Guide to Cat Allergy Symptoms

In the vast majority of cases the symptoms of cat allergies are pretty minor. By far the most common are itchy eyes and a runny nose. In some cases a sore throat and sneezing may also be present. The more serious symptoms are a rash and in some cases difficulty breathing due to asthma. This is the most severe of the symptoms since it can make breathing difficulty by inflaming the airway. In a very small number of cases the asthma can be serious enough to be a health risk however this is quite rare with cat allergies.

Although cat allergy symptoms are not all that serious they are a real nuisance since it is virtually impossible to avoid them. In most cases the allergies are caused by cat dander. If you have a cat you are going to around the dander all the time. Even if you don't you are still likely to encounter it on a regular basis. Cat dander sticks to everything so if you enter a home that has a cat you are likely going to cat allergy symptoms whether the cat is there or not. The dander will even stick to the garments of people with cats meaning that there is a good chance that you will have a reaction just from being around other people who have been around cats.

Since you are likely going to be exposed to cat dander you are going to need to be able to control your cat allergy symptoms. This isn't as easy as it sounds. The standard way to control most allergic reactions is with antihistamines; unfortunately these don't work with cat allergies. The most common recommendation for people with cat allergies is that they try to limit exposure. The suggestion is that you should really make an effort to clean up the dander in your home. It is also suggested that you get your cat neutered since this seems to reduce the allergies caused by their dander. However if it isn't your cat you are having a reaction to this isn't going to be an option. There does seem to be some evidence that you can get rid of allergy symptoms by becoming desensitized. If you get enough exposure to cat dander you will eventually become immune to it. While this can work the actual process of becoming desensitized will be very uncomfortable.

A lot of people with cat allergy symptoms don't actually know what is causing them. The problem is that most other allergens will produce similar reactions. Often it is very difficult to determine what you are allergic to. This is especially true with cat allergies since you can have a reaction even when there is no cat around. If you are having allergy symptoms it is a good idea to have your doctor administer an allergy test so that you can determine what you are allergic to. This will make it easier to avoid the cause of your allergies.
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