Possible cat allergies

[shewasmyshadow]

So we've had a cat for 4 out of 5 yrs my husband and I have been married. He was supposedly allergic to cats as a boy, but never showed it with our cat. Well, now with our new kitty my husband is sneezing again. :( We're not sure if it's the kitten or not, but it came about 2 days after it arrived.

Is it possible for my husband to be allergic to one cat and not the other? They are both domestic shorthairs.

What can I do? I plan to buy that allergy shampoo tomorrow and give the poor kitty a bath. I'm also going to put his/her (we're not sure which yet) litter and night-time cage downstairs. We're also getting an air-cleaner for the house.

Anyways, suggestions would be appreciate.

[WashingtonBay]

If he really proves to be allergic to cats, could he go through a desensitizing routine for it?

[oursarge]

When I had allergy testing cats showed up high on the list of things I am allergic to. I had one cat then, I have 3 now. For me I'm allergic to short haired cats, all of my cats have long hair. You can put air cleaners in the house, wash the cats down with allergy wipes you can find in a pet catalog or pet store and have him try Zyrtec. That helps me when I do get allergic to the kitties which only really happens if I'm having an attack from mold which I am the most allergic to, I'm allergic to every kind of mold there is. If I'm having a bad day from that the cats might bother me but mostly they don't. There are always allergy shots too. I have never had them since once I got the mold under control my cats didn't bother me. If I'm with my cousin's short haired ones then I start to itch.

[Gypsy Rose]

I have seasonal allergies, and for a while, I was afraid I was allergic to cats. I had testing done, and that was found out not to be the case.

Many times, it's what the cat brings in that is the culprit. Molds, dust mites, etc..

Try Oursarge's suggestions. You can also wash anything kitty may have come into contact with in hot water. Tea tree oil, 5-10 drops per laundry load can help, too. Add a few drops to anything you wash by hand, as well. I keep a spray bottle of water and tea tree oil mix handy- I even spray my carpets down periodically before and after vacuuming.

[shewasmyshadow]

Okay today I'm going to try quite a few things...

1. Move the kitten's wire kennel (his/her house) downstairs. That will also put it's litter downstairs.

2. Give the munchkin a bath with that allergy shampoo.

3. Get carpet shampoo and wash the carpet in our computer room-which is where all the kitten stuff is right now.

I'm not going to get Zyrtec because I want to be able to see if his symptoms change. We're still trying to figure out if it is cats.

[missyfritz]

Good luck! I really hope it works out for you. I'm allergic to cats too and it does seem that some cats bug me more than others. As far as I know, it's a dander issue. My dad is also allergic to cats but we used to have one when I was really little. He showed some symptoms, like runny nose, itchy eyes, and whatever. After a couple weeks though, his body adjusted to it and he was fine from then on. Hopefully the same thing will happen to your husband!

[shewasmyshadow]

Oooh, that is interesting. Yeah, when I told my husband people can adjust to allergies he didn't believe me. I said what about doctors saying it's healthy to expose kids to pets. That it can keep them from developing allergies. He was like, Oh yeah.

[shelsnsaus]

My sister has always had various allergies her whole life. Growing up we had always had a cat. Apparently one of my sisters allergies are cats, however she never figured it out until she moved out of my parents house (with cat) and into her own home (no cat at the time). A year later she got her own cat and went through the whole itchy watery eyes, sinus issues etc. She eventually desensitized to her cat, but still has issues with my mom's new cat. Desensitizing is possible for some.

My husband's allergies to adult cats (not kittens) are so severe, he ends up with really high fevers and dellusions. He can tolerate kittens, but can not tolerate cats to any large degree.

[zoel_222]

I'm allergic to every animal ever who has fur. :doh: I developed allergies when I was like 5, and now I'm completely adjusted to my own animals. I can stick my own kitty over my face and breathe in his dander and not even be bothered, but if I go to someone else's house who has indoor animals, I'll be sneezing and blowing my nose every two minutes, even if I didn't even touch it.

[Petra]

I'm allergic to cats. I used to have 3, but I had no choice, had to part with them.
Sadly it is not possible to desensitize towards an allergen.
It really just depends on your hubby how bad his allergy is. When kids have allergies it is possible to outgrow them. However allergies usually don't go away once you are an adult. They get worse. It is possible that he wasn't allergic to your other cat, but he is now. He should get tested to make sure.
A long-term exposure to allergen will make the allergy get worse. I am sure you love your cats, but be careful. You don't want your husband to suffocate one day.
When I was a kid I was allergic to grass; all it did was a lot of sneezing, itchy eyes and runny nose. It progressed, over the years I started to cough a lot too until it got to the point that I would die without medication. I had several attacks when I couldn't take a breath. It is very scary. I'd try to find the cats a new home if you will see the allergy to worsen.
Allergies are more dangerous than most people realize. I hope you will find a solution, but be prepared that eventually you may have to make a decision - cats or husband.