How to Deal Cat Allergies

If you or a member of your family suffers from cat allergies, you may be tempted to give up your pet for adoption. Before you take a drastic step, you should know there are many things you can do to reduce the symptoms of allergies and make sharing a home with a feline friend a complete success.

Instructions

1. Keep the amount of carpeting to a minimum. This includes area rugs and wall-to-wall carpet, especially if they are thick. Carpeting traps dander, which is the main cause of allergy.

2. Invest on a HEPA air filter. Keep it running in the background in the room where your cat spends most of its time or in your bedroom if your pet has free reign of the house (although it may be a good idea to make the bedroom a cat-free zone).

3. Vacuum frequently and keep the furniture free of dust. Cat hair and dander get trapped in dust and make breathing in a room more difficult.

4. Have somebody else brush the cat several times a day in order to remove any lose hairs. Short-haired cats shed less, so they’re easier to handle by people with severe allergies. Pet stores sell a variety of damp towelettes you can use to “bath” your cat, or you can use a wet paper towel.

5. Use quilts or blankets to cover your couch and bed when you’re not home. If your cat sleeps on them, the dander will get trapped on the covers rather than coming in direct contact with the upholstery. You can then remove the covers and shake them outside or vacuum them easily.

6. Talk to your doctor about allergy medications you can take. Extreme cases may require regular shots, but there are also several over-the-counter drugs that can reduce your symptoms noticeably.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don’t have a cat yet and are considering an adoption, think it through carefully. It’s much more traumatic for an animal to find a home and then being removed than to stay a little longer at a shelter, waiting for an owner.