Cat Allergy Symptoms and Causes

Cats and dogs are some of the most popular pet choices in many homes. These are traditional pets that people have kept for centuries. Some people prefer one or the other, though some have both. Cats are more independent than dogs, making them perfect for those that have busy lives and do not have time to walk dogs and give them the little bit of extra attention that they need. Some people are allergic to cats, and this can come as a surprise after owning them for a while. Cat allergy symptoms can pop up at any time, even if you have had one for a very long time. That catches many people unaware.

Cat allergy symptoms are much like allergy symptoms for other things. Those that are allergic or develop an allergy find that they are sneezing for what seems like no reason at all. They may also have a runny nose and may feel like they can not breathe if the allergy is bad. These are the same symptoms that you would get if you were to get seasonal allergies. However, you would notice that you are having these symptoms only at home and they get worse when your pet gets near you.

Most people think that cat allergy symptoms are from cat hair. This is only partially true. Cat hair on its own is not the reason that you are sneezing, wheezing, and having a hard time being near your pet. The actually allergy to cats (or dogs) comes from the dander. Dander is the skin that the cats shed each day, just like people shed skin each day too. The dander can stick to the hair, spreading it around your house. The dander is also floating around in the air, which makes it impossible to get away from.

If you think that you are having cat allergy symptoms, you may think that you can clean up the cat hair for some relief. That is not going to help much. If you have someone coming over the is allergic to cats, they should know that no amount of cleaning is going to leave them symptom free while they are in your house. The hair carries some dander, but there is always going to be some in the air. Filters and air purifiers can help, but they are never going to clean up the entire cause of the cat allergy symptoms.

The only way that you can truly get rid of your cat allergy symptoms is to get rid of your beloved pets. This is hard for some people, and they try to get around that with medications. That can work, but not for really bad allergies. Once your pets are gone, you may still have some cat allergy symptoms as the dander is still in your home. You may end up having to buy new furniture to get rid of all of it. That may not even work, but you should get great relief that way. Remember to wash curtains, clothing, and any other fabrics to try to get it all out before you decide it is a lost cause.