Oh, no! You Have Cat Allergies. Can You Keep Your Cat?
Yes, you can. Here's how!
I have a secret to tell you. I’ve spent more than eight years traveling full-time with my cat mom. We have lived in houses, RVs, and hotel rooms—from 2,000 SF to 150 SF. My missus regularly picks me up and sniffs my belly, and I sometimes sleep next to her.
So, what’s the secret?
She’s mildly allergic…to me!
My missus has always been allergic to pets, from her pet guinea pigs as a teen to her ex’s dog as an adult. The keyword here is mild.
Still, occasionally, it can get bad enough that her eyes burn, and she sneezes incessantly. At the very worst of her allergies, she can have flu-like symptoms. But this doesn’t happen very often.
Yet, eight years later, I’m still here.
Her most recent episode happened over the past few weeks. At first, she thought it was because spring had arrived in Spain. But after frolicking in the spring fields with no symptoms, she realized I was definitely the problem.
Maybe you are also allergic to your cat. Or maybe you’ve met a fantastic person with a cat and want to figure out how to live in peace with Mr. Whiskers. So, here are some tips to keep your allergies under control.
1. Know the shedding season.
If you know when your cat will start shedding, you can take preventative measures. Most of us shed twice per year:
Spring: We lose our thick winter coat to stay cool in the summer.
Autumn: We lose our summer coat to make way for our thicker winter coat.
Your cat might shed more often if you run the air conditioning and allow them to go outside. Why? It’s biologically confusing. In the winter, it’s freezing outside, but summer in your house.
Even so, shedding will almost always be worst in the spring and the fall.
2. Run an air filter.
Missus first bought air filters when we lived in Atlanta. This is when she first started having more serious kitty-related allergies.
After two weeks of huffing, puffing, and constantly sneezing, we now have a ginormous one in Spain. We bought the Philips 600 + Smart Sensor (this is not an ad!). After just an hour, she stopped sniffling. The itchy eyes cleared up about 6 hours later. Her symptoms are about 80% better than before.
The Levoit brand is a top contender worth considering as well. It had over 100,000 reviews on Amazon, but we’re familiar with the Philips brand and chose that instead.
3. Brush your cat.
Most cats don’t need any grooming at all. We groom ourselves and take pride in it. However, all that extra fur can give us hairballs. It can also sit in your apartment and worsen your allergies.
Stop the problem at the source. Get a de-shedder brush and help kitty with the job. My missus is lucky. I love being groomed and come running as soon as she calls. If your cat isn’t a fan, try the following:
Implement grooming into play time.
Give kitty treats to incentivize grooming time.
Use catnip to distract your cat while you brush her.
4. Vacuum and dust often.
No amount of air filtering or brushing will save you from needing to vacuum. You’ll also need to change how often you vacuum based on your cat’s shedding schedule.
We moved into our apartment in November. Missus swept and vacuumed about once per week. However, I've been shedding my winter coat as spring comes and the weather warms up. So now, she vacuums at least three times per week. Sometimes, she’s vacuuming several days in a row.
She also uses baby wipes to dust the surfaces in the apartment. They do a much better job of trapping dust and my pet fur than a cloth or paper towel.
5. Wash your sheets regularly.
I haven’t spent as much time in the bed since we moved into this new apartment. It’s a Murphy bed, and when it’s put up during the day, there’s no way to access it.
Still, if you have a regular bed situation, your pet probably spends a lot of time napping there. They likely leave pet fur and dander behind. Washing your sheets often will help reduce this.
If you can’t wash your sheets as often as you’d like, you should at least change your pillowcases.
6. Take allergy medication.
Over-the-counter allergy medications will probably be enough. Missus has been trying the different brands in Spain, but Benadryl is your best bet in the United States. Just make sure you don’t take allergy meds that make you drowsy at times when you need to be awake.
If OTC meds don’t work, see a doctor. They might recommend a different brand or prescribe something stronger to meet your needs. We know people with severe cat allergies who manage their symptoms this way and keep the cat, so it’s doable.
Cat allergies can certainly make things uncomfortable, especially during the shedding seasons. But with some planning and creativity, you can find ways to manage your symptoms and keep your kitty.
Meow!