Cat Allergies: How to Identify and Treat Them

Whether you or a family member suffers from cat allergy symptoms, many questions come with it. Does your son’s persistent cold seem to be caused by a cat allergy? Will you regret granting your allergic daughter’s wishes for a kitten? Can you have the pet of your dreams without becoming a sneezing, sniffling mess with a purportedly hypoallergenic cat?

Learn all there is to know about cat allergies in this article, including their causes, symptoms, and preventative measures.

Symptoms of Cat Allergy

Cat allergies can result in various symptoms that irritate your skin and respiratory system.

• Adult-onset symptoms of cat allergies
• Allergies in cats can cause symptoms like:
• Wheeze and coughing
• A rash or hives on the face and chest
• Eyes that are red and scratchy
• Redness on your skin after being bitten, scratched or licked by a cat
• A stuffy, runny, itchy nose
• Sneezing
• Cat allergies can induce symptoms that show up within minutes or take hours to manifest. 

Rashes from Cat Allergies

Cat allergies, commonly known as allergic dermatitis, can also result in skin complaints. Itchy skin, eczema, or hives could be present.

Baby and Toddler Symptoms of Cat Allergies

The symptoms of a cat allergy in children are comparable to those in adults and include:

• Swollen eyes
• Sneezing
• A nasal discharge
• Inflammation of the throat
• Symptoms of asthma: wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath
• Severe symptoms of a cat allergy

Allergy symptoms in cats can occasionally become severe. Approximately 20% to 30% of those suffering from allergic asthma experience severe flare-ups following interaction with a cat. If you suffer shortness of breath, difficulty sleeping, wheezing, or difficulty breathing through your nose, call a doctor or obtain immediate care.

What Is Responsible for Cat Allergy Symptoms?

Cats are among the most frequent causes of pet allergies, which affect about 10% of the US population. Allergies in cats occur twice as frequently as in dogs. However, the true issue isn’t with the fur or hair, unlike what you may believe. Cat dander (dried skin flakes) and urine include proteins that allergic people are allergic to. If someone else in your family also has a pet allergy, your chances of developing one are increased.

How Body React to Proteins?

Allergy sufferers’ immune systems are very sensitive. Their bodies fight harmless substances like cat dander as if they were pathogens or viruses, mistaking them for harmful invaders. Your body’s reaction to the allergen, or trigger, is what causes your allergy symptoms.

Remember that your cat may unintentionally aggravate your allergies even if you don’t experience any signs of a cat allergy. Through their coats, cats from outside can carry in allergens such as mold and pollen.

What Are the Signs of a Cat Allergy?

Cats are not always the source of cat allergies, even though their symptoms could appear rather evident. Having your doctor verify is a smart move. You wouldn’t want to unfairly accuse Mr. Whiskers, after all.

Test for Cat Allergies

To determine if you have an allergy, your doctor might do a blood or skin test. To test your skin, the doctor will pierce it with tiny amounts of refined allergen extracts, such as those derived from animals. Forearms are the typical test site; upper backs are used seldom. Your skin is examined by your doctor or nurse for allergic reactions after 15 minutes. For example, if you have a cat allergy, the spot where the cat extract was pierced will get red and itch.

Sometimes certain drugs or skin issues make a skin test impossible. Your doctor may recommend a blood test in its place. This test examines your blood for certain antibodies linked to common allergens, such as animals, that cause allergies. It may also demonstrate your level of sensitivity to an allergy. Remember that allergy testing isn’t perfect every time. To see how it affects your allergy symptoms, the doctor can also advise you to try going a few months without a cat.

Cat Allergy Management

Aside from that, allergies cannot be avoided. Early animal exposure appears to reduce the likelihood of developing a pet allergy as an adult, according to certain research findings. However, a child exposed to a pet may worsen their preexisting allergic reactions. Most of the time, regular allergy medications are effective in managing the symptoms of feline allergies. Your physician could recommend the following:

Recognizing Allergies in Cats

Are you thinking that you may have a cat allergy? A diagnosis and course of treatment can be given to you by an allergist. The most popular method for identifying a cat allergy is a skin-prick test. You will be given a tiny bit of a cat allergen extract to apply to your skin for this test. After that, a tiny, sterile probe is used to pierce your skin, allowing the liquid to seep beneath the surface. Following that, you’ll be watched for any signs of an allergic reaction, such as swelling and redness. Usually, within 15 to 20 minutes, results are apparent.

Becoming examined is a good idea even if you are certain that your symptoms are caused by your cat. They could also be brought on by exposure to other environmental factors.

