Allergies around cats SOMETIMES.

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amy253

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My daughter is 6 years old. We had a cat in the house when she was born until she was a little over 3. Every baby sitter she had owned cats and she never had any symptoms of being allergic. All of a sudden about a year and a half ago she started to get red itchy nose at her baby sitters house every day she was there. Nothing severe, just a little stuffy and itchy. And then I noticed she would get the same way every where there was a cat. So, I figured she had a little allergy to cats.

Well, now our neigrabroador upstairs has a cat and the first time Maragret was around the cat her eyes got SO swollen they could hardly open, they were very red and itchy, she couldn't breathe at all through her nose. She has been up there to play with the little girl dozens of times since and sometimes has no symptoms at all. Sometimes just very minor symptoms. Never anything as bad as that first time she was around the cat. I'm wondering if it's possible to become immune to an allergy to a cat that quickly about 6 months)? Or if it sounRAB more like the allergy could be caused by something else, like the litter. She's wanted to get a cat for so long and her Father has finally agreed to it but I'm afraid she could be severely allergic and we would have to give the cat away to some one else. She would be heart broken. I'm just wondering what it sounRAB like to you.
 
Could they be bathing the cat? If cats have recently been bathed, I'm not bothered as much. Some people are allergic to the dander, and some are allergic to the saliva. Bathing helps with both.

I gradually became allergic to cats when I was a teen, and allergy medication didn't help. I suffered with my last kitty for 8 years, I wasn't about to give her up, but I haven't owned a cat since. 30+ years later, I'm just as allergic, but modern allergy medications (I have other allergies, too) help to some degree. Everyone in my family owns cats, except for me. Sometimes I can't resist the temptation, and I just have to pet or hold the babies. If I immediately wash my hanRAB throughly in hot soapy, water, I can usually avoid the hives, swollen eyes, runny nose/congested, etc. But I always have to use my asthma rescue inhaler after just being in a cat person's house. The holidays are always wheezy!

My advice, don't get a cat. I really suffered with my last cat. I would have "hated" my parents if they had gotten rid of the cat, but it would have saved me much physical misery.
 
I'm actually here looking for some advice.

I live with two cats. I've just taken a live-out nanny position. The daddy is sneezy and itchy when I'm in their house. I shower before going over there, wear clean clothes, do not touch my cats before I leave for work, and I change my shoes as soon as I arrive.

I'm horrified that my very presence is making someone ill in their own home. To my mind, this is a deal-breaker, and they would be justified in telling me they can't keep me. If that happens, I'll understand, but my heart will be broken--I really love this family and want to continue with them.

Can anyone give me some practical ideas to try?
 
This is a difficult call.

I'm allergic to cats myself. One of my sisters has a cat and whenever I visit her home (or she visits mine), I sneeze constantly. I haven't found a solution yet, so the best I've been able to do is ask her to turn on her A/C when I am a guest in her home and do the same when she is a guest in mine.

Having said that, this option isn't something that can be done during the colder months, so we turn on a portable fan instead.
 
For those with allergies, have you tried taking any supplements to help your system? I've started to take an isotonic antioxidant called OPC-3 and haven't had any allergies since.
 
I've never tried supplements.

I find that the addition of a nasal spray and inhaler work best in controlling my symptoms.

Granted, it has only been a few days since I started this treatment regimen, but so far, I've noticed a significant improvement in how I feel.
 
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