Many years ago, I had a dream to have a cat (or even more cats!). However, this was nearly impossible for multiple reasons. Firstly, my partner has a cat hair allergy, and what further I found out, so did I. This has put me off for many years until I decided to take any steps to have my furry friends. After research, checks and several steps we have successfully won against cat hair allergy and we end up keeping the cat as there are manageable ways to overcome this. 

cat allergy symptoms may never go away completely…

Actually, 2 cats now, including one long-haired one. I thought this was totally impossible to achieve considering we both had allergies, but there are ways you combat that, and still have your furry friend. Although even if cat allergy symptoms may never go away completely, they are manageable ways to combat them and live in harmony with your cat and allergy. We did it, so can you as the last thing you want to worry about is allergies. Read also about cat food in my anther article. 

Firstly, About cat allergy.

People often search for a solution of buying a cat without fur or search for a non-allergenic cat, however, there are no studies to prove that cats can be hypoallergenic. Allergens, ( proteins that cause allergy) can be found on cats fur, skin and saliva so it doesn’t matter if the cat’s hair is long or short or the cat spends all day outside. Cat danger remains airborne, so that’s a consistent exposure if you permanently own a cat.

Typical symptoms for cat allergies:

• Runny or stuffy nose
• Facial pain (congestion)
• Watery, red or itchy eyes
• Skin rash
• Sneezing 
• Coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath and wheezing

Don’t buy a cat until you check this list first!

Allergy test

Secondly, it’s extremely important to found out whether you actually have a cat fur allergy. Sometimes, our bodies will react with allergy symptoms when you enter a new room or bring a pet home etc. but it can be an allergic reaction to completely something else like dust, mites or insect bite or even the room can be full of pollen from an open window etc. You need to firstly find out if you are allergic to pets so first order a home allergy test before you do anything else. 

I can’t stress enough about allergy testing because it’s so important to know exactly what our triggers. Many people mistakenly take some reaction as pet allergy and many cats and dogs end up in kennels or worse in the streets. Many parents or people just assume that their child or them might have a pet allergy and without proper testing, they just get rid of an animal that might not be the issue at all. This breaks my heart into pieces. One of the most common reasons to throw away an animal after Christmas is an allergy to cat hair, while often people haven’t even taken any steps to find out. You can also read about allergy testing in this article from Klarify where they explained perfectly how different allergies can affect you and what type o test you should take. 

Antihistamines & build tolerance. 

As mentioned in my first paragraph, both I and my partner have developed tolerance toward both of my cats. However, this may not happen with you so please be cautious and always consult a doctor before you attempt this way. I consulted with the doctor and we both received antihistamine which we started taking as soon as the cat arrived. Some nasal sprays and bronchodilators can help relieve symptoms. We started slowly by introducing cats to just one room for the first few weeks. We restricted her to just a spare bedroom- strongly avoid keeping the cat in your bedroom and make sure the place cat sleeps is well ventilated.

1. restrict cat to just one room (that is not your place to sleep)
2. take antihistamine daily and consult it with your doctor first
3. keep your home clean and well ventilated. 
4. wash your hands frequently, especially after touching your pet and avoid touching or scratching your face, nose or eyes
5. sanitise place often. There are special wipes available to buy from pets stores that reduce cat danger.
6. try to limit exposure at first and slowly adjust time spending with cats
7. buy HEPA air cleaners as they can reduce the allergen levels in the air
8. bathe your cat once a month or as advised by the vet
9. buy HEPA hoover with filters
10. Also, consider taking an allergy shot called immunotherapy. 

‘’Some people have developed IgE antibodies for a specific allergen, but when they come into contact with the trigger again, they don’t experience any allergy symptoms. These people are sensitised but not allergic. In other words, their immune system is sensitive to an allergen or allergens, but they don’t experience any symptoms of allergy.’’ source Klarify

Having a cat was a dream but having 2 cats including one long-haired one is another world for me. I understand this may not be the option for everyone but certainly, can be worth trying as the opposite to just give away an innocent animal stright away.