Cat Allergy Treatment
 | "Cat allergy treatment has some simple rules - beware the cat." |
Cat allergy treatment is my husband Michael's specialty. He is the one in the family with the allergy, so I've asked him to share his experience and insights with you below:
Cat allergy treatment has some simple rules - beware the cat. Of course you can just try some naturopathic remedies, homeopathic remedies or simply stick to anti-histamines, but I have tried so many things over the years that I can say, none of them are a permanent solution.
To be honest, I would not be able to have the cats inside the house for more than ½ hour - and even that would test my limits. I cannot visit friends who have an indoor cat or had one before. (I got symptoms at a friend's house that I stayed at, although the cat that used to live there had already been dead for 5 years).
So, the main thing in my cat allergy treatment was always to control the amount of contact that I have with them. On days that my body feels stronger, I can spend some time with them outside, on days where I feel physically compromised in some way, I will always try to not have contact with them.
Even though the cats live outside, we still have to follow some rules in order to not get cat hair all over the place. That means, we immediately wash our hands, change our clothes and take a shower after we play with the cats.
If I don't wash my skin immediately afterward I will develop rashes and welts (if I have a scratch there will be a big welt anyway). Cat allergies are actually not caused by cat hair, but rather by the cat's saliva on the hair.
This is the reason I was able to spend as much time as I wanted with the kittens before they started licking themselves. It was a very memorable time. At some point I thought that I'd actually found a cat allergy treatment that works - just spend a lot of time with the cats. But I was wrong. I just didn't have any contact with the saliva and as soon I did, my full-blown allergy symptoms were back.
A few tips for those of you who love cats but are also allergic:
- The mosquito screens need to be washed frequently - especially if the cats tend to rub against them.
- Hygiene is crucial in order to not be too impacted by having cats.
- Don't use items that the cat has used. Give the cats their own towels, pillows, dishes or whatever else you use for them. Never use something that they have used - no matter how many times you have washed it!
- Once you have touched a cat, be very careful what you do with your hand(s) after that. You'll want to be very conscious not to touch your eyes, face, ears, nose, mouth or skin in general. Wash your hands thoroughly at the first opportunity.
- If you have a choice, opt for hardwood or tile flooring in your home. This will help a lot with allergies of all kinds. Cat hair invariably makes it into the house in some quantity no matter what you do. The absence of carpeting makes a big difference.