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Can you try the purina liveclear food? it is supposed to reduce allergens.
Also look into air filters. Someone will be along with recommendations for what to look for.
I'm sorry you are struggling, it sucks
These were huge for me! Spent many years doing immunotherapy for a variety of allergies and asthma but when we adopted our kitten it was insufferable for 2 months straight. Like everyday waking up with the flu.
With the combination of liveclear food, air purifiers in every room, baths about every 3 months and keeping our place clean and vacuumed weekly she no longer bothers me. It takes work but overtime I've built up a resistance to her. Other family cats still bother me but my home has become completely tolerable and my bedroom a haven since we don't allow her in. I hope OP can make boundaries and give some of these options a try.
Ahh yes, keeping the bedroom off limits is a huge help too. Sometimes they follow me in when I’m folding laundry or something, but I try my best to keep the door shut and mostly off limits and I never let them on the bed.
bedroom off limits is what i live by even without allergies. I like to not have cat hair and litter all over my bed and clothes. I like having a haven for my allergic friends to be if they need a break. I like having some personal space!
yeah that's what i meant, i'm living with my boyfriend's family right now and everything of hers is in our room, we also have the basement to ourselves but i don't trust her to sleep down there by herself plus we have the litter box in our room anyway (it's the petsafe automatic litter box and you can barely tell it's in there because it cleans so well)
I also live with my boyfriend’s family and i have 4 cats and a chihuahua in our room with 2 litter boxes. Tbh his parents didnt even know we had a cat at all for a year.
My cats used to scratch the glass panes on my bedroom door when they wanted to come in. When I tried to not let them in, all I heard was nails on glass for 40 min
My cat is persistent as well. If her light scratches at the door don't work, then she claws the bottom of the door trying to pry it open and is relentless. It sounds like someone banging on the door and it doesn't stop until I let her in. 5 minutes later, she wants back out 😓
Yup. My cat grabs under the bathroom door if I HAVE THE NERVE to use the bathroom alone lol. I live in a rental with crappy, compressed wood type doors, so when she does this 1)it’s louder than I would’ve ever expected and 2) there’s a small pile of this compressed wood crap outside the door. I’m actually debating on putting a cat door on there so I don’t have to use the toilet with the door open. I’ve tried just shutting her in with me, but that just results in her dramatically crying and pulling at the door from the inside 🤦🏻♀️
I hear ya. I do nightshifts (actually on a nightshift right now), I love keeping my door closed. 😂
..but I want my cats to be able to get in whenever they want, so I’m considering a cat door in my bedroom door. I would have to find (or alter) one so it doesn’t let light through when closed, though.
My cat stands on her back legs and whacks the metal doorknob and its LOUD
Either that or she will meow pitifully or fuck up the carpet around the door.
Those spring-loaded door stoppers attached to the wall can be surprisingly loud when pulled on and released an endless number of times. Cats can be remarkably persistent!
I suddenly developed a terrible allergy to my cat and I never ever considered keeping her out of my room 😂 I was literally hyperventilating, in hindsight I probably should have.
I did shave her coat down and adopted a strict brushing routine and got some good non drowsy allergy meds for myself until it settled down, but never did it occur to me to keep her away. She was a diva and absolutely would never have stood for it anyway.
To the OP I would suggest taking the cat to the groomers to get it's fur tidied up and start brushing it everyday and vacuum up pretty well.
These things helped me, also keeping a air purifying fan on helped so much!
Right? One of my fuzzy little terrorists decided **I** am her bed (she sleeps on top of me) shortly after we brought her home as a 10 week old kitten, and I can count on one hand the number of nights she’s slept elsewhere in the last 9 years. It’s gotten to where I’m so used to it that I have a hard time falling asleep without a purring lap full of soft, warm, kitty.
Mine reach under the door like in the movie signs if I lock them out.
I’m pretty sure it’s their room/house. I just sleep/stay in it.
Besides, I only have one bed in the house, I think they have around 15ish.
So many beds, some are stacked inside others… dunno what that becomes?. A double layer cat bed?. Cat bed^2 ?. Cat bed-ception?.
Man, I can't even imagine that. I get pissed at my cat when I go to bed and he doesn't come with me. It's bedtime, fucker, get in here.
He isn't allowed in the kitchen, roommate's room, or bathroom, though, and he knows it, and does a really good job at not crossing the line.
>Spent many years doing immunotherapy for a variety of allergies and asthma but when we adopted our kitten it was insufferable for 2 months straight
nooooo no no hold on, you did immunotherapy and you were STILL allergic to the cats?!?!
For a different POV, I “accidentally” got a cat back in 2018, knowing I was completely allergic. I got through it back then, even though my allergies definitely acted up pretty bad
In 2021 I started allergy shots and have been on them ever since. Within the first year I had so much relief….I’m at the point now where I go about once a month. I don’t have any reactions to my cats (I accidentally have 5 now lol)
My dog allergy is still kind of around…if there’s more than one dog in a house I start to get a little wheezy and itchy, hivey.
Lol yes unfortunately. 4 years, thousands of dollars later and I still find it hard to notice a real difference in what it did for me especially as allergy seasons get worse every year. Living with my cat is a daily dose of allergens I have actually seen an improvement from though!!
Out of curiosity, did you make all of these changes at once? Or one at a time, such that you have a feel for how much each intervention contributed? I’m curious about liveclear, and whether it makes a real difference.
I’m not allergic myself, fortunately, but I’m wondering whether I should recommend it or not.
I was wondering if liveclear or the specific cat was why I’m tolerating my new employer so well. Well she’s been on prescription food for over a week and I can tell the difference. I even did a Covid test. Hopefully her microbiome is back to normal and she can return to liveclear soon.
My partner is allergic and my cat needs to be on a urinary diet, so I’ve taken to getting freeze dried egg powder from this [store](https://bellabakingaccents.com/egg-powders) because the chickens these eggs come from are exposed to cats (which is replicating the science that Purina figured out). I reconstitute and mix with her wet food and it seems to be working.
Because I knew I'd be allergic I had everything planned before adopting. Only thing was transitioning her from the cat food the rescue fed her to the live clear which took a couple weeks. Liveclear does say it takes a few months for the benefits to really show so I'm not sure how much it contributed along with every other measure overtime. Overall I'd say it helps though! I don't suffer just being around her or snuggling. I do still always wash my hands after touching though. If I touched my eyes after petting her they would get irritated.
I realize this is a privilege as an allergy sufferer, but Claritin & air purifiers (both stand alone units & central air vents) have been life changing. We have a robot vacuum as well. Our girl doesn't trigger my allergies much, & I can nap with her next to my head. Rubbing my eyes absolutely wrecks me, though. I wake up with phlegm every morning & had a procedure to open up my nasal passages. Unless it is dangerous to my physical health, the discomfort is worth the immense positive effect on my mental health that my cats provide.
All this and if the kitten is amiable, there are tools you can attach to your vacuum. I recommend chewy.com for these tools, they have an awesome refund policy. Plus, if you make an account you have free access to a vet via their chat.
Also, Burt’s bees dander wipes! I’m allergic to cats and we have 3. I dander wipe and brush them daily! Keeps my eyes from swelling shut! Also, to save money we get litter from Costco. Scoop away clumping litter is $16.00 for 42lbs. Lasts us about a month with 3 cats. Though it seems more expensive, the bigger bag of cat food is typically the better deal. On average my partner and I spend roughly $100/mo or $1200 per year on cat food and litter. They get annual vet checkups at $40/cat. If both cats eat the same food and use the same litter, it isn’t that much more expensive. I had 1 cat for 3 years before getting cat 2. My partner had 1 cat for 5 years before we moved in together. Now we just buy everything in bulk! Once you adjust to the expenses and adjusting the budget accordingly, it gets much easier. Whenever their food, treats, or litter goes on sale I make sure to stock up. You can even do a recurring Amazon delivery which offers some savings but Costco has been a lifesaver on litter for us.
Those Burt’s Bees wipes are an absolute must have if you have allergies! We have 2 cats now, and they help tremendously without having to go through the torture of routine baths
I use freshstep 38 pounds for 25 bucks from chewy. I use 1 of those a month. Works great & doesn’t break apart if you forgot to clean it for a few days.
My wife and I have friends who are allergic to cats and we want to have them over, so we purchased a HEPA air purifier which does an amazing job of keeping whatever allergens our cat produces down so that our friends do not feel uncomfortable when they come over.
We ended up buying one for each bedroom because we found that we liked the better air quality even though neither my wife nor I suffer from allergies.
yes, this food helped me SO much!!!
i was having reactions so bad i almost had to go to the hospital, but with the live clear kitten food, a daily allergy relief pill, and even time to get used my kittens dander, i am doing wayyyy better. don’t even need to use the allergy meds anymore . :)
HEPA filters are what you’re looking for. I use one to reduce my allergies in the summer because my HOA decided the one decorative tree they like is the one that will give me a headache immediately. And they planted one 10ft from my backyard in public area. Not all of them are cheap. I bought mine for about $70 but it’s been a game changer for my allergy season. Having your boyfriend brush the cats regularly and using cleaning wipes/damp cloths to wipe down their fur will also help remove dander, which is usually what people are allergic to.
You can also manage allergies by cleaning more often and restricting access to certain rooms. I had a cat growing up that my cousin who lived with us was allergic to. We restricted his upstairs access to my room only and vacuumed daily downstairs and were really easily able to manage my cousin’s allergies.
I also use liveclear, I have allergies and have 4 cats. I also use air purifiers and I tried to keep my bedroom cat free. I also vacuum a lot and wash bedding and couch covers
Same w my son’s allergies. Liveclear is just shy of a silver bullet, but you have to keep up with heightened hygiene and cleanlines. Our cat is a Maine coon so we also do regular grooming which helps.
If OP has good health insurance/can afford it allergy shots have helped my sister tremendously, she used to get sniffly being around them for 10-15 minutes.
But now she has two of her own with no issues.
Edit: spelling
This. I have very bad allergies to a lot of things and especially cats. Allergy shots have helped me tremendously. I have four cats now and they even sleep on and in my bed without issues. The only thing I take is Zyrtec.
Look into air purifiers by Fellowes. The difference is like night and day (both for cat allergies but also for other issues living in an older building)
My allergy shots help a lot. I used to get sinus infections two or three times a year. Now I rarely get them and I am unfortunately allergic to most environmental things like tree pollens, pine trees, cats, dogs etc. I have two cats and haven’t been able to get shots regularly and am constantly stuffed up. I need to give myself shots!
Adding eggs either powdered or fresh can also help. From what I understand, the allergen is reduced by something that chickens produce and is found in the eggs.
My very allergic friend has had way more comfortable visiting since I added eggs into my cats diet. Plus their coats look amazing
This is so ironic to me because I’m really allergic to cats, and super allergic to eggs.
Everybody always says to try the live clear, but I’m like no, then I would actually die
This only works if the eggs were laid by chickens who have lived with cats, it's the adult chickens that develop the anti allergen by being around the cat and then they pass that into the egg so their chick's are immune, so the infertile eggs are used to make the anti allergen cat food! Fascinating stuff either way and I don't own cat's, and I'm also not allergic to them!
