Cat Allergies Can be Why You Are Not Feeling WellThinking about getting a pet for your children and that a cute little kitten would be the perfect companion for the entire family? You might want to first check to see whether or not you or another family member has an allergy to cats. Nothing can be more devastating than for a family to have to deal with the reality that someone in the family has a cat allergy. It is believed that millions of people in the United States are allergic to cats. When you talk about a cat allergy, most people believe that the allergy is caused by the cat’s hair or the dander that the cat sheds. The cat’s hair and dander are not the problem and some people who purchased hairless cat are still allergic cats. The real reason people are allergic to cats is because of a protein secreted in the cat’s saliva and sweat. A cat continually cleans itself by licking its fur. As a cat licks itself, the allergens from its saliva are transferred to its fur. Once the saliva dries on the cat’s fur, small microscopic pieces can begin to float through the air in your home. The allergen can spread everywhere through the heating and cooling ducts. The cat allergen then attaches itself on all surfaces within the home—your walls, furniture, drapes and clothing. The allergen produced by your cat is much smaller than the allergen from pollen or mold spores. The very small size of this allergen is why it easily enters nasal passages and lodges deep in the lungs, where it can cause allergic episodes and asthma attacks. Cat allergies occur when you inhale the small allergen into the nose and lungs. Your body reacts to these allergens by releasing histamines into your blood stream. A cat allergy can take many different forms and the symptoms of a cat allergy can occur within minutes or even days later after being exposed. Some of the more common symptoms of a cat allergy are red, itchy or swollen eyes, runny nose, nasal congestion and sneezing, coughing and wheezing, asthma attack or even numerous bouts of bronchitis. People can develop an allergy at any time in their lives. You may have had a cat all your life and then sudden develop a cat allergy. Many people continue to keep their cat and begin taking over the counter medications to reduce the allergic reaction. Others take the drastic step of getting rid of their beloved animal. Just getting rid of your cat does not always help with the cat allergy symptoms. Because the cat allergen is so small, it can be extremely difficult to remove from your home. There are companies that will come in and thoroughly clean your home and duct system to remove as many of the allergens as possible. This would be one way to rid yourself of your cat allergy and you could avoid future contact with them. |
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