Cat Allergies: Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
After dogs, cats are the most loved pets all over the world. Around 50% of people in the United States have either dog or cat at their home. Everybody loves cats, but cat allergies are a very common phenomenon in humans. Studies have also shown that in the past there were over 10 million people had cats allergies, especially from their fur.
Dander is a dust which is produced by the cat’s body and is the main cause of allergies in them. Dander is nothing but a form of small flakes that comes out of shed skin of cats. It irritates your skin; it can affect your immune system and result in an allergic reactions. When the dander enters the immune system, it becomes quite dangerous. Though it is not categorized in the list of diseases, its main function is to reflex your body and your immune system and causes allergies in cats. The allergens are spread throughout the cat’s blood, urine and saliva. And even if the cat is not present, its excretions may cause problems.
When you have a cat at your home there are chances of cat dander, urine and saliva spreading all over the house. Cats have the habit of grooming themselves and rubbing their saliva into the fur as part of grooming and thus the dander spreads all over the house. Even though you give bath to the cat daily, it is the natural tendency of the cat to keep themselves clean in their own way and you cannot stop them from grooming themselves.
If you are allergic to cats, you may wheeze, sneeze or have an itching sensation, watery eyes and may get breathing trouble. These reactions may be different in various people and sometimes you may not get these symptoms at all. Symptoms such as fever and chills rarely occur. And if you find someone with these symptoms, it is better to contact the doctor immediately. Doctors are the right people to consult if the symptoms are due to allergic reactions or another diseases.
Antihistamines and decongestants are the common treatment used for cat allergies. Antihistamines are administered to the person who has asthma attacks or suffering from other allergies. And people suffering from coughs and swollen nasal passage are prescribed Decongestants.
At times, in order to prevent allergy attacks, allergy shots are recommended. These allergic shots are recommended to people who are really allergic to cats. These medications are very effective in cat allergies and can decrease the risk of allergy affects in an individual.
If you see any of the symptoms and feel that you are becoming allergic, you should immediately book an appointment with your doctor. He is the right person to diagnose the disease and treat you in the best possible way. If you don’t want to suffer from cat allergies, getting rid of cats is the best solution.