Cat allergy – can I still have a cat?
10 - 20 % of people around the world have pet allergies. This is a very big problem. It's often said that allergies are getting worse. Most of the time, allergies are put into two groups: indoor (animals) and outdoor (pollen). Cats have been found to be the second most common cause of respiratory problems inside. New studies on cat allergies have found some helpful ways to help people who are dealing with this difficult and becoming more common problem.
What causes a cat allergy?
The World Health Organization has identified eight specific cat allergies, which may come as a surprise to you! However, there is only one main culprit: Fel d 1 is the allergen with the greatest strength. Undoubtedly, this particular allergen has a substantial impact on the onset of allergy symptoms, as research has demonstrated that 90–95% of individuals with cat allergies are vulnerable to it.
Fel D 1, a substance, is produced by the sebaceous glands on the skin of cats and is also found in their saliva. Urine, anal gland secretions, and cat tears all contain minute quantities of it. Subsequently, the Fel d 1 allergen, which is present in the cat's coat and skin due to dander, skin flakes, and dried saliva, is released into the surroundings in large quantities. This release occurs as a result of grooming and the secretion of saliva from sebaceous glands. It can settle as dust particles, but it can also remain suspended in the air. While it is primarily found in families with cats, it can also adhere to clothing and other objects, allowing it to spread to other environments, even those without cats.
What are the symptoms?
It could be anywhere from a few minutes to many hours before being exposed to cat allergens makes you feel sick. Allergens from cats can be found in the air or around you, like cat hair or spit on clothes or furniture. Exposure does not always mean that the cat is there. Allergies can show up in babies and young kids, or they can show up later in people.
The main symptoms are:
- Sneezing
- Runny nose
- Nasal congestion
- Post-nasal drip
- Red, sore and itchy eyes
- Cough/wheeze
- Red, sore or itchy skin on the face, chest, or any skin which has been in contact with the cat or its environment
These symptoms can be seen together or separately, and can vary in severity.
How can you manage a cat allergy?
As with any allergy, care involves a number of strategies, such as immunotherapy, medication, and exposure reduction.
Take the cat outside of the house.
Compared to other residences, homes with pet cats have Fel d 1 levels that are up to 300 times greater! The allergy levels will significantly decrease if the cat is removed from the house, however it may take several months for the levels to drop. But although while human healthcare specialists frequently recommend removing cats from their surroundings, most cat owners find this to be an unappealing option!
limiting the cat's access to specific rooms
If rehoming the cat is not an option, restricting the cat's interaction with people who are allergic to cats and keeping them out of specific rooms, like bedrooms, might help lessen the amount of allergens that the human inhabitants are exposed to. It might be necessary to strike a balance because some cats may find it difficult to adjust to limitations on their movement and level of human engagement, which could cause irritation and behavioral problems. However, as dander spreads rapidly throughout the house, this strategy could not work unless there are very severe limits.
tidying the home
Strict precautions to keep the house free of dander and dust can help lower Fel d 1 levels. For the best control, these procedures must be followed strict and often. The more of the following recommendations that can be implemented at once, the more successful this tactic will be:
When you can, keep your windows open to improve airflow.
- Take off the carpets and install hard floors instead.
- Regularly wash your curtains and bedding.
- Regularly clean and polish hard surfaces and floors.
- Twice a week, vacuum floors and furniture using a high-efficiency particulate air filter (HEPA) vacuum cleaner.
- Utilize HEPA air purification in your home.
- At night, use laminar airflow over your mattresses.
- Even with a cat living in the house, these precautions along with regular hand washing will help lower exposure to allergens from cats.
Immunotherapy for cats to lessen their active Fel d 1 shedding
In the fight against cat allergies, there have been some fascinating new advancements.
A new vaccine has been created that causes auto-antibodies to Fel d 1 in cats, which lowers the quantity of Fel d 1 secreted. Although preliminary research has indicated potential, more thorough testing is need to confirm the product's safety, and it is not yet commercially accessible.
The newest and best treatment for cat allergy sufferers is a cat food that focuses on eliminating Fel d 1 after it has been made by the cat. This means that while the cat keeps making Fel d 1, it keeps people who are allergic to cats from having allergy reactions. It does this by using antibodies from chicken eggs, which block the IgE-binding parts of the Fel d 1 molecule and stop the allergy reaction in humans. Because these antibodies are on every piece of kibble, the diet is only dry food. Next, the antibodies in the saliva stop the Fel d 1 from getting into the cat's hair, dander, and the environment. It has been shown to greatly lower the amount of active Fel d 1 found in cat hair samples, and early tests show that it works very well.
Does bathing the cat help?
It makes sense that bathing cats lowers the amount of Fel d 1 that they shed in their fur. Studies show that taking a bath does lower the amount of allergens in the air, but it's likely to only last for a short time. It's also common for cats to not like baths very much. If your cat isn't very picky and doesn't mind being bathed twice or three times a week, this one might not be very useful or useful.
Are any cats hypoallergenic?
Many cat breeds and varieties have been promoted as being "hypoallergenic," meaning they are good for cat allergy sufferers. Although there is individual variation, it has been demonstrated that all cats of all breeds generate Fel d 1, and no discernible breed-specific variations have been found to date. Additionally, coat length, color, and pattern are all insignificant. Surprisingly enough, research has also revealed that there doesn't seem to be a difference in Fel d 1 levels between homes where cats spend a lot of time outside and those where they stay inside.
Different cats produce very different amounts of Fel d 1, but neutered males produce about the same amount as both whole and neutered females, while whole males produce a lot more than neutered males.
What breeds are best if you have a cat allergy?
There isn't a single breed that is known to make less Fel d 1, so there isn't a breed that could help someone with a cat allergy live in a better place. Also, the cat's behavior may be even more important. For example, a cat that is always wanting to be petted and loved might not be the best choice for a home where someone has allergies. If you only look at the dog's hair length or skin color, you might not be as good of a choice as if you chose a breed like the Persian or Russian Blue that is more reserved. It is hard to say what would work best in any given case, though, because each cat is different and has a different level of Fel d 1. Having a spayed male or female is the best way to lower Fel d 1 levels in any breed or type of dog. The levels of intact males are much higher.
More and more people are allergic to cats, which can cause a wide range of severe symptoms. Getting a new cat isn't always the best way to deal with an allergy, though, because cats and people often form strong bonds. A lot of different ways, including new developments in immunotherapy, can now be used to control the main cat allergen (Fel d 1) in the home. Helpful ways like this one to lower contact to the allergen might be very helpful along with prescription drugs to handle symptoms.
