Recognizing and Living With Cat Allergies
Cats are one of the best types of pets to have: they don’t need daily exercise and outdoor walks and can stay in a closed environment such as an apartment if you provide food and fresh water for the entire day. Therefore, many of us prefer cats as our pet. And besides all of the advantages of having a cat, they are also extremely loving and loyal. One of the very few disadvantages of having a cat is acquiring or triggering cat allergy, which usually occurs from the dander and cat hair.
You may not know you have cat allergy until you get a cat and encounter the following symptoms when you cat is around:
- shortness or breath
- itchiness
- watery eyes
- blurry vision
- sneezing or wheezing
Cat allergy can be very painful and dangerous at times especially if you have any other medical conditions, which can be aggravated by the allergies therefore you must immediately take measures to combat the symptoms and enjoy your cat’s company.
Dealing With Cat Allergies
The first thing you will need to do is ensure your house is ventilated at all times. A good air filter will clean out the air and animal dander considerably providing you with more breathable air. Grooming of your cat should be done by another family member if possible and also outside the house or where you spend most of your time, because during grooming a lot of the hair and dander will be air borne and that can affect your allergies significantly.
If your cat allergy still persists, you should consult a doctor who will prescribe allergy drugs and in special cases you can be administered shots, which are probably the most effective solution of all. Even after taking drugs or shots, it is important you still continue to ensure that the house is always properly cleaned as well as the air filter always running in order not to activate your allergies again.
Cat allergy can be fatal especially if you are suffering from respiratory diseases therefore, it is important you consider spending sometime in your pet’s presence before you acquire it and that will be the best way to know whether you can have a cat pet or not.
Cats are wonderful pets and some people will want one at any cost however, while the allergy drugs usually will do a great job at combating the symptoms, it is recommended you always be on the watch in case your allergies gets aggravated and treat it more aggressively if and when necessary.

