I have cats... but I'm allergic?! How!?

That’s right, I’m allergic to cats- but how do I get to still live with the adorable Rock and Roll? I’m happy to share, however first, I would like to establish a few details:

• What is is most people are allergic to with cats? “Fel d 1”, this is the protein in cat saliva that causes allergic reactions in humans! This is spread onto cats when they clean themselves and their dander will often carry this protein and trigger the allergic reaction. 
  Fun Fact: There is a specific antibody that is developed by Chickens when they live with farm cats. After exposure to cats, chickens pass this antibody to their eggs that they lay, and when consumed by cats, it reduces the protein “Fel d 1”!
  
• My level of allergy: Mild itchy restriction of the airway/asthmatic symptoms, and ridiculously burning/painful itchy eyes when my eyes are exposed.
  

Everyone has a different degree of allergy so please take the advice I share as a suggestion, and always consult a medical professional if you have allergies and are considering challenging yourself. Please challenge yourself responsibly. 
I will add suggestions from others into my blog at the bottom as I hear them!

I learned I was allergic to cats when I was brought to a cat show for my 15th birthday. My dad was allergic and I lived in denial until I suddenly had very extreme allergies and symptoms at the show. After that I just loved them from afar until late 2020 when I held my friend's cat and ended up basically crying in joy. 

How did I test my allergies around cats?
When Covid restrictions lifted somewhat and my husband and I decided it would be ok to test the waters on having a cat, we set out to our local Pet Smarts (yes- multiple) to visit the cats that were available for adoption. My mission was to:
A) test how badly different types of cats affected me
B) see if I could even manage holding any of them.
I knew I wanted to rescue a cat if possible, and thankfully all the members who ran the charity “Cats in need of human care” were so kind to support my mission! 

In my experiments I learned that kittens seemed to trigger my allergies more, and longer haired cats were a lot easier to be around. This process was done over a series of weekends with meet and greets too, and would stop once I got triggered until next time. I know it could also be suggested to focus on getting a Hypoallergenic breeds like a Siamese or a Russian Blue, but I also knew that rescues needed a home too, so I stubbornly wanted to try seeing if I could just focus on rescues for now.

What happened after I adopted our first two brothers, Bandit and Ghost? How did I combat my allergies?
Thankfully we were approved to adopt the long haired Bandit and Ghost, and we started the at home trials!

Aside from increased vacuuming and cleaning, we restricted the rooms that Bandit and Ghost could travel around our home at first. This was great for two reasons:
1) I could have a space I could retreat to that I knew would be minimal with cat exposure.
2) We could make sure that Bandit and Ghost didn’t get into anything that they shouldn’t.
Once they got older and we felt I was managing ok, we would allow them to explore more and more areas of the house!

Allergy Pills: I am not an advocate for any particular allergy pills, but when my allergies would become more intense or if I was exposed, I would use an allergy pill. I would try to minimize the amount I took as well, and would try to limit myself to no more than 3 in a week. 
I also read that some allergy pills can become “addictive” so I switched out between 3 brands to be safe. You can always consult your medical practitioner to make the best decision.

Pet-hair resistant Blankets and Bedding: I also purchased pet-hair resistant sheets I would use to cover my side of the bed when I woke up in the morning. There are a lot of options out there! Personally I wanted our little ones to be comfortable with being on the bed with us, and felt that this would be the best way for me to have both worlds. Easy to clean and still comfy!

HEPA Air Purifier: Another step I took to help is I bought an air purifier! I went for the Blue 121 Air purifier myself (Not sponsored), and I did feel a difference when I was in a room with it running! 

Closed Litter Boxes: We have litterboxes that have tops on them or are inside hidden cabinets to help catch any floating dust from the litter. Every cat has a different preference when it comes to litter, and if your litter creates dust -having it somehow captured from floating around the home helps!

Pataday Eye Drops: Things were generally manageable for me from this point, but when I did get triggered in my eyes, they would be so painful and enflamed, that I would be bed-ridden for about 2 hours with just a damp cloth on my affected eye. I also did worry about the amount of gunk I was dealing with my eyes in the morning, so I decided to visit an optometrist to be safe. The optometrist then recommended the eye drops “Pataday” and these were a game changer. I would be better within 1-2 minutes of using these drops!

Purina Pro Plan Allergen Reducer Food: Then when my two boys got old enough to have more adult food, I later learned about another “Game-changer” option! I’ll sing it to anyone who will listen but I fed my cats “Purina Pro Plan- Indoor - Allergen reducer” everyday, and within 1 week, I didn’t have to wake up and go through my “becoming human” process of clearing my face so much!!

Overall with these precautions, I am able to live pretty comfortably with my two little ones. I can even give their cute little heads kisses, as long as I wash my face shortly after! I do still get hit from time to time, and my asthma is more easily triggered with the cold now, but I don’t regret the time I get to spend now with my little ones. 

There are other more ambitious options for helping overcome allergies such as the series of shots called allergen immunotherapy, but as someone who is afraid/hates of hypodermic needles, I am choosing to manage my allergies with the steps listed above. If you are interested in the more medical approach, please consult with a medical professional!

After we lost Bandit and Ghost, Rock and Roll moved in and I can tell I am a more allergic to them than Bandit and Ghost. However the steps above still make it manageable!

I hope that these suggestions help allow you to help combat allergies in your home so you can live a little more closer with your furry family comfortably!

Hug your kitties for me!