Posts Tagged ‘Cat Allergies’

Cat Symptoms – Coping With Cat Allergies

Friday, October 16th, 2009

Before making any decision to get a cat, you should look into whether you and your family members are allergic to cats. Many people are allergic to cats, some more so than others. Too often, people bring home a pet only to find out later that they or their children are allergic to cats.

Although pet allergy symptoms can be keep under control, in many cases for some allergy sufferers, the various sneezing, stuffy nasal passages and itchy, watery eyes become too much to bear. Eventually, it becomes virtually impossible for them to stay with the cat.

As a result, many cats are sent to animal shelters each year as their allergic owners can no longer bear the severity of their allergy symptoms.

Even if you do not suffer from cat allergies, consider others close to you who may no longer feel comfortable visiting your home because they are allergic to cats. It would be very unfair to the cat later on if you had to give it away just because your social life declines.

For those who are mildly or sporadically allergic to cats, you can follow these strategies in order to have cats living in the same household. As you know, most allergies occurred due to the presence of danger particles in the air, and to control these danger particles, just follow the strategies below:

1) Apply cat safe, anti-allergy wipes or sprays to the cat’s fur recommended by your vet

2) Use vinyl or leather furniture instead of upholstered

3) Replace carpets with hard floors

4) Prohibit your cat from entering your bedroom

5) Clean your air-con filters, furnace and ductwork regularly

6) Use an air purifier to eliminate the danger particles

7) Use hot water to wash your bed linens regularly
8) Wrap mattresses and pillows with plastic covers to prevent dander from settling in the bedding

9) Use distilled water to bathe the cat once a month

Allergies should be treated immediately to prevent weakening of your body’s immune system. Prolonging your treatment will lead to other problems, such as bronchitis, asthma, or sinus or ear infections. It may even lead to life threatening cases if allergic responses are severe enough.

If you are experiencing symptoms that would not go away, you should consult a doctor to determine the cause. A test can then be perform on you to determine the exact allergens that are causing your symptoms so that an appropriate treatment can be administer on you.

Cat Symptoms – How To Eliminate Your Cat Allergy Symptoms- No More Wheezing, Sneezing Or Itching

Thursday, October 15th, 2009

Allergies to cats are quite common.
The allergic reactions can be immediate, or they can begin to show up gradually over time.
Often someone has owned a cat for some time, sometimes even years, before the allergic reactions begin to show.
Having to give the cat up at that point may be heartbreaking for everyone involved, including the cat.
Most often the first recommendation from medical doctors is to relinquish the cat.
That could have been good advice in the past, however, the past 15 years have seen a whole new “breed” of therapy methods based on the bodies energy system who are extremely effective at resolving allergies at it’s deepest core -your energy system.
The methods are generally referred to as “Energy Therapy” “Meridian Therapy” or “Energy Psychology”.
One of the easiest and most effective method is “Tapas Acupressure Technique” or, TAT. Generally, TAT is recognized to eliminate allergies in
about 85% of cases, and that has been this authors experience as well.
The major distinction between these therapies and traditional aids or therapies, is that instead of attempting to clear the allergen out of the air using all sorts of filters, specialized vacuums, Hepa filters, limiting the exposure to the cat, medications etc. the energy therapies work on your own energy system so that it can be in harmony with the allergen.
Very different concept.
Instead of (unsuccessfully) trying to change the environment so we can live in it without feeling ill, or to manipulate our system by medications, Energy Therapies very effectively balance the part of our energy system not in harmony with, in this case, cats.
Pretty much in the same way that Chinese medicine views illness as a disruption of the flow of vital life force in your system, Energy Therapies view an allergy as a substance your energy system is not in harmony with and is trying to repel.
It is the repelling of the allergen that causes the allergic reactions.
So, here is how you can view it. You feel OK, and then you are in contact with a cat, or breathe air containing the allergen. This causes your system to become disrupted.
The flow of energy is now disrupted, causing a horde of symptoms, as in all your allergy symptoms.
Sounds almost too simple, yes?
The energy therapies, using either acupuncture needles, or simply your fingers, will, by using special acupuncture points, balance the system in regards to the offending substance.
To do that, you first need to cause the same disruption your body, or energy system, would have if in actual contact with a cat.
That can be accomplished in a few different ways. The practitioner may have a vial containing cat dander that you can hold in your hand, or, even more effective, you can simply think about cats.
Thinking about cats when you are allergic to them is enough to cause an imbalance of your energy system.
Now, while your system is in imbalance, the intervention takes place. The intervention can be acupuncture needles inserted into key acupuncture points, or, an even more effective method, as in TAT, is to hold, with your own fingers, certain acupuncture points known for their effect on the brain.
The treatment may have to be repeated a few times. In most cases less than 3, in order to be able to allow your system to be in balance in the presence of cat dander.
Once your system is in harmony with the car dander, (or other allergen), there are no more reactions. Once the intervention is completed, the effects are most often permanent, requiring no re treatment.
The person who used to have a cat allergy can now interact with cats feeling perfectly OK.
Having to relinquish your cat because you have developed allergies is a painful decision no one should have to make.
Today, with modern cutting edge resources available, that decision may be one you never have to make.