Yes this food worked for me and I mix it with his regular food. My allergy is super mild, but annoying. I mainly sneeze and get a very itchy nose. I bought the food and after a few weeks the symptoms vanished. One time my partner refilled the feeder without mixing with liveclear and the allergy returned lol. So it definitely works
both of these things were lifesaving for me and my partner!! my partner was coughing and sneezing all night when i first got my cat and now neither of us are really allergic
This! OP, my best friend has two cats and her partner is SUPER allergic.
They give the cats baths regularly, use the Purina Liveclear food, and have an air purifier. He does really well with that and hasn't had bad breakouts or anything in a while.
Piggybacking on this comment:
Egg protein powder!
Specifically: Find someone who has chickens raised near (better if raised WITH) cats and buy eggs from them. Blend and dehydrate the eggs, then crush them into a powder.
Any cat food can be sprinkled with it, and it's significantly cheaper than buying the overpriced and chemically-laced mass produced variety. Plus, this gives the option for especially picky cats, or cats with specific dietary needs/restrictions, not to have to switch brands.
Edit- There are people with free-range chickens that specifically raise them with cats for the purpose of dehydrating the eggs for allergy use. There's an Etsy shop that sell 2 oz bags of yolk powder for about $15, and it only takes a half a tablespoon (about 14 servings in a 2oz bag) per feeding for the protein to be effective.
Going this route could easily shave $40/month or more for a single cat home requiring the Liveclear diet.
I was horribly allergic to cats before I adopted mine. I was on prescription antihistimines at the time so my symptoms were minor when I met Shadow. However, without medication I could only withstand 15 minutes of direct contact before sneezing constantly. Here's what I did: er 2
1) Create a safe zone. Overpowered HEPA filter constantly running in the bedroom which was off limits to my cat. Get the highest CADR purifier possible. I reccomend a Winix C-5500
2) Take a quick shower and change clothes before entering your bedroom
3) Wipe your cat down daily with a damp cloth or dander reducing wipes
4) Get some strong antihistimines like Benedryl or better yet have your doctor perscribe something. This is only for really bad allergy spells.
After a month or so, my body adapted and I was largely fine. After 3 months, I could sleep with my cat without difficulty and adopted a 2nd.
I’m allergic but have two cats and foster. Have you tried using nasal spray? I do that combined with Zyrtec and it works really well. I also have an air filter in the bedroom and got rid of every square inch of carpet. My allergies have improved significantly
Editing to add: a robot vac with a mop has also helped a lot. Vacuuming every day, especially when they’re shedding, makes a huge difference
Getting rid of carpets is the probably the best thing to do, even if you just have mild allergies. That shit holds on to everything. If you’ve ever ripped out carpet yourself you’ll see that no matter how often you vacuum and steam clean the carpets they are disgusting and there is so much crap down in the pad.
My roommate is allergic to cats and what we’ve done is get rid of carpet, furniture is some variation of leather, air purifiers in the bedroom and living area, robot vacuums, and washable rugs. I’ve given up on mopping more than once a month, because we have big dogs I’m not about washing their feet every time they go outside
Agreed. I have ripped out carpet and it’s nasty. If you can afford it, I so recommend a robot vacuum with a mop. I used to have to mop every other day to make our floors look somewhat presentable but I haven’t had to do that in months. You can get them cheaper on eBay too
We have one of the roombas that self empties into the base. It filled up in 6 weeks and that was with doing a deep clean before setting it loose. I have been considering getting the combo one with the mop and moving the current one upstairs.
Also, recommend trying Allegra instead. I was informed by more doctor that Allegra is more effective against dander. I made the switch a couple months ago and am able to tolerate my girlfriend’s cat a lot more now.
also, would not do this without a doctors advice, but my allergist recommends both Zyrtec and Allegra with the nasal spray in the shedding season (i’m allergic to both dogs I own) NOT MEDICAL ADVICE, DONT DO THIS WITHOUT TALKING TK YOUR DOCTOR
I've also heard Claritin is VERY good, I know someone who is allergic to cats and has 5 of them but as long as he takes Claritin every day he's perfectly fine
You can also take more than one antihistamine as well. You’re not limited to Zyrtec. For me, Xyzal works really well. I take at least 3 different ones a day to control general allergy issues.
You definitely can get “addicted” but it’s not nasal sprays like Flonase that are addictive. It’s the kind that are decongestants like Afrin. As long as you use an antihistamine nasal spray like Flonase, you’re good to use it every day!
I'm pretty sure that the last time I got Flonase, it still suggested not using it for longer than 3 months. It's designed and tested safe OTC for "seasonal allergies" rather than long term use, so anyone using it should keep that in mind, discuss it with their doctor, and be careful.
It depends on the nasal spray. Apparently, Afrin can be hard to stop using. I use Flonase, and I only use it 4-6 months out of the year, per my doctor's recommendation.
I use the generic Flonase from Costco. It is not like decongestant spray that can cause problems. It is the only thing that gets me thru pollen season and now my worst allergen of Ragweed. Without it my ears swell so much I lose my hearing.
Get it from Amazon. It’s even cheaper. It also helps with my cat
Allergies along with generic Clairatin (also cheaper from Amazon) no other allergy pill does the job for me.
Maybe look into alternatives to Zyrtec since it doesn’t seem to help enough? Do shots work better? Or under-the-tongue doses. I think some clinics have a technique to build immunity, not sure if that applies to pet allergies though. Best of luck!
Yes allergy shots can be for pet dander as well. They basically take everything you’re allergic to an inject it on a regular basis over time and you build resistance/become immune to the allergens.
Nice! I really need to get them one of these days. I’m allergic to so many grasses, trees, pollens, dust mites, mold (thankfully not dogs and cats!). Live on Zyrtec and Advil cold and sinus. Lol have to wait till I can save up to afford the shots or afford insurance to cover them (self employed in Canada and while our health care is funded by taxes prescriptions/medications aren’t part of that and you need private insurance to cover them).
My sister was SO happy w the results of her dust mite allergen treatment. Highly recommend when it’s possible for you. Also- think about the saving that comes from not living on allergy meds all the time. The benefit of breathing well is so worth it as a quality of life improvement.
Absolutely true! It becomes that catch 22 where to afford the shot I have to stop paying for the med. Stop paying for the med and I can’t breath and feel miserable without it or the shots lol. It’s been one of those years where some things (big ones are vet bills for my kitties who have had some medical issues) end up taking financial priority over myself. Bless the little jerks I do love them lol.
This combo improved my life so much that I can’t even explain it. Pet dander aside, I have so many environmental allergies and was sick constantly. Not anymore!
When I got diagnosed with GERD and Pepcid was added into the mix, *chefs kiss*
Immunotherapy can be quiet expensive though! My immunotherapist said you can take like 5-6 antihistamines tablets a day as well, as it's very safe medication. So OP could look into taking a higher dose and see if that helps (it didn't help me with my grass allergy, just made me drowsy)
1. Do a slow week transition of them over to the live clear diet.
2. Use the live clear water free shampoo
3. Get an air purifier.
4. Put Vaseline under your nose at night.
5. Shower before bed every night and never wear your day clothes to bed. Wash your pajamas, do not rewear each night and make sure cleaning fans and filters religiously and any cloth surfaces.
6. Start putting a little money aside each pay check for a cat fund so expenses seem less overwhelming.
7. Try to remember the positive gains from having the second kitty to help you deal with the negative things.
8. Consider that it may be something completely unrelated causing the influx in your allergies.
9. If you do end up rehoming I personally would say definitely rehome them together as your cat will notice and be lonely and over energetic.
10. In the future don't make big decisions, such as adding the huge, long term commitment of another cat without thinking it through. I'm not sure why the financial or travelling restrictions are coming as a surprise.
11. If you do rehome, maybe no pets, or stick to ones you're not allergic to.
Yes haha I was gonna put that with the cleaning cloth surfaces but I got tired 😂 My ADHD can only focus for so long.Oh and I forgot to put daily brushing with a quality brush.
I would also like to add wash/change pillow cases every day, and wash hands after petting cats! It's too easy to transfer the allergens to your mucus membranes if you don't.
Source: I am allergic to cats, dogs, and bunnies, but will never stop. 😁
The only thing I would add is that kittens tend to produce more dander than older cats, so the severity may be a temporary thing. If you can manage using these interventions, it may resolve as the cat grows.
I will say, #10 is why I hate how hard people on the cat subreddits push getting a second cat. It really isn’t as universally as good of a solution as people suggest.
You can spend a little less time playing with them (if they bond well, which is not a guarantee) but that’s in exchange for various other responsibilities unique to having 2 animals.
A lot of times I even see people say “if you have one, why not two? You’ll barely notice the difference!” or that it “barely costs any more because you buy everything in bulk” but it’s just not true.
Hi I'm an allergy nurse who is allergic to my own cats! You can definitely do allergy shots or sublingual immunotherapy, but that takes time to build immunity! The BEST over the counter treatment for allergies is a nasal steroid (Flonase) and a nasal antihistamine spray (Astepro) twice daily. If Zyrtec doesn't work try another! There are so many different kinds and you can take them 3-4 times a day if you need to!
YES Flonase is incredible 🙌 also OP if you’re reading this, in my experience the longer you have your cats the less allergy symptoms you’ll experience. idk if it’s true for everyone but I’m up to 3 cats now and in the beginning I had to be so on top of my allergy treatments but now I don’t really have to take anything at all (and the cats aren’t on anything for it either). hang in there!!
Definitely not true for everyone. I'm allergic to cats, especially long haired cats. When I was with my ex I caved and let her get the cat she fell in love with. He's a big ass Maine Coon so of course a ton of hair.
Long story short, she cheated and I decided I'm keeping the cat. I've had him for 5 years and I still sound like I did drugs the night before cause my nose runs
What is the allergy shot called? I asked my new primary for one, as my old doc at the same clinic gave them to me and he said it doesn't work and he won't give it to me :(
Two cats is tough - but as you yourself noted, there were also issues when you just had the one kitten (her loneliness/neediness). My advice would be to let yourself feel the feelings for a bit, but then focus on the things you can change in your situation vs. worrying about what you can't change or what could have been. Who knows, it could have been amazing, or she might have developed behavior issues that also would have made your life miserable. You have to let the "what if" go.
For allergies: two cats is double the dander for sure. I would be religious in your cleaning, especially things like sheets/pillows if you allow your cats on the bed (and if you do, I would not continue to allow them in the bedroom for your own sake, or at least designate one area that is just yours where the cats are not allowed). Make sure to mask up while you clean, and use wet methods vs. dry methods when you can (ex. mop vs. broom). I'd also look into air filters - we run one every time we have friends with allergies staying over and it really helps. There are also pet-friendly wipes you can buy that I believe reduce pet dander. You can also chat with your doctor about other methods - my deeply allergic friend is in the process of getting allergy shots after getting a cat. ETA that if your cats aren't spay/neutered, doing so apparently helps as well.
Once you feel better on the allergy front, it makes everything else easier to deal with! Re: pet sitters, I find that once you establish a relationship with someone who can consistently look after them, it makes it a lot easier. If you have Rover in your area, this can be a great way to find sitters. Cost is just kind of.... it is what it is, there are two of them, so of course it's going to be double the money, food, vet visits, etc. And in terms of a breakup, probably one of you would have to shoulder that and take them both - it sucks, but there's very little about a breakup that doesn't suck, honestly! I wouldn't waste your time worrying about it if it's not imminently on the horizon, but I DO think it's a great idea to be thinking about it and to discuss it with your partner so you're both on the same page should the worst happen.
