Cats occupy perhaps the first place in popularity among domestic animals. Nothing beats their gentle soothing meow, soft fur and vibrant personality. And who would have thought that it was from these lovely lumps of people that a serious danger lay in wait. Allergy.
An allergy to a cat, the symptoms of which can easily knock down even the strongest person, is one of the most common on the planet. According to scientists, almost one in five suffers from it, so it’s not at all difficult to imagine the scale of the problem. How to be all this unfortunate "fifth", because many of them sincerely love animals and dream of having them at home. There is an even more unpleasant option. Think about what an insidious thing is an allergy to a cat: its symptoms may not appear for years, and then arise completely unexpectedly when you do not wait for them at all, and your beloved animal is always nearby, and your hand does not rise to get rid of it. So what to do?
First you need to understand how an allergy to a cat manifests itself. Her symptoms, in principle, are general in nature. In the same way, any other allergy to animal hair may occur. A person should be wary if, in the presence of a cat, he begins to cough, sneeze, runny nose, stuffs up his nose, eyes turn red and watery, and breathing is difficult.
It is worth noting that all of the above may not begin immediately, but several hours or days after contact with the animal. In addition, the contact itself is by no means a prerequisite. The fact is that cat dandruff, which is most often the cause of trouble, is not only on the pet itself. Unfortunately, it is easily and freely distributed throughout the house, it is present even in the air, not to mention carpets and upholstered furniture. Allergens can also be found in the cat's saliva, and in its other secretions. As you can see, the wool is not so much to blame, it's just that most of the "culprits" linger just in the furry coat of the animal.
It is also important to remember that before you blame your pet for all the troubles and look for where to send him, you should still pass a special allergy test. An animal may be completely innocent, but a person will have, for example, an allergy to house dust.
If all tests are done and the result is unequivocal - an allergy to a cat, symptoms appear regularly and something needs to be done, but there is no strength to part with your beloved animal, you should immediately take a series of actions that will help make life much easier. There is also the possibility that the allergy will disappear altogether.
First of all, you have to love wet cleaning. This is the most effective way to get rid of not only hair, but also particles of animal skin. It will not be possible to remove the latter with a conventional vacuum cleaner, since they are so small that they easily pass through the filters and again fall into the air. A vacuum cleaner can help here. If possible, it is worth it.
A number of measures can be taken regarding the cat. Firstly, the pet should be sterilized. In this case, the amount of allergens will decrease significantly. In addition, the cat will have to be washed and combed out much more often. If combing is simple enough, then washing can cause problems, because it is important not to overdo it, so as not to harm the animal. You should also limit the cat’s access to the bedroom.
If a person is allergic to a cat, the symptoms of which are manifested only in contact with the animal’s hair, it is worth paying attention to such breeds as the sphinx. This cat has no hair, but it should be washed often enough. Also a good option can be a variety of rex. These cats are coated with modified hair and are considered hypoallergenic.