How can you live with cats if you are allergic to them?
CATS
There are countless benefits to interacting with animals. Stroking them, playing with them, sharing their company, etc. can help to improve our quality of life, especially for children, the elderly and the most vulnerable people.
In fact, cats have always been held in high esteem in society; in ancient times they were given divine status.
They are also one of the best pets to have at home. However, it is also true that, due to their fur, they can trigger allergies in many people.
HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE AN ALLERGY?
If you have a cat and suffer from hives, asthma, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, sneezing fits or even tinnitus, it is very likely that you suffer from a “cat allergy” or hypersensitivity to your cat.
However, when we talk about allergies, it is important to know that what you are actually allergic to is the FelD1 protein, which is found in the saliva, urine, faeces and fat in the skin of these animals. You can easily find out if you are allergic by taking an allergy skin test.
Males produce more of this protein, although if both males and females are neutered, the level of this protein is greatly reduced. This is because secretion of the protein is closely linked to a cat’s hormones and the substance they use for “marking” contains a lot of this protein. The protein is present in the cat’s coat in two ways: through the fat secreted by the cat’s skin and through the cat’s saliva, which is transferred to the coat during daily grooming.
HOW TO COMBAT CAT ALLERGIES
- If allergy sufferers decide to adopt a cat, it is advisable for them to adopt a short-haired cat. Why? There will be less of the protein in the environment, because when the hair is scattered around the house, so is the protein, which, as it dries, floats around freely like dust mites and dust.
- Brush the animal once a week to remove deeper hair. An allergic person is likely to need a mask.
- Designate areas where the cat is not allowed. A good idea is to keep the cat out of the room where you sleep, making it a safe space in case you get an allergy attack at any time.
- It may be worthwhile getting an air purifier so that the air you breathe is constantly being replaced, preventing the further spread of allergy-causing proteins.
- If you still have symptoms, try a period apart to find out if it really is your cat that is causing your allergies. Ask someone to keep it for a month or two. Keep a record of your allergy symptoms during this time and note how they change, if at all.
- Keep your home very clean. Dust, wash sofa covers frequently and use brushes that collect cat hair. Carpets and rugs should be avoided as dust adheres to these areas very easily. There are special vacuum cleaners to vacuum up the dust generated by animal hair.
- Get a proper diagnosis of your allergy. Many people claim to be allergic to animal hair without having had an allergy skin test. See a specialist doctor who can recommend the best specific treatment for you.
DIAGNOSIS
A proper diagnosis of allergic sensitisation is the first step in helping sufferers to improve their quality of life, and in this case, to enjoy the company of their cat.
At Probelte Pharma, a laboratory that manufactures vaccines and allergy tests, we prepare allergenic extracts to diagnose allergic sensitisation via allergy skin tests. Allergy challenge testing is used in specific cases where there are doubts about a diagnosis based on an allergy skin test. However, it is very important that these diagnostic tests be carried out by a specialist doctor.
The specialist doctor will assess your case and perform the test that is most effective for you.
At Probelte Pharma we manufacture two types of skin tests:
– Allergy skin prick test
– Intradermal
And two types of challenge tests:
– Nasal challenge
– Conjunctival challenge
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), AIT is the only treatment capable of reducing the allergic patient’s response to the allergen, thereby changing the natural course of the allergic disease.
