When dd was diagnosed with asthma, we were told by the doc to evict the cats from the house. We did but made them a comfortable home in the garage and did bring them into the house when it was really bad weather. But the cats never did really seem to bother her, but we did it to be on the safe side. Those 2 cats have since passed and we don't really have plans to get another one.

But dd absolutely loves cats. And what I am wondering is, are there any safe cats for an asthmatic? We now have a puppy that has hair instead of fur and doesn't shed. So I was wondering if there was a breed of cats that might be the same. I've heard alot about the Ragdolls and the Coons.

Any ideas?

By Yjja123 on Sunday, January 15, 2006 - 05:10 pm:

We have 4 cats and 3 dogs. My daughter has asthma. We were never told to eliminate the animals. It isn't actual fur but dander that causes allergies. Granted my daughters asthma flares up more outside or from physical activity.
I am just not sure it is necessary to get rid of animals? When you put them in the garage was her asthma better?

By Trina~moderator on Sunday, January 15, 2006 - 05:14 pm:

I think what matters most is YOUR DD's cat allergy and how sensitive she is. Different people have different sensitivities, some are more tolerant than others. For example, my niece J is very allergic to cats and can't be near them at all, however, my DS (9.5), who is also allergic to cats, can tolerate them in the house with precautions taken. He developed asthma and we learned of his cat allergy when he was 6. At the time we had just gone from 3 cats to 5. Our allergist said to get rid of all our cats but we were unable to find suitable homes for all of them. We were successful in keeping the original 3 by putting a HEPA air cleaner in DS's bedroom and not allowing the cats in there. He also takes Claritin daily. Now we're down to two cats but do not plan on getting anymore once they are gone. Our cats are Ragdolls, but I don't think that matters. I suppose you could try a Sphynx (furless cats) but again, it all depends on each individual's specific allergy and sensitivity level. Also, I was chatting with our vet. about cat allergies and he said they are learning that it's not always the fur or dander that is the issue. Apparently they think some people are allergic to the scent cats secrete when they nudge something to mark as their territory. Interesting!

By Trina~moderator on Sunday, January 15, 2006 - 05:16 pm:

Yvonne, asthma has many triggers and they differ for each individul. Sounds like your DD isn't allergic to pets, so that wouldn't trigger her asthma.

By Boxzgrl on Sunday, January 15, 2006 - 05:18 pm:

Isn't there medication she can take for the allergies? Generally it's the cat dander, not the fur they are allergic too so short vs. long hair really doesn't help. Unless her allergies are severe I don't see why a doctor would tell you to eliminate them from there house. There are air purifiers, special vacuums to eliminate dander (like the Dyson) and many others measures to take before eliminating the pet. Most people I knew while working at a vet either took medications or dealt with the allergy.

By Yjja123 on Sunday, January 15, 2006 - 05:24 pm:

"But the cats never did really seem to bother her, but we did it to be on the safe side. Those 2 cats have since passed and we don't really have plans to get another one"
So perhaps the cats are not a trigger for her asthma? That was the point I was trying to make. Asthma can be triggered by other things. If the cats didn't bother her, there isn't really a need to get a particular type.

By Cocoabutter on Sunday, January 15, 2006 - 05:59 pm:

My doctor told me when I was diagnosed with asthma that it wasn't necessary to get rid of the animals. You can coexist with them if you take certain precautions. Prolonged exposure isn't recommended, and keep them out of the bedroom. Get the mattress and pillow covers that are made for allergies, if you can, eliminate carpet in the bedroom which holds in dust, dirt, hair, and dander, and groom the cat with a good brush.

By Pamt on Sunday, January 15, 2006 - 06:07 pm:

Debbie, was your DD specifically tested for allergies? If not, then she may not even be allergic to cats. Was the doctor just throwing that out as a rule of thumb guideline?

