Many people suffer from symptoms that cannot be explained by a cold, illness, or disease process. Many times the sufferers find, upon further investigation, that they have a cat allergy symptom. Here is a list of five common symptoms that can cause cat asthma or indicate that you have a cat allergy symptom.
Five Common Cat Allergy Symptoms
1. Hives
What do hives look like? Hives are raised bumps on the skin due to irritation. These can appear all over the body, but they are generally seen on the arms or legs.
2. Redness on the skin.
This is caused when a cat licks or bites you. This is due to the protein in the cats saliva (people are actually allergic to this protein, not the cat itself). This protein causes the histamines to be released, which causes the appearance of symptoms. This is generally a large issue with people who suffer severe asthma because cats are constantly grooming themselves, depositing the protein on their fur.
3. Coughing and/ or Wheezing
This is a squeak or whistle while breathing. People usually notice this soon after coming in contact with a cat.
4. Redness and itchiness of the eyes
This will generally be the first cat allergy symptom to appear.
5. Sneezing and runny nose.
Generally symptoms will occur just minutes to hours after coming in contact with a cat. 20-30% of people suffering from asthma will show signs or have a flare up directly after contact. To gain some cat allergy relief, you can take an over the counter allergy medicine (such as Benadryl). There are also many at home remedies you can try (such as cold compression).
Common allergens caused by cats:
• Pet Dander – These are dried flakes of skin in the cats’ fur.
• Cat Saliva
• Cat Urine
These items are mistaken for invaders in the body (of people with the allergy). They are referred to as allergens, and the body tries to fight them. When you show a cat allergy symptom or any other strange allergy symptom it is the result of your body fighting the allergens like they would a cold or virus.
Allergy Fact: Cat allergies are very common. In fact, about 10% of people suffering from “regular” allergies are allergic to cats. That is double the amount of people that are allergic to dogs!
Some mild cat allergy sufferers have found that they can appease their love for cats by getting a pet dander free feline such as a Siamese or Sphinx. A Sphinx is a hairless cat that will not produce the pet dander many asthma sufferers are allergic to. They obtain the protein that causes skin allergies but there is no fur for the protein to dry on (thus eliminating the itchy irritation sufferers would endure). Siamese are more tolerable because they have a much more oily skin and hair shaft than other cats, which means they do not create as much pet dander from the protein. Not all people who suffer from cat allergy symptom(s) or severe cat asthma will be able to tolerate these breeds of feline. But, for those who have moderate or mild symptoms, it adds a sense of hope that you may be able to have a cat in your home.
