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Hi SI peeps
Sorry to put out yet another pet issue to SI folks but I really need your help!!!

To make a long story short...my daughter and I are both allergic to our two cats. I am not going to get rid of the cats. That's not an option.

But I am curious as to who all lives with their pets that they are allergic to and what steps have you taken to live with them?

Thanks,

I'm allergic to our cat. We have an air purifier with double filters. We dander wipe our kitty. I had allergy shots, take allergy spray, and otc med. I hope you both feel better.

[This message edited by jo2love at 12:23 PM, May 1st (Wednesday)]

My college boyfriend's parents had cats. I lived with them one summer (college bf did not live at home, and we were broken up while I lived with his parents; long story...). Things that helped a lot for me:
-air purifier; they had a system that was hardwired into the whole house, part of the heating and cooling
-daily vacuuming
-the cats were indoor/outdoor, which I think helped, because she shed a lot outdoors. The house had an attached garage and they left the door from the garage to the (fenced) backyard open at all times, so the cats spent a lot of time sleeping in the garage.
-I kept my bedroom door closed and didn't let the cats in there
-I drank a lot of water. Whenever I sneezing fit would start, I would wash my hands and drink a bottle of water. It worked almost every time.

ETA: Oh, and I popped loratadine every day.

[This message edited by Amazonia at 1:22 PM, May 1st (Wednesday)]

My Wh was allergic to our dog and we had to give him up.
Wh has been doing the shots once a week where the inject you in each arm. He will have to do this pretty much forever. The Dr said it was a must to give the Dog away because he was getting worse it seemed like each year. Plus he is allergic to just about everything after they did his skin test.
I am sorry. I know that has to be a pain in the butt cause you love your cats. If you are not as bad as my wh was over the years then maybe if you wipe down everything that could have dander on it with a clorox wipe and wipe the cats down it may help. Have your air ducts cleaned also. And the air purifier helps.

We have two cats, one short hair and one medium hair. My daughter and I are both allergic and we are both asthmatics. Our allergies are not bad, but noticeable. My cats are 16 yrs old, and since our allergies are mild we've decided to keep them.

As far care/cleaning - we vacuum/dust often. Brush the cats often and we get a low/no dust litter. We get the good filters for our HVAC unit.

If our allergies were as severe as my dog allergy, they would have had a new home years ago. I can't stand near someone with a dog smell on them without have a bad reaction, the dog doesn't even have to be present. If I can smell it I'll have a reaction.

How severe are your allergies?

My best friend is allergic to her dog...like others have said, air filters, vacuuming often, and she takes OTC meds.

I know she also gets her dog professionally groomed once a month or so which also helps keep the dander down.

simply :

How severe are your allergies?

My daughter sneezes every morning. Her eyes are watery and she has a stuffy nose. It is pretty damn bad. What doesn't help the situation is that her cat (6) sleeps directly on the pillow next to my daughter's pillow
This cat will NOT sleep anywhere else! She "has to" sleep directly next to my daughter's head. One time my DD fell asleep on the couch over night and sure as heck, there was her cat, sleeping dirctly next to her face on the couch
I can't even pet the cats without sever allergies, sneezing, eyes watering and itchy.

Oh, that's rough. You may need to try getting the cat to sleep in the living room and have your daughter shut her bedroom door. I know it'll be difficult. A handy spray bottle of water works with training. It's not mean to the cats.

My cat has recently been pawing at my bedroom door. It so loud that it sounds like someone is try to break in. We tried just shooing her away at first, but she keeps coming back. So I've had to spray her a couple times and she's learned not to touch the door when it's shut. She still comes in during the day, sits on my lap or pushes me out her chair, so there's no hard feelings.

As much as I love my cats, people's health comes first. Kitty needs to find a new bed. Then thoroughly clean her room, vacuum, dust, new sheets, wash & dry pillows etc...and there should be an improvement.

Ours or not allowed in the bedrooms when we're sleeping and they know not to jump on the kids beds. They apparently like mine better.

ETA- I'm sure you already do this, but just incase, when she's done handling her cat make she washes her hands really well. This help keep her from having a reaction if she touches her face. If I pet my cat then rub my eyes the reaction is awful. My face gets red and bumpy, like hives, my eyes itch and water, I sneeze and wheeze. Then I have to take meds. I wash almost up to my elbows and I'm fine.

[This message edited by simplydevastated at 8:27 PM, May 1st (Wednesday)]

ME!

I take Singulair because my most common symptom is allergy induced asthma. Singulair helps a TON!

Also, changing out air filter in heater/AC frequently, otherwise it just blows their dander everywhere.

I should not have mine in my bedroom, but I do. If you can keep them out and/or add an air purifier that should help.

Also, when I start having a sinus reaction I use a neti pot. Works very well for reducing congestion.

Have been in the past.

With Cats it can be more problematic, if you have good laid back cats you can wash them weekly to remove the allergens on their fur. What people are actually allergic to with them is their saliva that they bath them selves with.
There are some breeds that are much better for allergies than others (mainecoon is the first that comes to mind). Frequent vacuming w/ hepa filters, and frequently changing the filters in the heating/cooling systems. Limiting the cats to certain areas of the house, and keeping them out of the beds helps tremendously as well.

Good luck.