Cat Symptoms – What Cat Allergies Really Are, and How to Control Them

Monday, October 12th, 2009

According to a recent report, between six and ten million people (that’s approximately two percent of the population!) in the United States are allergic to cats or exhibit symptoms of cat allergy. However, people often misunderstand these symptoms. Majority believe that cat allergy are caused by allergens from the fur or cat dander (scales of the skin), when, in fact, most of the potent allergens come mainly from saliva and sweat.

A cat’s saliva or sweat contains a protein with a carbohydrate structure called “Fel d 1.” It is an allergen that causes symptoms of cat allergy. “Fel d 1″ is much smaller than pollen or mold spores, which are already very potent allergens because of their diminutive size, but because of its much smaller size, “Fel d 1″ has even greater potential to cause an allergic reaction. “Fel d 1″ can easily bypass nasal passages and lodges deep in the lungs, where it can cause allergic episodes and asthma.

Like pollen and mold spores, “Fel d 1″ are airborne allergens. They are often microscopic and float in the air easily. After a cat licks itself while grooming, “Fel d 1″ allergen is deposited on its fur and once that happens, the dried specks of saliva can float off and drift around your home. The protein allergen can be found anywhere as aside from being airborne, it attaches itself to walls, windows, and furniture. What is even more amazing is that this allergen can remain in your home for years after a cat leaves your home. So if you want to remove the allergen from your home to protect yourself from cat allergy, everything would have to be totally cleaned.

Symptoms

Like most allergies, cat allergy can affect your eyes, nose, ears, throat, lungs, and skin. The symptoms, especially respiratory reactions, usually occur between fifteen and forty minutes after one is exposed. However, note that pet-related allergies like cat allergy can take days from initial exposure for its onset.

The most common symptoms associated with cat allergy are:

- Red, itchy, or swollen eyes
- Reddened areas on the skin
- Runny nose
- Nasal congestion
- Sneezing
- Ears that become stuffed up or itchy
- Post nasal drip
- Itching and hoarseness in the throat
- Frequent bronchitis
- Coughing and wheezing

How to Control Cat Allergy

Always the best way to control allergic reactions is avoidance method. However, majority of people with cat allergy often ignore medical advice and continue to keep at least one cat at home even after diagnosis of their condition. We all love our cats and we want to protect them, but you should think about yourself once in a while. Below are some tips to help you control your cat allergy even while keeping a cat home:

- Use reputable allergy relief and avoidance products at home
- Since “Fel d 1″ allergens float in the air, having a source of fresh air will reduce the allergen. Improve ventilation in your house by using an air conditioner even during humid months.
- Use a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter to reduce particles of cat allergen in your home.

If symptoms persist even after following the tips provided above, then perhaps it’s time for you to consult a doctor for his advice on proper medication or immunotherapy.