Cat allergy: symptoms and what to do?

Allergy to cats is considered the most common. Animal hair is one of the strongest allergens. It has not yet been precisely established why cat hair is more allergenic than dog hair. Although it is reliably known and practically proven that hair and, especially, its length, is not the primary cause of allergy to animals that have it. But still, we have to admit the fact that the concepts of cats and allergies are becoming more and more inseparable every year.

Pets bring a lot of joy, positive mood, give free love and affection to their owners. Everything looks much sadder if a person has a predisposition to allergies. In such cases, acquiring any pets, especially cats, is completely contraindicated.

It is also a mistake to think that hairless breeds or animals with short hair will rid their owner of such a condition as an allergy to cats. It is not the hair itself that is the issue, but what this hair contains. Any glandular secretion that comes to the surface of the skin and spreads along the entire length of the hair, or remains on the skin, if we are talking about hairless breeds of animals, can act as an allergen. The animal's saliva can be not only on its body, but also remain on furniture, on bedding and on human clothing. Remaining on the skin of the hands, under the nails, cat saliva can enter the body along with food, and thorough hand washing does not guarantee complete elimination of the allergen. Thus, it turns out that if there is a predisposition to allergies, an allergy to cats will manifest itself with any, even the slightest, contact with the animal or traces of its presence.

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What are the symptoms of cat allergy?

Each person has their own unique symptoms of the onset of an allergic reaction, with their own, purely individual, manifestations. Cat allergies have a number of symptoms that most often predominate at the onset of an allergic reaction and persist, sometimes intensifying, sometimes weakening, throughout the entire period. In particular, these may be symptoms:

1. rhinitis - persistent attacks of sneezing, swelling of the nasal mucosa, with or without discharge;
2. conjunctivitis - profuse lacrimation with severe irritation of the mucous membrane of the eye, resulting in pain in bright light;
3. bronchial asthma - frequent coughing attacks accompanied by shortness of breath, which may persist throughout the entire period of exposure to the allergen and for some time after its complete elimination.

All of the listed symptoms of cat allergy can occur individually or in combination, including with the addition of skin manifestations - urticaria or dermatitis. The first signs of the onset of allergy can appear both immediately after contact and after several hours. It has been noted that cat allergy occurs much less frequently in children who have constant access to pets since birth. But you should not try to "accustom" the child's body to the "cat allergen". If the child has a predisposition to allergies, any interaction with animals should be completely excluded.

What to do if you are allergic to cats?

If you have developed an allergy to cats, with the appearance of the first signs of the onset of an allergic reaction, first of all, you need to see a doctor and list all the factors that surround you in everyday life that may be classified as highly allergenic, including, be sure to mention the presence of furry pets. After visiting an allergist and passing all the necessary tests to determine the main allergen or their group, give your pet, for temporary residence, to one of your relatives or friends, then carry out a thorough wet cleaning of all horizontal surfaces, change bedding, and treat upholstered furniture with special cleaning agents.

If after the "cleansing" work, the allergy symptoms began to decrease, and after a day they stopped completely, then you can safely assume that it was an allergy to cats. In this case, it is better to give the pet to reliable hands for permanent residence. The test results will most likely confirm the validity of your assumption, although it is possible that the tests will show the presence of another allergen. Then the pet can be returned, and all efforts can be directed to eliminating the true cause of the allergic reaction.

How is cat allergy treated?

Whatever allergen causes a violent reaction in the body, including allergies to cats, treatment, by and large, comes down to the same algorithm:

• complete cessation of interaction with the allergen;
• removal of toxic decay products formed in the body during the allergic process (increasing the volume of liquid consumed to 2 liters per day, plus antihistamines in combination with sorbents);

• immunostimulating therapy and a complex of general strengthening drugs;
• strict hypoallergenic diet, refusal of cosmetics and perfumes during treatment;
• connection of drugs that improve the functioning of the bronchi, in case of development of symptoms of bronchial asthma;
• In severe cases, the administration of glucocorticosteroids is indicated.

It is possible to live without allergies!

In order not to worry about the fact that an allergy to cats will constantly ruin your life, knowing your predisposition, you need to make it a rule to regularly visit an allergist. Joint cooperation with specialists in the field of allergology will allow you to choose not only a special course of anti-allergy therapy, but also a set of preventive measures, which, in each specific case, will contain different recommendations.

Modern antiallergic drugs are designed in such a way that especially sensitive people can take them almost all year round, without harm to the body as a whole. However, special emphasis should be placed on maintaining immunity and strengthening the body's defenses. The manifestation of allergic reactions is an indicator of a greatly weakened immune factor. A strong immune system is quite capable of independently coping with even such an ailment as an allergy to cats.