My oldest DS was dx'd with asthma at age 11 months. He had extensive allergy testing when he was 6 y/o and was only allergic to mold and cats. We have 2 cats. One of them is like my firstborn child. I would get rid of him if I absolutely had to (I would pick my son over my cat--most days anyway, LOL), but it would have been very traumatic. We did what Trina suggested---filter in his room, his door is always closed and the cats aren't allowed in, etc. He does take Singulair and an antihistimine every day, but with all of the mold in the air, plus cold weather and or any time he gets a respiratory infection it turns into an asthma attack. I don't think the cats contribute anything significant.

By Ginny~moderator on Sunday, January 15, 2006 - 06:18 pm:

First, I would definitely want allegy tests, as Pam suggests. Asthma is a different thing from allergies, although allergic reactions can trigger an asthmatic attack. If she is not allergic to cats, then I see no reason why she can't have one.

I can understand your doctor saying get rid of the cats "to be on the safe side", and I think you made the best compromise possible for both your dd and the cats, given the doctor's advice. But without allergy tests, you'll never know. My son, Scott, had terrible problems with asthma as a child and teenager (no problems as an adult unless he gets a really, really bad cold), and he had a long haired cat that was *his* cat, a birthday gift to him, that slept with him every night and was all over his bed, clothes, etc., and was never the source of any asthma problems.

I would get the tests so that you know what specifically (if anything) she is allergic to, so that she knows what to avoid. It may well be that she does not have any allergies (the only thing Scott was allergic to as a baby was milk and that definitely triggered asthmatic attacks, but he outgrew it by his first birthday. He is now allergic to seafood - so is his father - but his reaction is gastric, not asthmatic.)

A relatively easy way to do a simple test is to let her spend a couple of hours with a friend who has a cat, and see if she has any reactions. You are, of course, risking an asthma attack, so you and she need to discuss that carefully before trying such a test.

Finally, there really is no such thing as a non-allergenic cat, though some say the Canadian Sphynx comes closer than most - and there are differing opinions about that.

Check this, at About.com
http://cats.about.com/cs/allergiesandcats/f/blqanda.htm

By Melanie on Sunday, January 15, 2006 - 06:21 pm:

I agree that it's possible animals are not a trigger for her. For my dh, animals are almost the only trigger, and he can't be around any animal, regardless if it has fur or hair. We even tried a guinea pig confined only to the kids room and dh almost ended up in the hospital because his reaction was so severe. Now we have hermit crabs.

By Trina~moderator on Sunday, January 15, 2006 - 06:40 pm:

Yvonne, Sorry, I wrongly assumed that if a doctor told her to get rid of her cats, that meant her DD tested positive for a cat allergy. My DS tested positive for a cat allergy, which is why our allergist suggested finding homes for them.

By Yjja123 on Sunday, January 15, 2006 - 06:50 pm:

Trina--Don't be sorry. I just didn't get my point across.

By Heaventree on Sunday, January 15, 2006 - 07:42 pm:

Some people claim that Devons are good for people with allergies. Devons are curly haired cats and little funny looking, but I think they are cute none the less.

These are a special breed so they will be expensive, but indoor cats can live up to 20 years so if you look at that way it doesn't seem so bad. My cat is 18 years old and still going strong.

Here is some info:

Devons

It does say here that if you are considering getting this type of cat as a pet, the person with the allergy should handle the cat before buying as some people can still be allergic.

I should also say that Devons are probably not for the faint at heart, they are high maintenance in terms of their temperment, highly active and into everything.

There are also hairless cats, but they are not for everyone.

Ragdolls and Coons are great cats, very dog like in their temperments, however, I would think they could be an issue with allergies. Have your dd handle they breed you are interested in and see what happens.

I hope you find a kitty that works for you.

