Advice Please - Cat Allergies

[Linda (Bengalbabe)]

Sorry just noticed it now 

[alisonandarchie]

Sorry to butt in but wondering if you got my pm Linda about my little bengal visitor

[Linda (Bengalbabe)]

Thanks CC, you are a star 

[Desley (booktigger)]

Fraid I have never heard of it Linda.

[ccmacey]

Another-

http://lundbergsiberians.home.comcast.net/~lundbergsiberians/allergies.html

[ccmacey]

Found this it says about neutering males but nothing about females-

http://www.cat-world.com.au/Hypoallergenic.htm

Having a look through other stuff, will post links if I find anything interesting 

[Linda (Bengalbabe)]

No kittens are both little girls. 

Sorry to raise again but has anyone any idea why neutering would help with allergies?  If so can you please shout as it might be worth considering neutering the kits early or at least making the lady aware.

[Corporal Smokey]

Haven't tried it myself yet but when my asthma was particularly bad I looked into salt pipes http://www.thesaltpipe.co.uk/  They are supposed to work for allergies also, not just asthma.

Ooooh I've never heard of this but it looks quite good. Did just read this on the website though and it made me laugh lots!

""Elipipe™" : Salt Pipe in Elephant shape designed for children and people who love elephant. "

[Leanne]

I have quite a bad dust allergy, and have always been allergic to cats as well, fortunately I've built up some resistance in the past year but I have to admit I just live with it.

I use petal cleanse but not continuously, you can always tell when I've been snogging the cats as I get swollen lips  (I look like I've had botox  )

Are the kittens boys because isn't there something in their saliva that can make it worse?

[Tiggy's Mum]

This thread has re-kindled my interest in the saltpipes, I'm on twice daily steroid inhalers, nightly tablets and regular courses of oral steroids for my asthma which is particularly bad at the moment.  I don't normally 'do' alternative therapies but there's not much more conventional medicine can offer me so have just ordered one, slightly different to the one I linked to but the one I've ordered has been recommended by Dr Chris on This Morning!   Hopefully the kittens new Dad's symptoms will have eased off by then but I'll report back in any case.

[Gillian Harvey]

Linda, it can take 3 weeks for Petalcleanse to be effective, and I see they've only been using it for 2 weeks so far. When you first start using it there will still be skin dander in the environment, but once the petalcleanse has been used on the cats for longer that will naturally be reduced, so hopefully it will start to take effect soon.

[Linda (Bengalbabe)]

Hi Helen

The kittens have been home with the family around 6 weeks now and they were hoping things would settle a bit.  Unfortunately it is the kits as the husband was out of the house for a weekend and his breathing and coughing did improve quite a bit .........will ask about hoover and flooring thanks

I read on a website tonight that one of the things you should do to help allergies is ensure the cat is neutered..... i couldnt really work out why that would change anything.  The kittens will be neutered but prob not for another month yet as they are only 20 weeks at the moment .... anyone heard of this?

The air purifier sounds like a good option Des, I shall suggest it to them 

[Tiggy's Mum]

How long have the kittens been with their new family Linda?  I ask that as when I adopted the boys my asthma got really bad despite having had cats for the last 19 years, I guess they had 'different' fur, it took over a month before it started to level off. 

Another thing they might consider is the type of flooring they have, laminate/wood flooring will probably be much better for him.  Do they have a really good hoover, I'm flabbergasted at how much my relatively new Dyson picks up in comparison to my old Dyson which I thought was doing an OK job.

Haven't tried it myself yet but when my asthma was particularly bad I looked into salt pipes http://www.thesaltpipe.co.uk/  They are supposed to work for allergies also, not just asthma.

[Desley (booktigger)]

Lloyds Chemists had air purifiers on offer for £9.99  last weekend, might be worth a go.

[Kirst]

My sister is pretty allergic but strangely when she had her own cat it didnt affect her as badly after a while!

[koscha (Ruth M)]

I suffer from slight cat allergies myself as well as dust allergies..... I agree with everything Corp. Smokey says as these work, but I also use a facial dust mask when cleaning or grooming. It's also a good idea to keep the bedroom a cat-free zone, yes it may make a few owners sad to hear this, but it's where I find my reactions come on strongest and it's much better than spending the night wheezing.

Hope this helps 

[Corporal Smokey]

I'm very allergic to cats but I wouldn't be with out them. I am kind of used to my two and only get fat eyes now if I'm intensively grooming the Corporal or I get a hair in my eye. I sneeze a lot anyway so it only bothers me when my eye looks like a golfball and I can't see!

I was looking at an air-purifier in Lakeland last week which is £29.99 and recommended by the allergy peeps. Might get one of those on payday.

Keeping a well groomed cat and a well hoovered house is an obvious but vital tip.

A little spot of Vaseline or Hayfever nose-balm under the nose traps airborne particles quite effectively.

I believe you get used to your own cats and the reactions lessen. There was a great article in the CP magazine last month about allergies with some great products.

[Linda (Bengalbabe)]

I'm looking for some advice for an new owner of 2 new bengal kittens please.

Within a short period of the kittens arriving in her home the lady's husband has been suffering terribly with his breathing and is coughing lots.   He has been to the Doctors and been prescribed various antihistemines (sp) with no joy.  Additionally for the last 2 weeks petal cleanse has been used.  Still no improvement.

The family love the kittens are willing to try anything to improve the situation. 

Can anyone offer any advice please?  I would really appreciate this.