PLEASE HELP! I have two rescued kittens & i just found out i am allergic to cats!

wigglytuff

wigglytuff

Love & Hermes
O.G.
Aug 10, 2008
2,830
105
#1
ARGH!!! we have two new rescue kittens and i just found out from the allergist that i am allergic to cats!!


I AM IN SHOCK!!! i have loved animals all my life and cat sat in the past with no problem. i even volunteered at a shelter for special events. we rescued TWO kittens from our local shelter (one is a 4 month old pure breed maine coon kitten that was in the shelter because her prior owner was allergic to cats!)

the allergist recommended zytec and/or nasonex. but i have only been home for only 2 hours and i am sneezing and feeling stuffy already. I DO NOT WANT TO GIVE UP MY BABIES!!! i have only had the maine coon for 3 days and i am IN LOVE! i cant give her up. PLEASE HELP!!

the bedroom has carpet but for the time being while they are still getting used to each other they are not allowed therein.
 
#2
Have you bathed them? Giving cats regular baths cuts down on dander, which is probably causing your allergy. I have a long haired cat and she gets groomed once a month.
 
#4
That will work just fine. Or you can drop by a pet store to get pet shampoo. If you get them used to baths when they are young you won't have any trouble bathing them as they get older, so it's a good thing. You don't need to bathe short haired cats like you do long haired cats.

Also, make sure you have a fabulous vacuum cleaner (I have a Dyson Animal 25 and it changed my life, seriously) and vacuum at least once a week, preferably twice with two cats. And dust often too!

You will probably also need to change your bedding and towels more often than previously.

Are you using an air conditioner in your house or central air? Make sure the filters are new and clean. Do the same thing for your heating system in the winter.

Hope that helps you out!
 
#5
I used to be horribly allergic around cats, now I have 2 of my own. I just found that the more I'm around them, the less I react. No meds, nothing. Maybe I just got lucky!

A lady I work with is horribly allergic to everything, but she has a dog and 3 cats, and takes Alavert, just like my boyfriend, who is also allergic to our critters.

I hope it works out for you, and I agree, the Dyson Animal is incredible with my 2 cats and fluffy dog!
 
#6
Wiggly, you could be sensitive to their dander or even their saliva. I know two people who have that problem and they have to wash their hands thoroughly after touching a cat.
Personally, I wouldn't bath them unless it was totally necessary, but get your new kitties to vet for a checkup just to make sure.
Please post pics of your new additions. You can't start a post about kittens and not include pics. :P
 
#7
^^ oh no, i'm so sorry wiggly, that's heartbreaking :cry:...you've had your 1st kitten for a little while now, so did the allergies just start after adopting the 2nd kitten (?)...double the cats, double the amount of allergens in the air...sadly, it's possible you may only be able to keep one of them...but, unless you have asthma, i'd try the tips above & wait a few weeks...because it's possible for your body to adjust to them...when i got my new bichon puppy in december, i posted here because i was worried about my asthma/allergies to him...i'm allergic to dogs & cats, but had a bichon for over 16 years who never bothered me...then, i got this new puppy (another purebred bichon) & i started having reactions to him that i never had to my last baby...but, thank goodness, i hung in there & waited a few weeks...i also started taking "zyrtek" once a day & then i was fine...another trick you could try is to buy "allerpet/c", which you can use weekly on your cats to help reduce allergens from their skin/fur...however, if you find that you can't keep one of both them after trying all of these things, please try to place them in loving new homes on your own, instead of taking them to a shelter...wishing you & your babies all the best (((hugs))) :hugs:

http://www.amazon.com/Allerpet-C-for-Cats-Formula/dp/B000S0L0M4
 
#8
Thinking on this my Mum and older brother both used to have cat allergies. Like Boomie they now have 5 cats in the house with no problems what so ever! So it is possible I guess! We started with just the one who was actually a rescue that we felt sorry for (it was either she came to us or went into a cat sanctuary) I would take the advice already given here and try to keep hair and things down to a minimum but really don't give up hope just yet.
 
#9
oh i hope that you get this resolved and get to keep your babies!!! i am so happy that you adopted another one!!!....i have never had allergies to my pets but can only imagine that you must be very upset....are the allergies really bad or mild????...again i really hope you get it worked out....big hugs to you...you are such a great kitty parent...

and i agree too...you MUST post pics of them....you know how we are with pics...lol
 
#10
I'm so sorry, I hope you can work things out. I am friends with a woman who is very allergic to cats, but also a huge cat lover. She takes a medication daily that allows her to live comfortably with her two cats. She also keeps her house very clean, which I'm sure helps. I'll ask her what she takes; perhaps it is something that will work for you too!
 
#11
thank you everyone for your advice and i am doing as much of it as i can. the vacuum is DEFINITELY better than the one we have but it is also very expensive and we just bought a condo (thus my lack of shopping).

i am uploading pictures as we speak and will have them up later today!
 
#13
UPDATE!!!

24 hours after the start of my new regine: zyrtec,nasonex, roller hair removal and keeping them out of carpeted areas and i am seeing a MAJOR IMPROVEMENT!!!

i am seeing enough of an improvement to know that they are keepers and i am sure we can work this out.
 
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