure.

If you know there is an allergy, getting a cat is irresponsible.

I'm very allergic. I actually think it's not worth the risk. I like cats but they make me so ill. SIL has indoor Burmese cats, I can't sleep there, it was terrifying when I stayed over once.

You don’t say! The truth is, she can’t have a cat due to partner’s allergy.

It depends on how allergic?

I’ve lived with cats all my life. About five years ago, I felt like I had a permanent cold - but it went away when we went on holiday. I realised, I’d developed an allergy to cats (and although we don’t have a dog, it was even worse with dogs).

My cats are rescue cats, and this is their home. I am not getting rid of them, even though we could return them to the cat rescue charity, who asked us to return them, if our life circumstances changed, rather than do anything else with them.

I take an antihistamine every day, two if I am staying with people with a dog. I have a pet fur type vacuum cleaner.

We have one short hair and one black medium fur. I find the black clumps of fur everywhere to be more of a nuisance than the invisible hairs from the short hair. I would never get a long haired cat again!

Absolutely not. I’m allergic to cats and it makes me so ill.

This.

No, a relative comes to stay with us for a few days at Christmas- we keep the cat away and they take medication but are still in a heap. Definitely wouldn’t

I’m pretty allergic but I love cats, I wouldn’t be without one. I think you do get fairly used to it after a while, though it will be worse if you have a break away and then come back.

I still sometimes get a reaction and have to take an antihistamine, maybe once every couple of weeks or so, but day to day I’m generally ok. And I could be more sensible and not touch the cat or let it on my lap, or hoover and dust more and I’d probably manage it considerably better.

It’s my decision though, and I’m the one who really really wants a cat, so it would be different if I wasn’t keen and someone else was trying to persuade me.

My parents are both mildly allergic to cats (sneezing and watery eyes after a few hours' exposure), bur love cats so got two kittens. They took antihistamines for the first couple of weeks. After that they found they were acclimatised and didn't need medication any more.

However! They were only mildly allergic. The acclimatisation only worked for the cats they live with and see every day (strange cats still make them sneeze). And they were prepared to keep taking antihistamines longterm if that was the price of having cats. (No idea if this is medically advisable, and it didn't arise as they acclimatised.)

How severe are your partner's allergies? If the allergies are mild and they're keen to try, it might be worth trying. But if they're not keen on a pet and / or their allergies are severe, then you have to accept that. It's asking far too much of someone who doesn't actively and desperately want a cat, to risk allergic reactions in their home so you can have a cat.

For lots of people it’s specific to the cat. Some cats really cause me an issue others don’t, I’ve been told it’s to do with the amount of a certain protein in their dander/saliva. We went to the cats protection league to adopt as they offer a ‘blanket test’ option. They give you an item of the cats bedding to take home for a weekend to test for a reaction. It worked for me and we adopted Dcat and I haven’t had any issues with her. I’m still allergic to other cats though - my neighbours cat sets me off just walking past!
She’s just a regular moggie ( British shorthair) so easy to keep and likes to go out and about

Thanks very much for all the responses.

Sounds like it's pretty common to become acclimatised to your specific cat, but not necessarily predictable.

Realistically with kids we're not going to end up keeping doors closed or the cat off furniture of whatever, although we do have wooden flooring.

Obviously this would also be the other person's decision and I wouldn't be putting pressure on her to have a pet which is going to make her sick! I do really want a cat but can happily live without. The one who is truly desperate for a pet is my daughter but she's probably going to have to remain disappointed.

We feed our cat liveclear food- it suppresses dander , works for us x

My son is allergic to cats. Allergies are strange things, they can get better or worse or stay the same. There’s no way of knowing which it could be. My son’s reaction has got worse and he gets asthma from cats as well now. His wife wants a cat but there’s no way they could have one.

He’s completely fine with dogs.

Can I ask how, where you got tested please. GP dosent seem keen to test me, not sure I trust the buy it online kits and private was around £500 for consultation and test.

Thanks.

I'd live with someone else.

I couldn't be without a cat in my home