Did you know that cat allergy is the most common and popular form of allergy in the US according to medical statistics for allergies? Yes, it is true.
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology or AAAAI even have the figures to show that almost 10 million pet lovers and owners in the country show allergic reactions to cats especially their fur.
Cats, together with dogs are the most loved pets in the country, there is no question to it. About half or 50% of all American households with pets own dogs and cats.
However, you may also have noticed that households with pet cats have more than one cat, compared to dog-loving households which mostly own just one dog on the average.
What causes cat allergy?
Dusts produced by cats’ bodies are in the form of dander. These danders consist of dried shed skin of cats in the form of tiny and very minute flakes.
Cats’ danders are the main cause of cat allergy. Take note that the danders may enter your respiratory system and cause your immune system to react violently bringing up symptoms and allergic reactions.
Cat danders have proteins that are perceived by the immune system as a threat to your health. Thus, cat allergy is not exactly a disease but a reflex reaction of your body’s anti-disease system to the foreign substance or allergen.
Cat allergy occurs often and in rapid pace because allergens from cats are constantly spread out through their blood, saliva and urine. These cat excretions are very sticky and light. They can adhere to different places even if the cat is not present.
Cats’ saliva, danders and urine can also be found in air ducts and walls. Remember, you know that cats always groom themselves (or should you say bathe themselves) constantly and continually through rubbing saliva into their fur.
This action of cats make the spread of cat danders and allergens effective and dangerous. There is nothing you can do about it, though, because that grooming process is an animal instinct.
When cats do that, the allergens are transported throughout the surroundings and will find its way towards your system, making symptoms show up.
Signs and Treatment of cat allergy
A person is under a cat allergy attack if he or she sneezes, wheezes, coughs, itches, have watery eyes and experience difficulty in breathing, which does not normally and usually occur.
It is very rare that a person with such symptoms also has fever and chills, but if that occurs, chances are it is not cat allergy but another disease that must be identified immediately by your doctor.
Cat allergies are almost always treated using antihistamines and decongestants. Antihistamines are the usual drugs that are taken by a person under asthma attack or any other form of allergy. Decongestants are taken by people with cough to relive swollen nasal tissues.
Allergy shots can also be a good treatment and some doctors administer it as a mode of prevention, just like how vaccines are taken to lessen the possibilities that a disease will infect a person.
As always, doctors and therapists will always reiterate that the best treatment is always and deliberate avoidance. To prevent the onset of cat allergy, it is important to get rid of cats when you are allergic to its fur.
No other way can topple that preventive measure. It can be tough and be the harshest decision in life (imagine throwing away your beloved Garfield), but it can be all worth it. Health is far better than the luxury of cuddling your Persian cats, right?
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Charlene J. Nuble 2006.
For answers to All your frequently asked questions about cat allergy, please go to: http://cat-allergy.allergyanswers.net/
