If My Son Was Allergic to Our New Kittens What Types of Allergies Would He Have?

as as child I used to play with my neighbor's cat all the time and had no problems. as I got older, it changed. I would say probably ar oun 11 or 12 I became allergic to cats. I would get the watery eyes, sneezing, runny nose, had difficulty in breathing, etc. even if he's not now, he maybe later. It's going to much more difficult to have to get rid of the cats then. Plus you won't really know until the cats get bigger because then they'll begin to shed more and create more dander.

Hi T.. Yes, cough and congestion, wheezing, rash. My Mom's throat starts closing if she's around cats. There are these cats you can order thru a magazines that are allergy free.. specially bred. Kind of weird but I asked the vet and they said they're legit. Good luck.

T.,
This is of course JMHO, I'd skip the experience w/ the cats. Why?
The body is like a balloon, even w/ medication it can only be explosed to only so many allergens. I take Zyrtec, and I think it is the best for me b/c I can reley on it to protect me from symptoms for almost 18 hrs of coverage (UNLESS too many allergens).
When I was a child my family had cats. We kept them outside. When I was 11, my brother was scratched by one. He became very sick, & during his illness my parents discovered an allergy too. He was also allergic to bees. I don't remember even thinking I was allergic to cats, although I did have year-round "hayfever". Skipping forward eight years, I visited a co-worker's home in college. Immediately upon entering the house I began to sneeze & wheeze and have watery eyes as well as itching. Two weeks later, I discovered a Siamese had been hiding.
All of my children are severely allergic to cats, and each reacts differently. Sneezing, wheezing, coughing, itching, and hives, are just some of their physical symptoms. My daughter developed ringworm (fungus infection) from the neighbor's cat. I think, this was the worst thing to deal w/ b/c it was on her face!
Pls seriously consider avoiding cats since your child already has allergies. Allergies come and go, but never go away. New ones (like foods) can develop in years to come. I love cats, and missed my cats terribly after my parents removed them all. I try to avoid, or limit my time w/ them today.
As I wrote, this is JMHO.
Good Luck!

T.,
I am allergic to all animals, but dogs are the worst. I have had cats my whole life and still have issues when they scratch me but otherwise have been sensitized to them. I do end up with headaches when the cats are around me a lot but IMHO I think unless your son has a severe reaction to them, I would keep them and let your son love those furry little creatures. Both of my daughters adore our cats and they don't seem to have any prolems with them.
Make sure you follow your gut instinct though.
Wishing you happy kitty times!!
J.

I've also know friends to actually have itchy skin with alergies to cats. Also, many people don't realize that the alergy isn't always from hair and dander it is from an excretion they expell through their whisker area. Cats will rub their paws on their whiskers and pad around, leaving their scent behind they will also rub the whisker area on you and the furniture to leave their scent, so even if you are really tidy, people who are alergic can have a reaction.

I would have your son tested for alergies. It is better to know now what all his alergies are rather than to "test" things as you go along.

My son has the same problems and allergies. When he is around cats, besides the itchy, watery eyes, he gets wheezy and coughs. Occassionally he gets hives, but those, thankfully don't occur often. Benadryl helps get us over the hump, and his inhaler. (Albuterol) He takes Singulair 5mg at night, and this has made a HUGE difference in how I manage his allergies and asthma. Instead of an immediate reaction, he can usually go a few hours before he has noticeable symptoms and/or discomfort.

I remember vividly when I was a teen going to visit my relatives (who had 4 cats in their apartment) and having these alarming sensations: my lower front teeth/lower jaw felt really really weird, like it was all cold and achy, and my throat was really really tight and my chest was constricting. I LOVE cats though (and so does my little boy) and was playing with them anyway, and one of them happened to lightly scratch my hand while playing "catch" with the yarn or string I had. Well, that scratch swelled up pink, white and red and after that, there was no question in my mom's mind (and convinced a reluctant-to-believe me as well) that it was the cats, not anything else that I was allergic to.

My family had a cat when I was very young (ironically my only memory of it is letting it out - for the last time ever!) but after that visit to my relatives' little apt with 4 cats, I guess we were overwhelmed. My dad had a severe reaction too (constricted windpipe/breathing/congestion) and driving home was agony (they were some distance away, and we encountered night-time construction closures along the way). I think it took him a few days (and a sick day off work which was rare) for him to recover. Ever since then, it only takes my dad and I a max of half a hour to know whether there is a cat in the house (even a single cat hiding out of sight in a large clean house). It starts by itchy eyes, runny nose, and constricting windpipe. If I'm not out of there soon then my teeth/jaw hurts and I have a hard time breathing and it DOES NOT FEEL GOOD! I wouldnt wish this on ANYONE.

I totally emphatize with you wanting kittens for your family but SEVERAL?!?!

What have you thought about allergy testing? If he/ no one in your family is NOT allergic to cats, then go for it. But if anyone shows a reaction, then please dont. They will encounter cats plenty in their lives but to LIVE with one- or several- can be agony (compounded with guilt because they love their family pet)

I knew since that experience I was allergic to cats. Wasn't until I tested a few years ago to see what else (enviromental) allergens bothered me and come to find out, I am allergic to dogs too! (dogs rated a "2" while cats "4" which was the max on the scale) We were considering getting a chocolate lab puppy from a friend at the time but my husband said nope after that and that we would *never* have an indoor pet. My poor son is 6 yr old now and *loves* animals, talks about and begs for a pet nearly everyday for the past year or two. My husband (a veterinarian himself) feels strongly about having pets in the house when someone's allergic. :-/ (so.... maybe a bunny? I dont they tested for bunnies on my allergy tests grin)

T.,
things like a stuffy runny nose, puffy eyes, itchy eyes,
itchy throat after petting or being near kitty or cat fur
are all indications of cat allergy. My daughter is allergic to long hair cats but not short hair, same with my brother. Good luck,
W.