Medication for Cat Allergies

• Antihistamines: over-the-counter versions of cetirizine (Zyrtec), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), fexofenadine (Allegra), and loratadine (Claritin); some antihistamines in nasal spray form, such as azelastine (Astelin); decongestants: over-the-counter versions of pseudoephedrine (Sudafed); allergy medications containing pseudoephedrine, Allegra-D, Claritin-D, or Zyrtec-D.
• A typical treatment for allergens is nasal steroid sprays, which have varying effects on asthma symptoms or allergies. Over-the-counter steroid sprays include fluticasone (Flonase), triamcinolone (Nasacort Allergy 24HR), and budesonide (Rhinocort). 

How Allergies to Cats are Identified?

There are two methods for testing for allergies, including those to cats: blood tests and skin tests. There are two kinds of tests for skin allergies. two types of skin tests: intradermal and skin prick. Both tests often have lower costs than blood tests and get results quickly.

Dermaprick Test for Allergies

A tiny amount of the allergen will be deposited onto your skin by your doctor through a clean needle puncture (typically on the back or forearm). Multiple allergies will probably be tested for concurrently. Additionally, a control solution free of allergies will prickle your skin. The allergen may be identified by numbering each prick by your doctor.

The site of the skin prick could turn red or swell in 15 to 20 minutes. This response validates that substance allergy. When a cat allergen is contacted, a red, itchy bump typically results from a positive allergy. Usually, 30 minutes after the test, these uncomfortable side effects disappear.

Blood Examination

Certain individuals are unable to undergo skin testing, typically due to an underlying skin problem or advanced age. Skin testing is frequently more difficult for young children. The doctor is going to order a blood test in these situations. After being drawn for testing, the blood will be sent to a laboratory or the doctor’s office. After that, the blood is tested for antibodies to common allergies like cat fur. A blood test has no danger of an allergic reaction, but the findings take longer to obtain.

Intradermal Skin Examination

It is possible to inject potential allergens beneath the skin of the arm or forearm. A positive response will cause red, itchy pimples to emerge. When an allergy is present, an intradermal test may be more accurate in indicating a positive result than a skin prick test since it is thought to be more sensitive in identifying allergies. However, compared to the skin prick test, it may also have more false positives. That indicates that in the absence of an allergy, it causes a cutaneous reaction. When testing for allergies, both skin tests are important. The most suitable testing method for you will be explained by your doctor.

Infants with Allergies to Cats

The question of whether infants exposed to animals at an early age are predisposed to allergies or not is one that experts are still debating. According to a 2015 study, babies who grow up with cats and dogs at home have a higher chance of becoming allergic to other animals throughout their first four years of life. However, babies who live with cats, especially in their first year of life, develop antibodies to the animal and have a lower chance of developing allergies in the future, according to a 2011 study.

According to a 2017 study, exposing infants to specific beneficial bacteria at an early age may be beneficial for cats and dogs. According to the study’s findings, compared to babies who weren’t exposed, those who were exposed to a cat or dog in the home during pregnancy may have fewer allergy issues later on.

Reducing Cat Allergies

The greatest way to avoid cat allergies in the first place is to avoid them. 

• Don’t let the cat inside your bed.
• After handling the cat, wash your hands.
• Eliminate upholstered furniture and the entire carpeting. Allergens can be decreased with clean walls and wood or tile flooring.
• Make sure the throw rugs or furniture covers you choose can be cleaned in hot water and do so often.
• Use cheese cloth or another thick filter material to cover the vents for your air conditioner and heater.
• Set up the air purifier.
• Furnaces and air conditioners often need their filters changed.
• Maintain a 40% relative humidity in your house.
• Once a week, use a HEPA filter vacuum to vacuum.
• While dusting or cleaning, wear a face mask.
• A non-allergic person should be hired to dust the house and empty the litter box regularly.
• Consult your doctor about immunotherapy if you suffer from a severe cat allergy for a long-term treatment plan.

Conclusion

About 10% of Americans suffer from cat allergies, which are caused by proteins in cats’ dander, urine, and saliva. Cats can carry in additional allergens from outside the house, even if you’re not allergic. Even while certain breeds are “hypoallergenic,” problems might arise from any cat at all. Cat allergies frequently manifest as coughing, wheezing, itchy eyes, and skin irritation soon after contact. If you or a family member has an allergy, be tested by a doctor to be sure, and think about avoiding cats completely. Antihistamines, decongestants, nasal steroid sprays, and allergy needles are among the available treatment options; however, prevention is still the best course of action.

FAQs