Posts Tagged ‘cure cat allergies’
Curing Cat Allergies
Friday, January 8th, 2010
When newborn kittens curl up into your lap and purr, snuggling close to you, there is nothing in the world quite like it. Sadly, many of us are unable to enjoy this simple pleasure because someone in our home suffers from cat allergies. While you may think that this means that you will never be able to have a cat of your very own, it doesn’t necessarily have to be so. There are different methods available that reduce the unpleasant symptoms of cat allergies,
The first line of defense against cat allergies is total cleanliness. You need to keep your home as clean as you can possibly make it. The allergens in cat saliva are constantly being shed, so this is going to be a pretty consistent battle plan. It includes regular vacuuming with a HEPA air filtration vacuum to remove as many of those allergens as possible, dusting, and laundry. Every few months or so, you may want to steam vapor clean your carpets, upholstered furniture, and draperies.
Medical science has provided us with antihistamines, which can be very effective against not only cat allergies, but allergies of all kinds. They are available both over the counter and, if your allergies are particularly bad, by prescription. If you are pregnant, have any sort of major illness, or already take prescriptions, be sure to consult your doctor before you start taking them.
Another useful tactic, though a somewhat more drastic one, would be removing your carpets. The allergies that cause cat allergies can quickly build up beneath the carpets and cause problems. If you have hardwood floors beneath your carpets, this may be a perfectly viable option for you, but the same is not true if you only have concrete foundation.
If nothing else works, you may be relegated to having to keep your new cat outside in order to keep your allergies in check. This is, however, really only an option if you live in a temperate climate and live in a fairly rural area. There are downsides to this option, however, as the rather limited contact you are likely to have with the cat will prevent it from really bonding to you, making you little more than a source of food.
Everyone’s body responds differently to just about everything in the world, cat allergies included. Something that your friend tells you works perfectly well for them may end up being completely useless for you. Really all you can do to find what works best for you is to experiment until you find what works well for you and your allergies.
