| Living
With Allergies to Your Cat
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the printable PDF version
People who
are allergic to cats are actually allergic to a protein called
Fel d1 found
in cats’ saliva,
urine and feces. Cats lick their fur and the saliva dries and flakes
off, and is present
in the air. Unfortunately, allergies are one of the main reasons
people give for giving up their pet. Most of these people do
not realize that there are ways of reducing or eliminating
their allergy problems. Following are several simple strategies
you
can use to minimize your chances of developing allergies and
ways of coping with them if you have them.
- Circulate fresh air in your home as
much as possible. Open windows, change air filters on furnaces
and air conditioners
often.
- Feed your
cat a premium canned or raw food, the proper balance of essential
fatty acids and nutrients will keep skin and hair in optimal
condition, reducing shedding and dander.
- Clean litter boxes daily, if you
are allergic have someone else do it or get an automatic litter
box.
- Get a True
HEPA air filter and use it in your bedroom, these filters remove
99% of all allergens from the air.
- Wash cat beds,
cover slips and blankets that the cat sleeps on frequently.
- Brush
your cat frequently and dispose of the dead hair. Have someone
else do this for you if you yourself are allergic.
- Wipe your cat
frequently with a cloth dampened with lukewarm water. Do not
bathe her with soap, because she will lick herself
more
and increase the saliva on her coat.
- Wash your hands after touching
your pet, before eating or touching your face.
- Make sure
you use allergen-filter vacuum bags to avoid distributing allergens
into the air when you clean. Consider replacing carpets
with hard flooring, or steam-clean carpets once a month with
allergen reduction formulas.
- Close your
cat out of your bedroom – if you breathe allergen-free
air while you sleep your tolerance during the day will be better.
- Apply Allerpet/C
to your cat’s coat once a week – Allerpet/C is
a product designed to reduce the exposure to the Fel d1 protein.
More info at www.allerpet.com
- Many people
are more allergic to kittens than adult cats, you may be less
allergic as your kitten grows up.
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