By Dawnk777 on Sunday, January 15, 2006 - 08:37 pm:

Cats are definitely a trigger for DH. When we go to books at one gal's house, when DH has been there about 3 hours, he starts to swell up in the back of his throat and starts to sneeze, etc. I don't think the meds would really help him too much. It's much better, when he isn't around cats at all. 3 hours seems to be about his limit. So, no cats for us, and I get my cat fix at other people's houses.

By Debbie on Monday, January 16, 2006 - 09:56 am:

My ds has asthma, but animals are not one of his triggers. He is fine around them. Asthma can be triggered by so many things. If she was fine around your other cats, then I would think that cats are not one of her triggers. I agree about letting her spend some time with the cat you are interested in and see what happens.

By Groovepickle on Monday, January 16, 2006 - 10:23 am:

I agree you cannot go by other peoples experiences you have to go by your dd's. Different Dr's will tell you different things. Your Dr was right in having you eliminate the cats from your house but it should have been to see if it made a difference to your dd. In order to do this effectively you should have also had the duct work cleaned, the carpets cleaned and all fabrics, furniture and walls cleaned. I have terrible allergies and asthma myself and this is what I have to do whenever I move if their have been cats or dogs there. And with any person the kind of dog/cat will make a difference. I've had the allergies/asthma so long I have it down to a science. Some furry fluffy cats don't bother me at all, some shorthair ones are terrible, and try this for weird, I'm allergic to red dobermans but not black. If I even pet a red one I get blisters all over my hands and arms, a black one can sleep with me and it makes no difference. Trial and error will have to be what your dd does to find out. But it's unsafe to do it if she has severe asthma reactions. I know it's really hard o keep a house clean but probably the most important thing is to keep your house VERY clean. After the above cleaning I mentioned you should still vacuum and dust every day and try not to let dust get built up behind and under things.
This may seem kind of unrealistic but in my experience it has worked well if you plan to have animals in the house.
Groove

By Imamommyx4 on Monday, January 16, 2006 - 08:13 pm:

We had cats and dogs. But the dr only mentioned the cats. There is something about their saliva that causes the allergic reaction. I don't know if she had a real problem with the cats. It was never a big immediate reaction. But it did seem that if the cats were in the house for a few days, she would start getting congested.

Most of her issues are more seasonal. She takes Singulair and Zyrtec year round. And uses a Nasonex inhaler in October. There is something that blooms the first week of October that drives her wild.

No, she's never been tested for allergies. The doctor gave us a list of things to do that might decrease her possibility of having an attack. We did do alot of things when she was first diagnosed, but none of them seemed to help. Cleaned he carpets, cleaned the ducting, those allergy slip covers on the bed and pillows, etc. Her allergy/asthma issues I think are really seasonal.But I'm not positive. Her asthma is not bad. About 3 times a year we have to get out the nebulizer for treatments. My dd's issues sound alot like Pam's son.

Alyssa, that is interesting about how you are allergic to some and not others.

But I think the conclusion I'm coming to on this is that if we decide we want another cat (and I do like cats), I will give dd the option of getting allergy tests to see if she is really allergic to cats or not. If she decides she wants a cat bad enough and will get the tests, then we will know if we can actually get one or not. And even if she tests negative on cats, I'll let her play with it for awhile before we bring one home.

By Imamommyx4 on Monday, January 16, 2006 - 08:14 pm:

BTW, thanks for all of the input. But I was hoping that there was a cat breed that was more allergy free. Oh well, it never hurts to check.

Thanks!

By Shellyg on Monday, January 16, 2006 - 08:51 pm:

Get this, I am allergic to cats and dogs! I run an animal rescue and own three dogs and a cat! I did allergy testing as a kid to confirm the allergy. I had a major asthma attack when I was 21, almost died and was in the hospital for weeks. I did not want to live like that, away from animals. I have built up my immunity to my own animals and have no problem as long as they are kept clean. My Dr. helped me thru it. I do have an occasional problem with a rescue at adoptions but as long as it is not prolonged contact. Just an FYI, there is hope for your dd!