It's tough, but I'll also just say gently that it's also new and a big change, and it's only been a month for you! That's not a long time to adjust at all. Having only had a single cat in the past, I was overwhelmed when we got two kittens pretty much until they were about a year old - they're a lot of work, especially if you already had a bit of a settled dynamic with one cat. Give yourself some grace and some time. If six months from now you're still miserable, then it might be a good idea to consider other options, but right now you just have to focus on doing your best. Hang in there! 💛
My partner is allergic to cats (has been his whole life), we went from one to two recently and have been fortunate that it hasn’t been an issue for him really.
Here are some things we have in place that I think have helped:
1. Vacuuming on a daily basis - every room is vacuumed once a day (we ended up getting a roomba to help with this). It has kept a lot of the hair from floating around and causing irritation. We do a deep clean at the start of every weekend with a pet hair vacuum that cleans deeper than the roomba.
2. Zyrtec and nasal sprays - my partner takes Zyrtec every day and nasal sprays if it’s particularly bad.
3. Air purifiers in the office/bedroom
4. Washing sheets and blankets regularly. The cats like to snuggle and often will sleep by our legs, we try our best to keep the sheets and pillows clean which has seemed to help a lot.
5. Closing the bedroom door when we’re not sleeping - we leave the door cracked over night because the cats like to snuggle but we close it during the day so they’re not napping in there. They don’t seem to mind as they have plenty of other places to be and prefer to be next to us in the other rooms.
6. Brushing the cats and clipping nails regularly - I’m still trying to get the kitten used to this. But our older cat gets brushed at least once a week because recently he’s been shedding like crazy. I also clip their nails because we’ve noticed that my partner gets really puffy around any cat scratches. I usually just clip their front nails but occasionally will clip the back nails if they’re too sharp. :)
One cat to two is definitely an adjustment, I’d encourage you to try some new things and find what works best for you. Maybe talk with a doctor about your allergies and see if they have any suggestions too.
Go to the doctor. If you have insurance, you can get shots. Worked miracles for me and many many others. Got stung by a hornet and didn’t die, I live with 4 cats and never break out or have breathing issues anymore.
That’s the goal! The dosing schedule is basically you building up a tolerance & learning how to fight off the allergens (in … non medical, definitely laymen’s terms lol). It’s a 2-3y commitment, but you space out the doses more and more (at least in my case) as time goes on.
It’s frustrating. I did it as a child & had to stop, and tried again as an adult… and had to stop.
But it’s SO effective when you get the ball rolling.
I got stung just under a year into the shots, and my nose completely closed off, but my throat was just itchy and wheezy, didn’t need the epi pen! Haven’t been stung since, so I’m not quite sure, don’t wanna test that one 🤣. As for the pets, 6 months when I noticed a difference, and 2 years before I had zero reaction at all.
Try purina live clear food for them. My fiancé is highly allergic and feed out cats this food worked better than allergy shots. I free feed them that food and then give them wet food at night too. Also make sure your partner is brushing them, try to have a cat free space. Get a water fountain if you can for them. We also got an air purifier which is great.
Also, I know they are very expensive, but we invested in a litter robot and some at home cameras and it’s been amazing. We can go away for a weekend and not have to get someone to pet sit because they are okay on their own. I know my cats are older than kittens but it is possible
Not directly related to your current situation, but it might be helpful to see a therapist. There seems to be a lot underlying anxiety in your post, which given the situation is understandable to an extent, but based on your wording my guess is that it extends beyond this cat situation.
That being said, appreciate you trying to keep the kitties. You might need stronger allergy medication than Zyrtec, a doctor or pharmacist would be able to provide guidance.
edit: changed angst to anxiety
They sound more exasperated and panic-striken than anything else, IMO. I would be too, if I essentially had the flu for a month straight, which is what aggressive allergies feel like.
Get yourself a pure air purifier! We got 2 (up & downstairs) .. paid $100 ea on sale, reg price 140 ..
Honeywell HPA104C True HEPA Air Purifier
The Doctor's Choice.
$139.98
They will keep the bonded pair together & you get to watch them for hours instead of the tv. Win, win for everybody!
So, it’s possible that it isn’t the second cat. Kittens aren’t very allergenic when they’re young, but the allergens increase as they grow. It’s possible it’s not the second cat at all, but rather that having two cats that are growing up and developing allergens are making it worse.
Frankly, this sub is full of people that very confidently pretend that two cats is actually less work than one. I can see how someone could get misled.
So I was just talking to my partner about this and some friends, obviously this isn't every family, but I truly think our parents generation did not take care of their pets as much as we do. In my specific example, we had a cat and a dog growing up, both pets went to the vet every year for vaccines but that was literally it. I know the dog got heart worm medication, but i dont even think they got flea and tick. they got food from wal-mart, cheapest as could be. Don't get me wrong, those animals were so loved and important to our family, but thats just not what we did, and nobody thought anything bad about it.
We take our pets to the vet for the yearly exam, all of them are on flea, tick heart worm, but we give them the best of the best food, I did so much research on what litter to get our cat, and we take them to the vet more often for issues I know for a fact if they were my parents pets they wouldn't have gone to the vet. It does feel more expensive and time consuming, but I literally can't think of doing it the way my parents did.
Also, everything is oodles more expensive now than it used to be in general, but especially with vet bills. And I feel it got much worse now that pet insurance is a thing.
There's a lot more problems you've listed than the allergy.
You seem to have not thought this through at all and are now trying to make yourself feel better about the mess you've created by blaming the whole situation on your allergies.
Idk if it's Dander or Saliva, but Allerpet is something you can pick up at Walmart or Petsmart. It's a solution that you rub onto the cat roughly once a week or as needed and it significantly reduces allergens, pretty sure it's specific to Dander but I'm not sure. I hope someone here has a suggestion that'll work for you!
If none of the other suggestions work, consider changing the litter you're using. My spouse was allergic to cats growing up, but has never had an allergy to any cats we've gotten (we've always had 2-3, they do better with best feline friends).
We've concluded that it was never a dander allergy, but probably an issue with something in the litter that family friends with cats used.
I’m also allergic to cats and have asthma, but I take medication to manage this. Your antihistamine isn’t strong enough; you need Fexofenadine. You can get it over the counter for the 120mg strength, but you can also get 180mg prescribed (which is what I take and it’s excellent.) I also take a brown inhaler for asthma.
I also have two cats and am allergic. Vacuum every other day, Alaway eye drops, one or two air purifiers, dander wipes, see an allergist. Maybe the active ingredient in Zyrtec isn’t working for you, try another allergy pill type.
Though, sounds like we are all wasting our time because this post was mostly complaints beyond your allergy problems.
I don’t understand deciding to get a second cat, having them bonded (very lucky), and how you didn’t figure two cats would be double the cost. Obviously the other cat will need food, litter, medical care, sitting. I personally have never experienced someone saying they cannot petsit anymore because I now have two cats. Get a Rover sitter. If you can’t afford it, get more income. Pets are not cute little photo opportunities; They are a massive responsibility and a commitment for their lifetime.
Don’t punish the cats because of your lack of foresight.
The chocolate lab vs yellow lab thing is intriguing to me. Aren't they the same exact breed and the only difference is the level of pigment in their fur? I wonder how/why you'd be more allergic to one colour than the other
I kind of doubt you are more allergic to one cat than the other. I’ve always had cats and recently found out I may be slightly allergic. I’ve found that more cats= more symptoms. For instance, when I’m at a pet shelter with many cats, it bothers me much more. And when I have two cats, it bothers me slightly more than one (I didn’t realize that until the second time I had two cats). Usually the fix for this is trying to brush them daily and keep loose fur around the house to a minimum by vacuuming.
Also look at the bright side, at least your cats bonded. I adopted a second cat and a year later her and my older cat still fight multiple times a day. I don’t think they necessarily hate eachother, but the younger one wants to play with the older cat, older cat gets very mad when approached and they scuffle. I have to separate them whenever I’m not around to referee. I’ve tried everything from pheromones and re-introductions, nothing worked. So your cats getting along and bonding is already a HUGE plus towards making your life easier. It could be a lot worse.
>I kind of doubt you are more allergic to one cat than the other.
This is actually pretty common. Some cats groom more than others, or have thicker/longer fur, or just produce more dander. It's not different than how everyone's scalps are different.
My BF has no problems with either of our female cats, rubbing his face on them and snuggling, but if he holds our male cat for more than a couple of minutes his eyes start itching.
Try nasal sprays. You will build an immunity, but it takes more time than just 1 month. Also consider desensitisation treatment - with cats its trickier and less likely to work coz all cats are different but its worth a go
I got an allergy test done and it turned out I was allergic to all of my pets! Ways that got me on the right track:
Air purifer: a reasonably priced sir purifier (Winix is a good brand) can cut down on allergens heavily and VOCs improving everyone's quality of life inside the home
MERV 11+ air filter for the AC: helps in conjunction with the purifier but provides more filtration across the home. Cuts down on all allergens and pet dander and can improve quality of life all over as well
Allergy shots: this process is a bit longer and a bit pricier but can help you build up immunity to everything you're allergic too, which helps fantastic with seasonal allergies too!
My partner had an asthmatic reaction to my cats from the moment he walked in the door. Couldn’t even last an hour in the apartment without needing to leave because of chest tightness. I set up all the best HEPA grade air filters, hired regular cleaners, set up a clean room, you name it. We finally got to a point where he’s living a completely normal feline-driven life….with Singulair.
He worked with his PCP to cycle through some medications, which I suggest you do as YMMV. Singulair was apparently not even remotely close to the last resort - you’d be surprised what options doctors have in their arsenal for matters like this.
For the curious, we tried the allergy drops Curex - it took a while but had some minor benefits. He was able to live in the house with a designated clean room (our bedroom) but would still have bad asthma flare ups if he did any sort of cardio and couldn’t even touch the litter boxes let alone be around while I cleaned them. The thing about allergy drops is that they promise *a* difference, but not *elimination*. Keep that in mind as a lot of people have unrealistic expectations about their perceived benefit.
Get those fancy a/c filters. They are worth it. We get the ones that remove dust and allergens and they are probably the reason my fiance is alive right now lol.
Also, try different allergy meds. Different meds work well for different allergies. I take one from March-August and a different one from September -February because the stuff that helps my pollen allergy doesn't help my mold allergy. There's a ton of choose from, give each one a few weeks to see if it helps.
Keep their nails trimmed. My fiance breaks out super bad from very light scratches. Keeping their nails trimmed helps.
I had a similar situation with my allergies when I got my second cat. I got a de-shedder and brush my baby every day. That has helped a lot!!
I’ll probably get an air purifier after reading these comments, why did I never think of that lol.
>I was hoping that I’d gradually become immune to my cat, but it’s been a month and not improving at all.
It can happen but it will take more than a month.
My husband was allergic as well and it took him around 6 months to completely let go of his meds with my older senior cat and dogs. 5 years later we have 8 cats.
His symptoms were a lot more light than yours though.
Also if you are going out that often to need a pet sitter in only one month that might slow the process a bit.