Coughing and Congestion are dfinate signs of allergy and being allergic to cat hair is very common. May I suggest getting him a poodle. They are hypoallergenic because they don't shed and have dander fluing around like cats.

My mother and sister are very allergic to cats. They get congestion, nasal drip and headaches around cats. Some itchy eyes but more the congestion and feeling miserable. Does anyone in your family have an allergy to cats? Allergies tend to run in families, although not exclusively. If your child is very prone to allergies I agree, have him tested by an allergist prior to purchasing animals. He can also be tested for foods, molds, pollens, grasses etc. My sister is also allergic to dust, pollen and cantaloupe. For things that cannot be avoided (like dust, pollen etc) there are medications and in more severe cases when they are older there are allergy shots (my mother and sister had these and they were helpful). Good luck!

Yes, those could be symptoms of allergies. The post nasal drip could be running down at night causing coughing. You could have him tested and not have to wonder. There are several types of tests available.

Stephanie

Asthma. And that's big bad news. I have had asthma since I was 3 years old, and being around cats was just complete agony for me. This was in the days of no antihistamine tablets and no inhalers, so it was just a nightmare.

People can build tolerance towards cats, but why would you want to torture your own kids for the sake of an animal? Building a tolerance can still have pain because the original allergy is still underlying. My neighbor refused to get rid of her cast despite her poor darling 5 year old daughter wheezing incessantly, even on all the asthma drugs she could take. Parents just don't seem to take the wheezing asthma thing very seriously at all - if there's a pill for it, should be OK, right? No, asthma is a real pain, and kids ned to be shown how to manage and control it.

Having taken antihistamines fro allergies, I find them to be a very short term solution to allergy problems. After continuously taking them, the body relies so much on them that when yo stop taking them, the allergies re 10 times worse. These tablets I find reduce one's natural defences.

Your decision is really easy - ditch the cat plans. You can tell I am biased on this one, and for good reason.

Cats give me asthma to the point I feel like I'm drowning, I get a itchy rash on my face and back of my throat & if the cat licks me I get big red welts from contact with the saliva.
Dog saliva will give me a rash & I get itchy & sneezy - controllable with allergy medicine - but cats get me sick even if I take a shower in benadryl.
However - I did have a kitten as a teenager, we got him at 6 weeks and kept him bathed weekly, he was inside & outside and my mom was an OCD housekeeper so he didn't bother me. My Dr. said I got immune to him - but other cats still made me sick. So, if you keep your kittys clean and keep up with the hair and dander in your home your kid may end up developing a tolerance.

When my partner and I first started dating he was allergic to my cat (after a couple of years he naturally acclimated, but that doesn't happen to everyone but it does happen pretty often)

his main symptoms were constant runny nose and sneezing. Some people however are very allergic and can get asthma like attacks. So like everything else it varies from person to person.

Hi T.,
I hated to admit it but once we gave our cats away my night time congestion totally cleared up. It didn't start right away either, we had cats for about 10 years and it was about the last 6 of those years I had to take a decongestant before bed. Otherwise I didn't breathe well and would wake with head aches.
I love kitties, but the allergies are not worth it.
Good luck with your decision.

We had 2 cats when my oldest was born. When he was about 2 he started to get sick with ear infections, colds etc. We thought they were just one cold after another that would end up in an ear infection. After several months of this and realizing that the 'cold' never completely went away we started to suspect an allergy and had him tested. Sure enough, he was allergic to the cats- among many other things. Then we noticed sneezing, watery eyes, itchiness etc. For him, the symptoms didn't subside showing that he was 'tolerating' them, they got worse and unfortunately we had to find the cats another home. It's not an easy thing to deal with. Good luck!

Hi-
animals all have dander- except a few breeds. My little sister loves cats but is semi allergic. She would pick them up and pet them and her little face would get red and splotchy where the fur had touched. I think there is something in their saliva as well, and since they are constantly cleaning themselves.... Also, my older sister would have chest congestion. Both have grown mostly out of these allergies with only a few mild symptoms here and there. If he starts to have breathing problems, remove the cats immediately and clean clean clean!
Thanks!
-E.

To my knowledge, your son should not be allergic to kittens at all. Cat dander is what people are allergic to and kittens do not have dander. The dander comes when they mature. My mom was always allergic to my cats, but never when they were kittens. I hope this helps.

Coughing, congestion, asthma, excessive ear fluid (causing ear to feel clogged) are all possible allergic reactions.

Just FYI, I have heard of some who were mildly allergic to some animal and were able to build up a tolerance after a while of living with the animal. There are also a number of ways to keep the allergens down in the house so you can possibly have the kittens if there is a mild reaction.

Allergic rhinitis can be seasonal or perennial. Since your son has pollen issues, that would be seasonal. Perennial would be to things he would be around year long. Look for the same symptoms, runny nose, sneezing, eye symptoms, congestion, cough could come from post nasal drip. Cough could also be asthma, which can be triggered by the same irritants.
Hopefully your son will be fine with the kittens. The problem if you find he is allergic is that you will need some time for all the presence of the cats to be eliminated from the house. Just taking them out won't do. A study showed it takes approximately one year for everything related to the cat to be eliminated from the house.
Good luck!