I spend at least an hour a day scrolling through my Instagram feed looking at pictures of cats.
I send photos of cute rescue cats with names like Moo and Bathmat to my friends.
I ask people about their cats a lot, too.
Does she shed a lot?
Can you send me photos?The thing isImseverely allergic to cats.
If I pet my friend Suvis cat, Graham, my eyes will swell shut.
If I stay in a room with Graham too long, Ill have trouble breathing.
Is there anything you could do to cope with a cat allergy as a prospective owner?
As it turns out, yesbut itll be a long road ahead.
Some people can have other reactions including asthma issues.
Thats where we fall into bigger problems.
But if you want to be absolutely 100% positive, seeing a doctor is probably your best bet.
Its a pretty safe test to do and is the most objective way to get a professionals opinion.
And if you choose to adopt anyway, there are strategies you could employ to lessen your nightmarish reactions.
Use preventative reduction strategies
So youre allergic and youve just adopted a rescue cat.
First, youll have to set some ground rules with the cat, he said.
Youll want to ensure the cat doesnt have free rein in the house.
Your next step should be to purchase an air purifier with a High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter.
Devices with aHEPA filterhelp remove allergens in the air.
Cat dander is one of the smallest types of allergens out there.
Its very airborne and remains suspended in the air for a while, Erstein said.
That air purifier will be able to filter out that dander.
It should be running non-stop in [your] home.
Lastly, if its possible, bathe your cat one to two times a week to reduce dander.
And of course, wash your hands whenever possible.
ensure you wash your hands and dont touch your eyes or youll be suffering.
Use over-the-counter medications
According to Erstein, your next step to try over-the-counter (OTC) medications.
People can take daily oral antihistamines and steroid nasal sprays, he said.
Medications, all in all, are kind of just like band-aids to the symptoms, though.
Theyre not really doing anything to solve the sensitivity that people have.
There are rare side effects; sometimes people get very tired or it dries people out.
We call it disease-modifying.
These shots, however, come with a huge time commitment and arent always foolproof.
They take months prior to beginning to feel benefits, he said.
The standard way of treating is once a week for six to seven months or so.
Eventually, youre coming in once a month.
Unfortunately, theres really no such thing [as a hypoallergenic cat], Erstein said.
Most allergists would just say cross your fingers.
Take an antihistamine daily, have a nasal spray around, and see how you do.
I have many patients that are willing to [adopt a cat anyway], he said.
They love the cat that much and I get it, I completely doits a tough decision.
This article was originally published on April 12, 2019.