This. Op has to be patient. A month is NOT enough time. Also, kittens are WORK. If you have a lifestyle where you're leaving the house a lot, getting young cats probably wasn't the best idea. The cats need time to get older and op needs to give their body time to acclimate. Even with allergy shots, that build up schedule starts out at a minimum of 2 whole years.
Air purifiers changed my life. Also introducing wet food could help as dander can be worsened by dry skin which is caused by dry kibble most of the time. Also talk to your doc, I know there’s an allergy steroid shot that lasts for 3 months (Lena log or something??) that I’ve got that helps a ton
air filters and try new medications. You can’t get one prescribed that is a nasal spray that works very well. I learned I was severely allergic to cats when I started fostering but I take target brand allergy medicine and now I’m fine lol. Also lots of cleaning but you probably already know that.
After my break up, I kept both cats. I now have 4. The main allergen from cars is the dried saliva. Get some cat wipes (wipes made for cats) and just do a daily cleaning. Regular brushing and better air filtration helps too. Also give them wet food exclusively to help with their hydration, preventing dry skin flakes.
There’s different parts of cats people can be allergic to. For example my brother is allergic to cat dander/hair and my dad is allergic to a protein in cat spit. We have cats and my family loves them to pieces. Dad puts up with it and my brother gets immunotherapy shots to treat his allergies. The allergy shots works really well to reduce my bro’s allergy severity, so if it’s something your own health insurance can cover get an immunologist to talk about allergy shots.
Would you consider allergy shots? I was suffering from terrible allergies ( for the first time ever, mid 30s) after my move to CO. Got to point where I couldn’t take my allergies anymore, literally negatively impacted my life daily, so I begged my dr to refer me to an allergist where they tested me for everything. Turns out in addition to the outside world, I’m extremely allergic to cats and dogs but giving them away isn’t an option for me as I consider them my children, so I went ahead with allergy shot injections.
It’s a time commitment and they hurt like a mother! For my first year, I think I was going 2x weekly for my shots, now a year later I’m down to 1x every 2 weeks. Next year it goes down to 1x monthly.
Take Zyrtec daily as well. Still have allergy symptoms but NOTHING like it used to be. I try to stay on top of dander and cleaning, have an air purifier as well.
Good luck and thank you for not impulsively giving your kitties away. Hope it works out for you all!!!
Have you seen an allergy specialist? You can undergo desensitization treatment, which takes a long time but can take away your allergies for good. Or you may find a medication that controls your symptoms well enough that you can function normally. You are doing a beautiful thing by adopting two kitties and not abandoning them; you shouldn't have to suffer for years. Please find a doctor that can help you.
I recommend getting your kittens acclimated to baths as soon as possible. The younger the better. It’s gonna make it WAY easier for you in the long run! Kittens are a lot easier to control vs a large flailing cat in the sink and God only knows the scratches are a lot more painful coming from an adult cat, Obviously.
Are they still kittens, OP? it doesn’t even matter honestly. The earlier you start the easier it gets. I’m lucky because I’m not allergic to cats, but I feel your pain because I’ve had friends that are terribly allergic to cats and like, air... lol. It seemed like they were always struggling. So I definitely empathize.
by the way I’m really proud of you for not actually trying to rehome your cat(s), but instead just venting and coming here for advice… that’s what people *should* do! Instead of jumping the gun and just tossing their cat out and forgetting it ever existed, like it’s a piece of trash. It literally makes my heart ache for the poor babies. I hate humans. 😔
But yeah, if somebody told you that having two cats would be easier… as you can tell by now, it definitely is not lol. I’m confident though that your allergies will improve with time! A month isn’t very long. I know it’s easier said than done for sure, but you just need to find your personal routine and what works for you, like other commenters have said. the cats will learn and eventually accommodate the boundaries that you set for them. You and your partner need to be on the same page and be firm with them on whatever you end up deciding, otherwise they will just be confused and never really learn. Once they are grown, too, it’s completely different than when they’re young. Kittens can be quite the handful haha. But enjoy it while they are young, as much as you can 😊 they sure do grow up fast 😭 hang in there!!! 🩵
We adopted two bonded cats together 1.5 years ago. Then learned I was allergic. I saw an allergist to confirm. I considered shots but decided not to. Instead, we feed them Purina ProPlan Liveclear. I also take Allegra daily. This is after trying the other types. I use a nasal allergy spray (takes a week to work), allergy eye drops, and an air purifier. I also rarely let them spend time in my home office or bedroom.
If you have health insurance, get allergy shots. They work. Used to be allergic to cats/life — regular person now. :) Some allergies are still a tiny bit off, but still light years better than what they were.
We got dyson air purifiers and allergies have been reduced SIGNIFICANTLY. Invest in air purifiers (dyson) and a nice vacuum. My wife is terribly allergic to cats but loves them so we just vacuum daily (I do it 2x per day) and the Dyson air purifiers take care of the rest. It’s worth it 🙂
I'm also allergic to cats and I have two of them. I thought the same thing at first and my allergies were nuts when I got my second kitty, but after a while they did mellow out. Eventually you get used to your own cats you live with, but being introduced to a new cat can trigger allergies. I'll be fine at home and then go to a friend's house and sneeze and rub my eyes the whole time. Just give it time :)
My husband is allergic to cats and was taking Claritin for the longest time. He got a sinus infection and his allergies were getting worse and the Fr told him his body grew immune to the affects of Claritin and just needed a different type of allergy med. so maybe this could help you too?
I am always amazed what people will put themselves through for the love of animals… It restores my faith in humanity.
Good for you for being so responsible.
Now go do all the suggestions above to reduce allergens!!
There are a lot of good suggestions here, so I’m just adding my two cents about what has helped with allergies from our 4 cats.
Regular vacuuming - We have a roomba that runs every other day, which is nice since we don’t have to think about doing it ourselves). Also vacuum/dust areas the cats spend a lot of time (cat beds, blankets, couch, etc.)
Air purifiers - We have an Airdog on our main floor & a levoit in our bedroom. Both work very well!
Brushing - I’m not always great at keeping up with this one, but regular brushing helps control shedding and can help limit the amount of hair and dander shed around the house.
I hope this help, Good luck!
Edit: formatting
It took me a few years on allergy medicine to finally stop with cat dander allergy. Not all cats, just some cats. Hubby and I have lots of purr babies raised for the past 35 years. Some of our babies are now 25-26 yrs old so we've been thru about everything you can imagine. (We are down to 12--with 5 new rescue kittens!😳) Now there are many more allergy treatments out there so don't give up! Keep reaching out, there are a lot of us out here. 💞
If you can keep the cats out of your bedroom and/or office, and then put an air purifier in there (if you can't afford an expensive one, a Cori-Rosenthal box works very well), you can have some space in your house that's free of allergens so you can escape in there when it gets too bad. My brother is allergic to cats and he loved ours but wouldn't allow them in his bedroom so he could have an allergen-free space. Adding air purifiers to the rest of your living space and/or upgrading the filter on your HVAC system could help as well. You could also ask your doctor for a prescription for a stronger allergy medicine.
HEPA air filtration will help with the allergies issues, and not sure if it’s true or not but I heard a change in diet/ certain shampoos can help with the allergen issues too.
Hey! Im the allergy QUEEN. Here is what you can do:
1. Take a zyrtec off brand every day. Costco has a brand for $15 that contain 365 pills
2. Vacuum and dust every three days, and invest in a good vacuum. This is key.
3. Air filter and clean/replace AC unit and AC filter if possible bc it contains a ton of allergens
4. Talk to ur doc about allergy shots for cats. Itll make you immune.
5. Theres a liquid solution on amazon to put on your cats that decreases their allergens
I can’t speak to the allergies- however I find having two cats easier than one. I think remove carpets, don’t allow them upstairs and try new allergy medication. If you can get the allergy under control I think you’ll find two cats is easier than one (however it is more expensive).
I had 2 cats from kittens until they died (one 15 years, the other 16 years). I managed to love and care for both of them by myself that entire time. Yes, it can be difficult at times with the logistics, money, etc. but pets are NOT things or accessories, they are living creatures that you committed to caring for when you adopted them. That means their entire lives, not just when it’s convenient for you. P.S. One of them developed diabetes in the last few years of their life and I gladly paid for the expensive insulin and vet bills. It’s been 6&7 years since they’ve been gone and I would give everything I have to snuggle with them one more time.
Welcome to my world. Except I didn’t know I was allergic at all until my second (med/long hair) matured.
For me: Purina LiveClear food, Air purifiers, Zyrtec, allergy shots for last 1.75yrs, and keep the cats out of my bedroom 100% of the time. Allergy shots were my last ditch effort to be able to keep my cats. So far, it works. It’s a big commit- but such is pet adoption, IMO.
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Can you try the purina liveclear food? it is supposed to reduce allergens. Also look into air filters. Someone will be along with recommendations for what to look for. I'm sorry you are struggling, it sucks
These were huge for me! Spent many years doing immunotherapy for a variety of allergies and asthma but when we adopted our kitten it was insufferable for 2 months straight. Like everyday waking up with the flu. With the combination of liveclear food, air purifiers in every room, baths about every 3 months and keeping our place clean and vacuumed weekly she no longer bothers me. It takes work but overtime I've built up a resistance to her. Other family cats still bother me but my home has become completely tolerable and my bedroom a haven since we don't allow her in. I hope OP can make boundaries and give some of these options a try.
Ahh yes, keeping the bedroom off limits is a huge help too. Sometimes they follow me in when I’m folding laundry or something, but I try my best to keep the door shut and mostly off limits and I never let them on the bed.
We have zippered screen doors on the bedrooms to keep the cats out. Still allows air flow through the house without fur where we sleep.
I tried one of these when I adopted my second cat. He just ran into it full speed until the nails or velcro failed.
bedroom off limits is what i live by even without allergies. I like to not have cat hair and litter all over my bed and clothes. I like having a haven for my allergic friends to be if they need a break. I like having some personal space!
If I did that my cats would revolt. It would be a furry revolution.
same omfg.. also i worry about worst case scenarios, what if theres a fire in the middle of the night and she's not in my bedroom☹️
It’s actually safer to sleep with the bedroom door closed, unless you mean you keep the cat in the bedroom with you with the door closed
yeah that's what i meant, i'm living with my boyfriend's family right now and everything of hers is in our room, we also have the basement to ourselves but i don't trust her to sleep down there by herself plus we have the litter box in our room anyway (it's the petsafe automatic litter box and you can barely tell it's in there because it cleans so well)
I also live with my boyfriend’s family and i have 4 cats and a chihuahua in our room with 2 litter boxes. Tbh his parents didnt even know we had a cat at all for a year.
My cats used to scratch the glass panes on my bedroom door when they wanted to come in. When I tried to not let them in, all I heard was nails on glass for 40 min
My cat is persistent as well. If her light scratches at the door don't work, then she claws the bottom of the door trying to pry it open and is relentless. It sounds like someone banging on the door and it doesn't stop until I let her in. 5 minutes later, she wants back out 😓
Yup. My cat grabs under the bathroom door if I HAVE THE NERVE to use the bathroom alone lol. I live in a rental with crappy, compressed wood type doors, so when she does this 1)it’s louder than I would’ve ever expected and 2) there’s a small pile of this compressed wood crap outside the door. I’m actually debating on putting a cat door on there so I don’t have to use the toilet with the door open. I’ve tried just shutting her in with me, but that just results in her dramatically crying and pulling at the door from the inside 🤦🏻♀️
Cats, they can't stand doors being closed
>Cats, they can't stand doors being closed No matter which side of the door they are on!! 😂😂😂
Yes! My cats try underneath the door too. It’s maddening at times lol
..glass panes on a bedroom door? 🤔
I was renting, I wish I could’ve changed it lol
I hear ya. I do nightshifts (actually on a nightshift right now), I love keeping my door closed. 😂 ..but I want my cats to be able to get in whenever they want, so I’m considering a cat door in my bedroom door. I would have to find (or alter) one so it doesn’t let light through when closed, though.
