How to Cope With Cat Allergies

If you know or suspect that you are allergic to cats, there are many things you can do to treat and reduce your allergies to cats.

When people say they are allergic to cats, they mean they are allergic to cat dander.

Cat dander is old skin cells that the cat sheds.

Dander sits in the cats fur until it is washed out.

There is no such thing as a non-allergic cat.

I found out that my kids were allergic to cats about a year ago and have searched for ways to reduce and treat their allergic reactions to them.

I have a few tips that work and would like to share them with you.

The best way to reduce your allergies to cats is to avoid them.

Don't own a cat.

If you are visiting the home of someone who owns a cat, politely ask them to put the cat somewhere else (outside, another room, etc.) while you are there and explain that you have allergies.

If you are around a cat or an area with a cat, wash your hands often and do not touch your face.

You will be able to get most, if not all, of the pet dander off your hands when you wash them.

Avoid touching your face because you may have pet dander on your hand.

You do not want that in your eyes, nose, mouth or ears.

That is enough to start off an allergic reaction.

If you own a cat, vacuum as often as possible.

Between the hairs and dander that the cat sheds and the dirt that they bring in from outside on their paws, you will need to vacuum often to get rid of most of the dander, fur and dirt.

I vacuum a floor of my house each day (we live in a townhouse with three floors) to remove as much dander and fur as I can.

Each day, my Dyson Animal Vacuum gets filled with dirt, fur and dander!

Another great tip: get a really good vacuum cleaner that cleans deep down like the Dyson Animal.

My Allergist and ENT recommended that I get the Dyson Animal Vacuum to help me with my allergies.

They said that it is great at picking up pet dander.

Pet dander and oils build up on cats fur over time.

To help remove some of the dander and oil, have your cat washed regularly with a good cat shampoo.

Use a towel designated for your cat.

After you clean your cat, clean the towel separate from your clothes in hot water.

Have your cat brushed regularly to help rid it of extra fur and pet dander that could aggravate your allergies.

We spend a large amount of time in our lives asleep.

If your cat sleeps in your room, you could wake up in the morning with a stuffy nose and a cough.

Keep the cat out of the bedroom at nighttime.

Close the door and don't let them in.

If you own a cat and you suffer from allergies to cats, you could try getting allergy shots.

I went to an Allergist to get tested and found out that I am allergic to dogs, anything green, dust and mold and she recommended that I get allergy shots.

My kids are allergic to cats.

I go into the clinic once a week to get my allergy shots.

I have been doing this for almost a year and can see some improvement.

When you get allergy shots, you get a small dose of your most prevalent allergens injected into the back of your arm.

Over time, your body builds up a resistance to the allergen and you have considerably less allergy symptoms to the injected allergens.