Help, I Have Allergies But Absolutely Love Cats

By Teri Champigny

Even though it seems like everybody has a cat these days, there is still one group of people who are sure to keep their distance from these feline friends of ours - people that have allergies!

This is one of the biggest hurdles to overcome from people that truly love cats but think that they can not enjoy one in their house due to their allergy problems.  This is especially true when it is actually the cat itself that causes allergic reactions.

More people are allergic to cats than they are to dogs.  This is called having “cat allergies”.  Some people cannot take this lightly, especially if they have small children with asthma or other related breathing problems.  For these people, having a cat come within just a short distance of them can cause severe health problems.

What is it about cats that causes allergy problems?

Most people think that it is the fur of the cat that is causing the issue.  This is not so.  It is actually a substance called Fel D1 That is located in the cat's saliva which runs onto the cat's hair whenever he cleans himself. This hair then gets blown off and travels around the air and the surrounding areas, causing some people to have allergic reactions when breathing in near the animal.  So it is not only the cat that seems to cause a reaction, but the substance is also airborne.  This is why some people will begin to sneeze or cough immediately whenever a cat is near.

If I have allergies, can I still have a cat so long as his hair is shaved or is cut very short?

Unfortunately, even if your cat has been shaved down to the skin or is a naturally short-haired cat, this will not resolve the allergy issue. There are hairless breeds that exist such as the hairless Sphinxes that cause just as much allergy problems for people as a regular haired cat.  This is because, as mentioned above, allergies are sparked off from cat saliva and not the actual fur.

Some people do live with cats even though they have allergy problems.  And if you are one of these people with allergies who would like to have a pet cat, then it is imperative that you find a good allergist in your neighborhood.  He will help you control your allergies as best possible so that you can enjoy the benefits of having a wonderful pet, such as the cat.