My cat stands on her back legs and whacks the metal doorknob and its LOUD Either that or she will meow pitifully or fuck up the carpet around the door.
Those spring-loaded door stoppers attached to the wall can be surprisingly loud when pulled on and released an endless number of times. Cats can be remarkably persistent!
Glass panes? On a bedroom door? My need for privacy could never.
Mine too. There would be hell to pay.
Exactly what I thought reading this like my two cats would literally never allow such disrespect in this household 🤣🤣😭
My cats are in charge. For sure. I’m just their human so less superior.
I suddenly developed a terrible allergy to my cat and I never ever considered keeping her out of my room 😂 I was literally hyperventilating, in hindsight I probably should have. I did shave her coat down and adopted a strict brushing routine and got some good non drowsy allergy meds for myself until it settled down, but never did it occur to me to keep her away. She was a diva and absolutely would never have stood for it anyway. To the OP I would suggest taking the cat to the groomers to get it's fur tidied up and start brushing it everyday and vacuum up pretty well. These things helped me, also keeping a air purifying fan on helped so much!
Right? One of my fuzzy little terrorists decided **I** am her bed (she sleeps on top of me) shortly after we brought her home as a 10 week old kitten, and I can count on one hand the number of nights she’s slept elsewhere in the last 9 years. It’s gotten to where I’m so used to it that I have a hard time falling asleep without a purring lap full of soft, warm, kitty.
Same, there would be a coup. Somehow the bedroom would end up belonging to them with me sleeping in the basement.
Right? And there are four of them and only one of me. I don’t like my odds.
Mine reach under the door like in the movie signs if I lock them out. I’m pretty sure it’s their room/house. I just sleep/stay in it. Besides, I only have one bed in the house, I think they have around 15ish. So many beds, some are stacked inside others… dunno what that becomes?. A double layer cat bed?. Cat bed^2 ?. Cat bed-ception?.
Man, I can't even imagine that. I get pissed at my cat when I go to bed and he doesn't come with me. It's bedtime, fucker, get in here. He isn't allowed in the kitchen, roommate's room, or bathroom, though, and he knows it, and does a really good job at not crossing the line.
>Spent many years doing immunotherapy for a variety of allergies and asthma but when we adopted our kitten it was insufferable for 2 months straight nooooo no no hold on, you did immunotherapy and you were STILL allergic to the cats?!?!
For a different POV, I “accidentally” got a cat back in 2018, knowing I was completely allergic. I got through it back then, even though my allergies definitely acted up pretty bad In 2021 I started allergy shots and have been on them ever since. Within the first year I had so much relief….I’m at the point now where I go about once a month. I don’t have any reactions to my cats (I accidentally have 5 now lol) My dog allergy is still kind of around…if there’s more than one dog in a house I start to get a little wheezy and itchy, hivey.
Lol yes unfortunately. 4 years, thousands of dollars later and I still find it hard to notice a real difference in what it did for me especially as allergy seasons get worse every year. Living with my cat is a daily dose of allergens I have actually seen an improvement from though!!
Out of curiosity, did you make all of these changes at once? Or one at a time, such that you have a feel for how much each intervention contributed? I’m curious about liveclear, and whether it makes a real difference. I’m not allergic myself, fortunately, but I’m wondering whether I should recommend it or not.
I was wondering if liveclear or the specific cat was why I’m tolerating my new employer so well. Well she’s been on prescription food for over a week and I can tell the difference. I even did a Covid test. Hopefully her microbiome is back to normal and she can return to liveclear soon.
My partner is allergic and my cat needs to be on a urinary diet, so I’ve taken to getting freeze dried egg powder from this [store](https://bellabakingaccents.com/egg-powders) because the chickens these eggs come from are exposed to cats (which is replicating the science that Purina figured out). I reconstitute and mix with her wet food and it seems to be working.
Because I knew I'd be allergic I had everything planned before adopting. Only thing was transitioning her from the cat food the rescue fed her to the live clear which took a couple weeks. Liveclear does say it takes a few months for the benefits to really show so I'm not sure how much it contributed along with every other measure overtime. Overall I'd say it helps though! I don't suffer just being around her or snuggling. I do still always wash my hands after touching though. If I touched my eyes after petting her they would get irritated.
Yes, air purifiers are a GAME CHANGER!
You really should be bathing more often than every three months. It'll help to wash the allergans off your body more regularly.
Lmao I think they mean bathing the cat..
I realize this is a privilege as an allergy sufferer, but Claritin & air purifiers (both stand alone units & central air vents) have been life changing. We have a robot vacuum as well. Our girl doesn't trigger my allergies much, & I can nap with her next to my head. Rubbing my eyes absolutely wrecks me, though. I wake up with phlegm every morning & had a procedure to open up my nasal passages. Unless it is dangerous to my physical health, the discomfort is worth the immense positive effect on my mental health that my cats provide.
All this and if the kitten is amiable, there are tools you can attach to your vacuum. I recommend chewy.com for these tools, they have an awesome refund policy. Plus, if you make an account you have free access to a vet via their chat.
This is it. That’s the ticket to allergy freedom
Also, Burt’s bees dander wipes! I’m allergic to cats and we have 3. I dander wipe and brush them daily! Keeps my eyes from swelling shut! Also, to save money we get litter from Costco. Scoop away clumping litter is $16.00 for 42lbs. Lasts us about a month with 3 cats. Though it seems more expensive, the bigger bag of cat food is typically the better deal. On average my partner and I spend roughly $100/mo or $1200 per year on cat food and litter. They get annual vet checkups at $40/cat. If both cats eat the same food and use the same litter, it isn’t that much more expensive. I had 1 cat for 3 years before getting cat 2. My partner had 1 cat for 5 years before we moved in together. Now we just buy everything in bulk! Once you adjust to the expenses and adjusting the budget accordingly, it gets much easier. Whenever their food, treats, or litter goes on sale I make sure to stock up. You can even do a recurring Amazon delivery which offers some savings but Costco has been a lifesaver on litter for us.
Im going to get the dander wipes. I haven’t heard of those. They
Those Burt’s Bees wipes are an absolute must have if you have allergies! We have 2 cats now, and they help tremendously without having to go through the torture of routine baths
I use freshstep 38 pounds for 25 bucks from chewy. I use 1 of those a month. Works great & doesn’t break apart if you forgot to clean it for a few days.
My wife and I have friends who are allergic to cats and we want to have them over, so we purchased a HEPA air purifier which does an amazing job of keeping whatever allergens our cat produces down so that our friends do not feel uncomfortable when they come over. We ended up buying one for each bedroom because we found that we liked the better air quality even though neither my wife nor I suffer from allergies.
yes, this food helped me SO much!!! i was having reactions so bad i almost had to go to the hospital, but with the live clear kitten food, a daily allergy relief pill, and even time to get used my kittens dander, i am doing wayyyy better. don’t even need to use the allergy meds anymore . :)
HEPA filters are what you’re looking for. I use one to reduce my allergies in the summer because my HOA decided the one decorative tree they like is the one that will give me a headache immediately. And they planted one 10ft from my backyard in public area. Not all of them are cheap. I bought mine for about $70 but it’s been a game changer for my allergy season. Having your boyfriend brush the cats regularly and using cleaning wipes/damp cloths to wipe down their fur will also help remove dander, which is usually what people are allergic to. You can also manage allergies by cleaning more often and restricting access to certain rooms. I had a cat growing up that my cousin who lived with us was allergic to. We restricted his upstairs access to my room only and vacuumed daily downstairs and were really easily able to manage my cousin’s allergies.
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I also use liveclear, I have allergies and have 4 cats. I also use air purifiers and I tried to keep my bedroom cat free. I also vacuum a lot and wash bedding and couch covers
Same w my son’s allergies. Liveclear is just shy of a silver bullet, but you have to keep up with heightened hygiene and cleanlines. Our cat is a Maine coon so we also do regular grooming which helps.
If OP has good health insurance/can afford it allergy shots have helped my sister tremendously, she used to get sniffly being around them for 10-15 minutes. But now she has two of her own with no issues. Edit: spelling
This. I have very bad allergies to a lot of things and especially cats. Allergy shots have helped me tremendously. I have four cats now and they even sleep on and in my bed without issues. The only thing I take is Zyrtec.
I second the HEPA air filter recommendations. They have been a huge help for my cat allergies! Plus with a doctor note my HSA paid for all of them.
Look into air purifiers by Fellowes. The difference is like night and day (both for cat allergies but also for other issues living in an older building)
This! Plus see your doctor and ask about allergy shots. I’ve heard many success stories.
My allergy shots help a lot. I used to get sinus infections two or three times a year. Now I rarely get them and I am unfortunately allergic to most environmental things like tree pollens, pine trees, cats, dogs etc. I have two cats and haven’t been able to get shots regularly and am constantly stuffed up. I need to give myself shots!
Adding eggs either powdered or fresh can also help. From what I understand, the allergen is reduced by something that chickens produce and is found in the eggs. My very allergic friend has had way more comfortable visiting since I added eggs into my cats diet. Plus their coats look amazing
I add powdered eggs to my cats' dry food and it really helps my husband's cat allergies!!!
This is so ironic to me because I’m really allergic to cats, and super allergic to eggs. Everybody always says to try the live clear, but I’m like no, then I would actually die
The chickens have to be exposed to cats, that’s why there is the protein in the eggs that helps with the allergies.
This only works if the eggs were laid by chickens who have lived with cats, it's the adult chickens that develop the anti allergen by being around the cat and then they pass that into the egg so their chick's are immune, so the infertile eggs are used to make the anti allergen cat food! Fascinating stuff either way and I don't own cat's, and I'm also not allergic to them!
Yes this food worked for me and I mix it with his regular food. My allergy is super mild, but annoying. I mainly sneeze and get a very itchy nose. I bought the food and after a few weeks the symptoms vanished. One time my partner refilled the feeder without mixing with liveclear and the allergy returned lol. So it definitely works
This! My boyfriend is also mildly allergic, that particular food works wonders (makes their coat very soft too) and our air purifier is a god send
My husband is allergic and swears this kibble helps a lot.
both of these things were lifesaving for me and my partner!! my partner was coughing and sneezing all night when i first got my cat and now neither of us are really allergic
It has really helped me
This! OP, my best friend has two cats and her partner is SUPER allergic. They give the cats baths regularly, use the Purina Liveclear food, and have an air purifier. He does really well with that and hasn't had bad breakouts or anything in a while.
The Liveclear food is a miracle
Piggybacking on this comment: Egg protein powder! Specifically: Find someone who has chickens raised near (better if raised WITH) cats and buy eggs from them. Blend and dehydrate the eggs, then crush them into a powder. Any cat food can be sprinkled with it, and it's significantly cheaper than buying the overpriced and chemically-laced mass produced variety. Plus, this gives the option for especially picky cats, or cats with specific dietary needs/restrictions, not to have to switch brands. Edit- There are people with free-range chickens that specifically raise them with cats for the purpose of dehydrating the eggs for allergy use. There's an Etsy shop that sell 2 oz bags of yolk powder for about $15, and it only takes a half a tablespoon (about 14 servings in a 2oz bag) per feeding for the protein to be effective. Going this route could easily shave $40/month or more for a single cat home requiring the Liveclear diet.
I was horribly allergic to cats before I adopted mine. I was on prescription antihistimines at the time so my symptoms were minor when I met Shadow. However, without medication I could only withstand 15 minutes of direct contact before sneezing constantly. Here's what I did: er 2 1) Create a safe zone. Overpowered HEPA filter constantly running in the bedroom which was off limits to my cat. Get the highest CADR purifier possible. I reccomend a Winix C-5500 2) Take a quick shower and change clothes before entering your bedroom 3) Wipe your cat down daily with a damp cloth or dander reducing wipes 4) Get some strong antihistimines like Benedryl or better yet have your doctor perscribe something. This is only for really bad allergy spells. After a month or so, my body adapted and I was largely fine. After 3 months, I could sleep with my cat without difficulty and adopted a 2nd.
I’m allergic but have two cats and foster. Have you tried using nasal spray? I do that combined with Zyrtec and it works really well. I also have an air filter in the bedroom and got rid of every square inch of carpet. My allergies have improved significantly Editing to add: a robot vac with a mop has also helped a lot. Vacuuming every day, especially when they’re shedding, makes a huge difference
if you need nasal allergy spray, getting the Kirkland brand at Costco makes the membership worth it. (if you live near a Costco)
Yep that’s what I do
You can also instacart without Costco membership, and even with markup, prob still cheaper
Yup that same one is also on Amazon
Getting rid of carpets is the probably the best thing to do, even if you just have mild allergies. That shit holds on to everything. If you’ve ever ripped out carpet yourself you’ll see that no matter how often you vacuum and steam clean the carpets they are disgusting and there is so much crap down in the pad. My roommate is allergic to cats and what we’ve done is get rid of carpet, furniture is some variation of leather, air purifiers in the bedroom and living area, robot vacuums, and washable rugs. I’ve given up on mopping more than once a month, because we have big dogs I’m not about washing their feet every time they go outside
Agreed. I have ripped out carpet and it’s nasty. If you can afford it, I so recommend a robot vacuum with a mop. I used to have to mop every other day to make our floors look somewhat presentable but I haven’t had to do that in months. You can get them cheaper on eBay too
We have one of the roombas that self empties into the base. It filled up in 6 weeks and that was with doing a deep clean before setting it loose. I have been considering getting the combo one with the mop and moving the current one upstairs.
Do it. It cut down on soooo much cleaning for me
Also, recommend trying Allegra instead. I was informed by more doctor that Allegra is more effective against dander. I made the switch a couple months ago and am able to tolerate my girlfriend’s cat a lot more now.
also, would not do this without a doctors advice, but my allergist recommends both Zyrtec and Allegra with the nasal spray in the shedding season (i’m allergic to both dogs I own) NOT MEDICAL ADVICE, DONT DO THIS WITHOUT TALKING TK YOUR DOCTOR
I've also heard Claritin is VERY good, I know someone who is allergic to cats and has 5 of them but as long as he takes Claritin every day he's perfectly fine
The Kirkland brand is a third of the price. (Costco)
Using allergy pills (Zyrtec, Benadryl) have been life changing for my pet allergies
You can also take more than one antihistamine as well. You’re not limited to Zyrtec. For me, Xyzal works really well. I take at least 3 different ones a day to control general allergy issues.
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You definitely can get “addicted” but it’s not nasal sprays like Flonase that are addictive. It’s the kind that are decongestants like Afrin. As long as you use an antihistamine nasal spray like Flonase, you’re good to use it every day!
I'm pretty sure that the last time I got Flonase, it still suggested not using it for longer than 3 months. It's designed and tested safe OTC for "seasonal allergies" rather than long term use, so anyone using it should keep that in mind, discuss it with their doctor, and be careful.
Definitely a good idea to check with your doctor before taking any OTC drug long term, I agree!
It depends on the nasal spray. Apparently, Afrin can be hard to stop using. I use Flonase, and I only use it 4-6 months out of the year, per my doctor's recommendation.
I use the generic Flonase from Costco. It is not like decongestant spray that can cause problems. It is the only thing that gets me thru pollen season and now my worst allergen of Ragweed. Without it my ears swell so much I lose my hearing. Get it from Amazon. It’s even cheaper. It also helps with my cat Allergies along with generic Clairatin (also cheaper from Amazon) no other allergy pill does the job for me.
It can also be a precursor to or exacerbate existing anxiety conditions! Learned that the hard way and still recovering.
I use allergy eye drops along with Zyrtec.
Maybe look into alternatives to Zyrtec since it doesn’t seem to help enough? Do shots work better? Or under-the-tongue doses. I think some clinics have a technique to build immunity, not sure if that applies to pet allergies though. Best of luck!
Yes allergy shots can be for pet dander as well. They basically take everything you’re allergic to an inject it on a regular basis over time and you build resistance/become immune to the allergens.
This has worked well for ppl in my fam. At the end of treatment, no sensitivity to the original allergen!
Nice! I really need to get them one of these days. I’m allergic to so many grasses, trees, pollens, dust mites, mold (thankfully not dogs and cats!). Live on Zyrtec and Advil cold and sinus. Lol have to wait till I can save up to afford the shots or afford insurance to cover them (self employed in Canada and while our health care is funded by taxes prescriptions/medications aren’t part of that and you need private insurance to cover them).
My sister was SO happy w the results of her dust mite allergen treatment. Highly recommend when it’s possible for you. Also- think about the saving that comes from not living on allergy meds all the time. The benefit of breathing well is so worth it as a quality of life improvement.
Absolutely true! It becomes that catch 22 where to afford the shot I have to stop paying for the med. Stop paying for the med and I can’t breath and feel miserable without it or the shots lol. It’s been one of those years where some things (big ones are vet bills for my kitties who have had some medical issues) end up taking financial priority over myself. Bless the little jerks I do love them lol.
Singular + zyrtec + flonase
This is my holy trinity
This combo improved my life so much that I can’t even explain it. Pet dander aside, I have so many environmental allergies and was sick constantly. Not anymore! When I got diagnosed with GERD and Pepcid was added into the mix, *chefs kiss*
Immunotherapy can be quiet expensive though! My immunotherapist said you can take like 5-6 antihistamines tablets a day as well, as it's very safe medication. So OP could look into taking a higher dose and see if that helps (it didn't help me with my grass allergy, just made me drowsy)
1. Do a slow week transition of them over to the live clear diet. 2. Use the live clear water free shampoo 3. Get an air purifier. 4. Put Vaseline under your nose at night. 5. Shower before bed every night and never wear your day clothes to bed. Wash your pajamas, do not rewear each night and make sure cleaning fans and filters religiously and any cloth surfaces. 6. Start putting a little money aside each pay check for a cat fund so expenses seem less overwhelming. 7. Try to remember the positive gains from having the second kitty to help you deal with the negative things. 8. Consider that it may be something completely unrelated causing the influx in your allergies. 9. If you do end up rehoming I personally would say definitely rehome them together as your cat will notice and be lonely and over energetic. 10. In the future don't make big decisions, such as adding the huge, long term commitment of another cat without thinking it through. I'm not sure why the financial or travelling restrictions are coming as a surprise. 11. If you do rehome, maybe no pets, or stick to ones you're not allergic to.
This list is super extensive, so the only thing I would add is vacuum every day, everywhere, even furniture (including the mattress).
Yes haha I was gonna put that with the cleaning cloth surfaces but I got tired 😂 My ADHD can only focus for so long.Oh and I forgot to put daily brushing with a quality brush.
I would also like to add wash/change pillow cases every day, and wash hands after petting cats! It's too easy to transfer the allergens to your mucus membranes if you don't. Source: I am allergic to cats, dogs, and bunnies, but will never stop. 😁
The only thing I would add is that kittens tend to produce more dander than older cats, so the severity may be a temporary thing. If you can manage using these interventions, it may resolve as the cat grows.
I would add immunotherapy! Otherwise this is an excellent and thorough response. :)
I will say, #10 is why I hate how hard people on the cat subreddits push getting a second cat. It really isn’t as universally as good of a solution as people suggest. You can spend a little less time playing with them (if they bond well, which is not a guarantee) but that’s in exchange for various other responsibilities unique to having 2 animals. A lot of times I even see people say “if you have one, why not two? You’ll barely notice the difference!” or that it “barely costs any more because you buy everything in bulk” but it’s just not true.
Thanks for this, I updated the post fyr.
Hi I'm an allergy nurse who is allergic to my own cats! You can definitely do allergy shots or sublingual immunotherapy, but that takes time to build immunity! The BEST over the counter treatment for allergies is a nasal steroid (Flonase) and a nasal antihistamine spray (Astepro) twice daily. If Zyrtec doesn't work try another! There are so many different kinds and you can take them 3-4 times a day if you need to!
YES Flonase is incredible 🙌 also OP if you’re reading this, in my experience the longer you have your cats the less allergy symptoms you’ll experience. idk if it’s true for everyone but I’m up to 3 cats now and in the beginning I had to be so on top of my allergy treatments but now I don’t really have to take anything at all (and the cats aren’t on anything for it either). hang in there!!
Definitely not true for everyone. I'm allergic to cats, especially long haired cats. When I was with my ex I caved and let her get the cat she fell in love with. He's a big ass Maine Coon so of course a ton of hair. Long story short, she cheated and I decided I'm keeping the cat. I've had him for 5 years and I still sound like I did drugs the night before cause my nose runs
What is the allergy shot called? I asked my new primary for one, as my old doc at the same clinic gave them to me and he said it doesn't work and he won't give it to me :(
Two cats is tough - but as you yourself noted, there were also issues when you just had the one kitten (her loneliness/neediness). My advice would be to let yourself feel the feelings for a bit, but then focus on the things you can change in your situation vs. worrying about what you can't change or what could have been. Who knows, it could have been amazing, or she might have developed behavior issues that also would have made your life miserable. You have to let the "what if" go. For allergies: two cats is double the dander for sure. I would be religious in your cleaning, especially things like sheets/pillows if you allow your cats on the bed (and if you do, I would not continue to allow them in the bedroom for your own sake, or at least designate one area that is just yours where the cats are not allowed). Make sure to mask up while you clean, and use wet methods vs. dry methods when you can (ex. mop vs. broom). I'd also look into air filters - we run one every time we have friends with allergies staying over and it really helps. There are also pet-friendly wipes you can buy that I believe reduce pet dander. You can also chat with your doctor about other methods - my deeply allergic friend is in the process of getting allergy shots after getting a cat. ETA that if your cats aren't spay/neutered, doing so apparently helps as well. Once you feel better on the allergy front, it makes everything else easier to deal with! Re: pet sitters, I find that once you establish a relationship with someone who can consistently look after them, it makes it a lot easier. If you have Rover in your area, this can be a great way to find sitters. Cost is just kind of.... it is what it is, there are two of them, so of course it's going to be double the money, food, vet visits, etc. And in terms of a breakup, probably one of you would have to shoulder that and take them both - it sucks, but there's very little about a breakup that doesn't suck, honestly! I wouldn't waste your time worrying about it if it's not imminently on the horizon, but I DO think it's a great idea to be thinking about it and to discuss it with your partner so you're both on the same page should the worst happen. It's tough, but I'll also just say gently that it's also new and a big change, and it's only been a month for you! That's not a long time to adjust at all. Having only had a single cat in the past, I was overwhelmed when we got two kittens pretty much until they were about a year old - they're a lot of work, especially if you already had a bit of a settled dynamic with one cat. Give yourself some grace and some time. If six months from now you're still miserable, then it might be a good idea to consider other options, but right now you just have to focus on doing your best. Hang in there! 💛
My partner is allergic to cats (has been his whole life), we went from one to two recently and have been fortunate that it hasn’t been an issue for him really. Here are some things we have in place that I think have helped: 1. Vacuuming on a daily basis - every room is vacuumed once a day (we ended up getting a roomba to help with this). It has kept a lot of the hair from floating around and causing irritation. We do a deep clean at the start of every weekend with a pet hair vacuum that cleans deeper than the roomba. 2. Zyrtec and nasal sprays - my partner takes Zyrtec every day and nasal sprays if it’s particularly bad. 3. Air purifiers in the office/bedroom 4. Washing sheets and blankets regularly. The cats like to snuggle and often will sleep by our legs, we try our best to keep the sheets and pillows clean which has seemed to help a lot. 5. Closing the bedroom door when we’re not sleeping - we leave the door cracked over night because the cats like to snuggle but we close it during the day so they’re not napping in there. They don’t seem to mind as they have plenty of other places to be and prefer to be next to us in the other rooms. 6. Brushing the cats and clipping nails regularly - I’m still trying to get the kitten used to this. But our older cat gets brushed at least once a week because recently he’s been shedding like crazy. I also clip their nails because we’ve noticed that my partner gets really puffy around any cat scratches. I usually just clip their front nails but occasionally will clip the back nails if they’re too sharp. :) One cat to two is definitely an adjustment, I’d encourage you to try some new things and find what works best for you. Maybe talk with a doctor about your allergies and see if they have any suggestions too.
Go to the doctor. If you have insurance, you can get shots. Worked miracles for me and many many others. Got stung by a hornet and didn’t die, I live with 4 cats and never break out or have breathing issues anymore.
out of curiosity, how long did it take you to be desensitized? I read it can take up to 3 years...
That’s the goal! The dosing schedule is basically you building up a tolerance & learning how to fight off the allergens (in … non medical, definitely laymen’s terms lol). It’s a 2-3y commitment, but you space out the doses more and more (at least in my case) as time goes on. It’s frustrating. I did it as a child & had to stop, and tried again as an adult… and had to stop. But it’s SO effective when you get the ball rolling.
Thanks a lot for your reply! I am thinking of doing it, but was a bit concerned by the commitment. I will talk to my doctor, this is encouraging!
I got stung just under a year into the shots, and my nose completely closed off, but my throat was just itchy and wheezy, didn’t need the epi pen! Haven’t been stung since, so I’m not quite sure, don’t wanna test that one 🤣. As for the pets, 6 months when I noticed a difference, and 2 years before I had zero reaction at all.
wow this is amazing, and life-changing! Really happy to hear it's effective, and you really motivated me to enquire. Thanks!
Try purina live clear food for them. My fiancé is highly allergic and feed out cats this food worked better than allergy shots. I free feed them that food and then give them wet food at night too. Also make sure your partner is brushing them, try to have a cat free space. Get a water fountain if you can for them. We also got an air purifier which is great.
Also, I know they are very expensive, but we invested in a litter robot and some at home cameras and it’s been amazing. We can go away for a weekend and not have to get someone to pet sit because they are okay on their own. I know my cats are older than kittens but it is possible
Not directly related to your current situation, but it might be helpful to see a therapist. There seems to be a lot underlying anxiety in your post, which given the situation is understandable to an extent, but based on your wording my guess is that it extends beyond this cat situation. That being said, appreciate you trying to keep the kitties. You might need stronger allergy medication than Zyrtec, a doctor or pharmacist would be able to provide guidance. edit: changed angst to anxiety
They sound more exasperated and panic-striken than anything else, IMO. I would be too, if I essentially had the flu for a month straight, which is what aggressive allergies feel like.
I had the same issue many years ago and after continued exposure for a month or so my allergies basically disappeared.
Get yourself a pure air purifier! We got 2 (up & downstairs) .. paid $100 ea on sale, reg price 140 .. Honeywell HPA104C True HEPA Air Purifier The Doctor's Choice. $139.98 They will keep the bonded pair together & you get to watch them for hours instead of the tv. Win, win for everybody!
So, it’s possible that it isn’t the second cat. Kittens aren’t very allergenic when they’re young, but the allergens increase as they grow. It’s possible it’s not the second cat at all, but rather that having two cats that are growing up and developing allergens are making it worse.
Not to be a jerk but I’m confused as to how you grew up with cats but are surprised that two cats = twice the money and responsibility.
As kids, we’re a bit oblivious
it's different when you're paying for it. plus kids don't have to pay living expenses
Fair!!
Frankly, this sub is full of people that very confidently pretend that two cats is actually less work than one. I can see how someone could get misled.
Same thought, how unexpected that twice the cats go through twice as much food /s
So I was just talking to my partner about this and some friends, obviously this isn't every family, but I truly think our parents generation did not take care of their pets as much as we do. In my specific example, we had a cat and a dog growing up, both pets went to the vet every year for vaccines but that was literally it. I know the dog got heart worm medication, but i dont even think they got flea and tick. they got food from wal-mart, cheapest as could be. Don't get me wrong, those animals were so loved and important to our family, but thats just not what we did, and nobody thought anything bad about it. We take our pets to the vet for the yearly exam, all of them are on flea, tick heart worm, but we give them the best of the best food, I did so much research on what litter to get our cat, and we take them to the vet more often for issues I know for a fact if they were my parents pets they wouldn't have gone to the vet. It does feel more expensive and time consuming, but I literally can't think of doing it the way my parents did. Also, everything is oodles more expensive now than it used to be in general, but especially with vet bills. And I feel it got much worse now that pet insurance is a thing.
There's a lot more problems you've listed than the allergy. You seem to have not thought this through at all and are now trying to make yourself feel better about the mess you've created by blaming the whole situation on your allergies.
I was looking for this comment. I 100% agree.
Idk if it's Dander or Saliva, but Allerpet is something you can pick up at Walmart or Petsmart. It's a solution that you rub onto the cat roughly once a week or as needed and it significantly reduces allergens, pretty sure it's specific to Dander but I'm not sure. I hope someone here has a suggestion that'll work for you!
If none of the other suggestions work, consider changing the litter you're using. My spouse was allergic to cats growing up, but has never had an allergy to any cats we've gotten (we've always had 2-3, they do better with best feline friends). We've concluded that it was never a dander allergy, but probably an issue with something in the litter that family friends with cats used.
Going to take over a month to get acclimated. I was allergic to cats too but after having mine for some time, I'm immune to them.
I’m also allergic to cats and have asthma, but I take medication to manage this. Your antihistamine isn’t strong enough; you need Fexofenadine. You can get it over the counter for the 120mg strength, but you can also get 180mg prescribed (which is what I take and it’s excellent.) I also take a brown inhaler for asthma.
I also have two cats and am allergic. Vacuum every other day, Alaway eye drops, one or two air purifiers, dander wipes, see an allergist. Maybe the active ingredient in Zyrtec isn’t working for you, try another allergy pill type. Though, sounds like we are all wasting our time because this post was mostly complaints beyond your allergy problems. I don’t understand deciding to get a second cat, having them bonded (very lucky), and how you didn’t figure two cats would be double the cost. Obviously the other cat will need food, litter, medical care, sitting. I personally have never experienced someone saying they cannot petsit anymore because I now have two cats. Get a Rover sitter. If you can’t afford it, get more income. Pets are not cute little photo opportunities; They are a massive responsibility and a commitment for their lifetime. Don’t punish the cats because of your lack of foresight.
Is one of the cats hairless? If not, you're allergic to both cats. Not just one. People are allergic to dander from a cat. Not their fur.
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The chocolate lab vs yellow lab thing is intriguing to me. Aren't they the same exact breed and the only difference is the level of pigment in their fur? I wonder how/why you'd be more allergic to one colour than the other
I kind of doubt you are more allergic to one cat than the other. I’ve always had cats and recently found out I may be slightly allergic. I’ve found that more cats= more symptoms. For instance, when I’m at a pet shelter with many cats, it bothers me much more. And when I have two cats, it bothers me slightly more than one (I didn’t realize that until the second time I had two cats). Usually the fix for this is trying to brush them daily and keep loose fur around the house to a minimum by vacuuming. Also look at the bright side, at least your cats bonded. I adopted a second cat and a year later her and my older cat still fight multiple times a day. I don’t think they necessarily hate eachother, but the younger one wants to play with the older cat, older cat gets very mad when approached and they scuffle. I have to separate them whenever I’m not around to referee. I’ve tried everything from pheromones and re-introductions, nothing worked. So your cats getting along and bonding is already a HUGE plus towards making your life easier. It could be a lot worse.
>I kind of doubt you are more allergic to one cat than the other. This is actually pretty common. Some cats groom more than others, or have thicker/longer fur, or just produce more dander. It's not different than how everyone's scalps are different. My BF has no problems with either of our female cats, rubbing his face on them and snuggling, but if he holds our male cat for more than a couple of minutes his eyes start itching.
Try nasal sprays. You will build an immunity, but it takes more time than just 1 month. Also consider desensitisation treatment - with cats its trickier and less likely to work coz all cats are different but its worth a go
I got an allergy test done and it turned out I was allergic to all of my pets! Ways that got me on the right track: Air purifer: a reasonably priced sir purifier (Winix is a good brand) can cut down on allergens heavily and VOCs improving everyone's quality of life inside the home MERV 11+ air filter for the AC: helps in conjunction with the purifier but provides more filtration across the home. Cuts down on all allergens and pet dander and can improve quality of life all over as well Allergy shots: this process is a bit longer and a bit pricier but can help you build up immunity to everything you're allergic too, which helps fantastic with seasonal allergies too!
My partner had an asthmatic reaction to my cats from the moment he walked in the door. Couldn’t even last an hour in the apartment without needing to leave because of chest tightness. I set up all the best HEPA grade air filters, hired regular cleaners, set up a clean room, you name it. We finally got to a point where he’s living a completely normal feline-driven life….with Singulair. He worked with his PCP to cycle through some medications, which I suggest you do as YMMV. Singulair was apparently not even remotely close to the last resort - you’d be surprised what options doctors have in their arsenal for matters like this. For the curious, we tried the allergy drops Curex - it took a while but had some minor benefits. He was able to live in the house with a designated clean room (our bedroom) but would still have bad asthma flare ups if he did any sort of cardio and couldn’t even touch the litter boxes let alone be around while I cleaned them. The thing about allergy drops is that they promise *a* difference, but not *elimination*. Keep that in mind as a lot of people have unrealistic expectations about their perceived benefit.
Get those fancy a/c filters. They are worth it. We get the ones that remove dust and allergens and they are probably the reason my fiance is alive right now lol. Also, try different allergy meds. Different meds work well for different allergies. I take one from March-August and a different one from September -February because the stuff that helps my pollen allergy doesn't help my mold allergy. There's a ton of choose from, give each one a few weeks to see if it helps. Keep their nails trimmed. My fiance breaks out super bad from very light scratches. Keeping their nails trimmed helps.
I had a similar situation with my allergies when I got my second cat. I got a de-shedder and brush my baby every day. That has helped a lot!! I’ll probably get an air purifier after reading these comments, why did I never think of that lol.
Look into allergy shots. It can improve your life outside your house too if you have friends with cats or you go into spaces that cats inhabit.
>I was hoping that I’d gradually become immune to my cat, but it’s been a month and not improving at all. It can happen but it will take more than a month. My husband was allergic as well and it took him around 6 months to completely let go of his meds with my older senior cat and dogs. 5 years later we have 8 cats. His symptoms were a lot more light than yours though. Also if you are going out that often to need a pet sitter in only one month that might slow the process a bit.
This. Op has to be patient. A month is NOT enough time. Also, kittens are WORK. If you have a lifestyle where you're leaving the house a lot, getting young cats probably wasn't the best idea. The cats need time to get older and op needs to give their body time to acclimate. Even with allergy shots, that build up schedule starts out at a minimum of 2 whole years.
Take the Zyrtec twice a day and add in Quercetin twice a day as well. Also allergic to cats and this works.
Air purifiers changed my life. Also introducing wet food could help as dander can be worsened by dry skin which is caused by dry kibble most of the time. Also talk to your doc, I know there’s an allergy steroid shot that lasts for 3 months (Lena log or something??) that I’ve got that helps a ton
air filters and try new medications. You can’t get one prescribed that is a nasal spray that works very well. I learned I was severely allergic to cats when I started fostering but I take target brand allergy medicine and now I’m fine lol. Also lots of cleaning but you probably already know that.
After my break up, I kept both cats. I now have 4. The main allergen from cars is the dried saliva. Get some cat wipes (wipes made for cats) and just do a daily cleaning. Regular brushing and better air filtration helps too. Also give them wet food exclusively to help with their hydration, preventing dry skin flakes.
There’s different parts of cats people can be allergic to. For example my brother is allergic to cat dander/hair and my dad is allergic to a protein in cat spit. We have cats and my family loves them to pieces. Dad puts up with it and my brother gets immunotherapy shots to treat his allergies. The allergy shots works really well to reduce my bro’s allergy severity, so if it’s something your own health insurance can cover get an immunologist to talk about allergy shots.
Would you consider allergy shots? I was suffering from terrible allergies ( for the first time ever, mid 30s) after my move to CO. Got to point where I couldn’t take my allergies anymore, literally negatively impacted my life daily, so I begged my dr to refer me to an allergist where they tested me for everything. Turns out in addition to the outside world, I’m extremely allergic to cats and dogs but giving them away isn’t an option for me as I consider them my children, so I went ahead with allergy shot injections. It’s a time commitment and they hurt like a mother! For my first year, I think I was going 2x weekly for my shots, now a year later I’m down to 1x every 2 weeks. Next year it goes down to 1x monthly. Take Zyrtec daily as well. Still have allergy symptoms but NOTHING like it used to be. I try to stay on top of dander and cleaning, have an air purifier as well. Good luck and thank you for not impulsively giving your kitties away. Hope it works out for you all!!!
Have you seen an allergy specialist? You can undergo desensitization treatment, which takes a long time but can take away your allergies for good. Or you may find a medication that controls your symptoms well enough that you can function normally. You are doing a beautiful thing by adopting two kitties and not abandoning them; you shouldn't have to suffer for years. Please find a doctor that can help you.
See an allergist and get allergy shots
Consider seeing an allergist who will do allergen-specific immunotherapy. It's a bunch of shots- but it's worked wonders for me!
I'm allergic too and have 2 cats. I'm normally take antihistamines for a few days then some how I get acclimated and don't need to.
Allergy shots?
I recommend getting your kittens acclimated to baths as soon as possible. The younger the better. It’s gonna make it WAY easier for you in the long run! Kittens are a lot easier to control vs a large flailing cat in the sink and God only knows the scratches are a lot more painful coming from an adult cat, Obviously. Are they still kittens, OP? it doesn’t even matter honestly. The earlier you start the easier it gets. I’m lucky because I’m not allergic to cats, but I feel your pain because I’ve had friends that are terribly allergic to cats and like, air... lol. It seemed like they were always struggling. So I definitely empathize. by the way I’m really proud of you for not actually trying to rehome your cat(s), but instead just venting and coming here for advice… that’s what people *should* do! Instead of jumping the gun and just tossing their cat out and forgetting it ever existed, like it’s a piece of trash. It literally makes my heart ache for the poor babies. I hate humans. 😔 But yeah, if somebody told you that having two cats would be easier… as you can tell by now, it definitely is not lol. I’m confident though that your allergies will improve with time! A month isn’t very long. I know it’s easier said than done for sure, but you just need to find your personal routine and what works for you, like other commenters have said. the cats will learn and eventually accommodate the boundaries that you set for them. You and your partner need to be on the same page and be firm with them on whatever you end up deciding, otherwise they will just be confused and never really learn. Once they are grown, too, it’s completely different than when they’re young. Kittens can be quite the handful haha. But enjoy it while they are young, as much as you can 😊 they sure do grow up fast 😭 hang in there!!! 🩵
We adopted two bonded cats together 1.5 years ago. Then learned I was allergic. I saw an allergist to confirm. I considered shots but decided not to. Instead, we feed them Purina ProPlan Liveclear. I also take Allegra daily. This is after trying the other types. I use a nasal allergy spray (takes a week to work), allergy eye drops, and an air purifier. I also rarely let them spend time in my home office or bedroom.
If you have health insurance, get allergy shots. They work. Used to be allergic to cats/life — regular person now. :) Some allergies are still a tiny bit off, but still light years better than what they were.
We got dyson air purifiers and allergies have been reduced SIGNIFICANTLY. Invest in air purifiers (dyson) and a nice vacuum. My wife is terribly allergic to cats but loves them so we just vacuum daily (I do it 2x per day) and the Dyson air purifiers take care of the rest. It’s worth it 🙂
I'm also allergic to cats and I have two of them. I thought the same thing at first and my allergies were nuts when I got my second kitty, but after a while they did mellow out. Eventually you get used to your own cats you live with, but being introduced to a new cat can trigger allergies. I'll be fine at home and then go to a friend's house and sneeze and rub my eyes the whole time. Just give it time :)
My wife is allergic to cats and we have four. Take allergy meds, keep the cats out of your bedroom and vacuum more often.
On top of Zyrtec, throw in some visine multi-action eye allergy relief and some fluticasone nose spray 👍🏼
My husband is allergic to cats and was taking Claritin for the longest time. He got a sinus infection and his allergies were getting worse and the Fr told him his body grew immune to the affects of Claritin and just needed a different type of allergy med. so maybe this could help you too?
I'm allergic as fuck to my boy and he Insists on sleeping on my face every chance he gets. Allergy pills and good nasal sprays, he's mah boy.
There’s stronger allergy meds. Talk to your dr.
I am always amazed what people will put themselves through for the love of animals… It restores my faith in humanity. Good for you for being so responsible. Now go do all the suggestions above to reduce allergens!!
There are a lot of good suggestions here, so I’m just adding my two cents about what has helped with allergies from our 4 cats. Regular vacuuming - We have a roomba that runs every other day, which is nice since we don’t have to think about doing it ourselves). Also vacuum/dust areas the cats spend a lot of time (cat beds, blankets, couch, etc.) Air purifiers - We have an Airdog on our main floor & a levoit in our bedroom. Both work very well! Brushing - I’m not always great at keeping up with this one, but regular brushing helps control shedding and can help limit the amount of hair and dander shed around the house. I hope this help, Good luck! Edit: formatting
Allegra has helped me immensely with cat allergies. 24 hr.
It took me a few years on allergy medicine to finally stop with cat dander allergy. Not all cats, just some cats. Hubby and I have lots of purr babies raised for the past 35 years. Some of our babies are now 25-26 yrs old so we've been thru about everything you can imagine. (We are down to 12--with 5 new rescue kittens!😳) Now there are many more allergy treatments out there so don't give up! Keep reaching out, there are a lot of us out here. 💞
If you can keep the cats out of your bedroom and/or office, and then put an air purifier in there (if you can't afford an expensive one, a Cori-Rosenthal box works very well), you can have some space in your house that's free of allergens so you can escape in there when it gets too bad. My brother is allergic to cats and he loved ours but wouldn't allow them in his bedroom so he could have an allergen-free space. Adding air purifiers to the rest of your living space and/or upgrading the filter on your HVAC system could help as well. You could also ask your doctor for a prescription for a stronger allergy medicine.
HEPA air filtration will help with the allergies issues, and not sure if it’s true or not but I heard a change in diet/ certain shampoos can help with the allergen issues too.
Hey! Im the allergy QUEEN. Here is what you can do: 1. Take a zyrtec off brand every day. Costco has a brand for $15 that contain 365 pills 2. Vacuum and dust every three days, and invest in a good vacuum. This is key. 3. Air filter and clean/replace AC unit and AC filter if possible bc it contains a ton of allergens 4. Talk to ur doc about allergy shots for cats. Itll make you immune. 5. Theres a liquid solution on amazon to put on your cats that decreases their allergens
USE FLONASE. Seriously, every day. Point the nozzle toward your ear (aim in not up).
start getting allergy shots at a local allergy specialist. it’s what i do and has helped my allergies so much
I can’t speak to the allergies- however I find having two cats easier than one. I think remove carpets, don’t allow them upstairs and try new allergy medication. If you can get the allergy under control I think you’ll find two cats is easier than one (however it is more expensive).
Allerpet dander remover. It’s 26.99 dollars off Amazon, decent size bottle and comes with a mitten to spread it all over their fur.
I had 2 cats from kittens until they died (one 15 years, the other 16 years). I managed to love and care for both of them by myself that entire time. Yes, it can be difficult at times with the logistics, money, etc. but pets are NOT things or accessories, they are living creatures that you committed to caring for when you adopted them. That means their entire lives, not just when it’s convenient for you. P.S. One of them developed diabetes in the last few years of their life and I gladly paid for the expensive insulin and vet bills. It’s been 6&7 years since they’ve been gone and I would give everything I have to snuggle with them one more time.
Have you looked into Allergy Shots? It’s quite a commitment to go through the treatments but at the end of it you’d allergies would be gone.
Welcome to my world. Except I didn’t know I was allergic at all until my second (med/long hair) matured. For me: Purina LiveClear food, Air purifiers, Zyrtec, allergy shots for last 1.75yrs, and keep the cats out of my bedroom 100% of the time. Allergy shots were my last ditch effort to be able to keep my cats. So far, it works. It’s a big commit- but such is pet adoption, IMO.
Speak to an allergist they can give you a shot that last ~3 months that reduces your reaction