Visited cattery today for allergy test - what should I do?

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

So I''ve been looking at more hypoallergenic (supposedly) breeds in my search for a furry lovable animal (dogs being out). I''m a bit allergic to cats, so I''ve been looking at Siberians, Russian Blues, etc and decided on a Siberian. Found a breeder near me, and I went up today to visit for an allergy test. Unfortunately, I was quite sniffly during the hour-long visit. If I was really allergic I was going to give up on cats altogether. What''s making me hesitate is a couple situational stuff. First, there were about 8 cats total, none altered, and 6 kittens in the home. Central air was on, circulating a lot of allergen. And apparently there were a LOT of hormones in the air (one female in heat, another pregnant, etc.). And the cat I was testing with hadn''t been bathed in a while, had a lot of allergen on her fur, etc. For what it''s worth, my reaction wasn''t nearly as bad as when I reacted to my friend''s ONE cat (a monster ball of allergens, let me tell ya). I just don''t know where to go. I have a non-refundable deposit, but that''s not too much of a loss (compared to overall cost of kitten). It could be that I won''t react nearly as badly with a neutered/spayed cat (and just one of them) and I''ll build up an immunity to that one cat later down the line. Or, this could be indicative of continuing allergies, and I shouldn''t get a cat at all. I''m honestly just not sure what to do at this point. Suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[Gypsy]

I can't advise you what to do, honey. I wish I could.

I have never ever considered my allergies as a factor in deciding whether or not to have cats. I don't know what it would take to get me to give them up... but I can tell you it would probably have to be something that seriously threatens my child (if I had one). When push came to shove, we couldn't even 'trade' Lucy, our foster, for a male foster that might fit into our household-- and that's after she got freaked today and scratched the ever loving crap out of my right hand.

The best advice I can give is this: If your allergies are really causing you to worry this much, to the extent that you are posting multiple times about it, it's probably not a good fit. Most people I know who, like me, have mild-medium allergies and cats just do not care at all and have never considered it an obstacle. But, I've seen too many returned or surrendered animals in shelters from people who thought they could deal with allergies, and then couldn't. It's a commitment you make for life for me. I wouldn't give up my child if they had some kind of strange saliva issue that made my eyes itch, water and sting, made me wheeze (even trigger asthma episodes), and made my nose run and get stuffed up. My cats are my children. If you don't think you can make that commitment, then... I think you are absolutely right to give up the deposit and applaud you for putting the cats needs ahead of your own desires for a cat.

 

[MsP]

I am tending to agree with Gypsy...

I think that you know in your heart you shouldn''t do it and you''re posting because you are looking for someone to tell you to go ahead and that everything will work out perfectly. I think there are too many ''ifs'' in here... you mention a lack of recent bathing on the cats you visited. What if the kitten you get grows into a cat that will absolutely not tolerate bathing? what happens if their skin is too sensitive for the frequent bathing you need to do to keep your allergies under control? You said there were allergens being circulating all around like crazy but do you have carpet? upholstered furniture? curtains? bedding? pillows? clothing? You can try to clean as much as you''d like, but unless you plan to get these cleaned professionally weekly, they''re going to get cat ''stuff'' in them.

I am not allergic to cats, but my SO is as are many friends. I combat the ''catness'' in my apartment as hard as I can. I have a Ragdoll who I get groomed biweekly. I vacuum daily--sometimes more than daily, I have a covered couch and I was the cover weekly, the cat is not allowed on my bed, I have an oversized hepa filter, etc. I still have friends who can''t stay more than a few hours.

It''s a tough decision. But you have to be realistic on what you''re willing to endure.

I wish you luck in your decision.

 

[Resonance.Of.Life]

I notice that my allergies become exaggerated when there are more than 3 cats in a certain area. I used to be a pre-vet major and up until I worked at a Veterinary Hospital as a Tech... I didn''t realize my allergies were bad in a hospital setting just because of the amount of allergens circulaing in a small area. Ie: 30 animals in the back office of a vet hospital.

Other than that I''m fine with my DSH tabby cat, min pin, and new english bull terrier with the occasional sniffles.

Did you get a chance to perhaps be alone in a room with ONE cat and see how you react? Usually I know I''m allergic to a particular cat within 15 minutes of contact of said cat. I get itchy, watery eyes, and the sniffles.

 

[redfaerythinker]

Allergy shots... You seem to really want a pet... and allergy shots are a permanent solution to your allergy problem. I was allergic to dust mites and I did the treatment, and now i''m fine. Now granted, you''ll have to get shots for four or five years... but it''s SOOOOO worth it!

 

[Ara Ann]

I have a solution for your cat allergy and it works. We had our cat "Hobbes" for many years, my DH was allergic to him, but I found a great tip in a natural medicine book... simply add Vitamin E to your cat''s food...the vitamin E helps to neutralize the enzymes in the cat''s saliva that causes the allergic reaction.

Even my MIL, who adopted a kitten about a year ago, started having an allergic skin reaction/contact dermatitis type of rash. She tried several things to clear up the rash, including drops from the vet (also put on the cat''s food), topical medicines and allergy meds...nothing worked, AT ALL... I suggested the vitamin E and it has helped to clear up about 95% of her problem. She was skeptical at first, but now swears by the vitamin E.

It takes a couple of weeks to kick in, but it DOES help. My DH always has reactions to other cats, but he did fine with ours as long as I kept up the vitamin regimen!

Good luck! I hope you can get a new kitty!

 

[innerkitten]

I have a mild cat allergy. For some reason when I didn''t have any cats in my home i would get really itchy around them. But now I have thee and my allergies aren''t that bad. I do have to take allergy meds and eye drops sometimes though. But I do seem to have built up a resistance.

 

[Pandora II]

My DH is allergic to cats and yet we would love to own one.

We haven''t noticed any improvement around neutered cats or any different breeds (yet to find a Sphynx to try out).

I''ve heard good things about the shots - my brother used to get them for hayfever - but they suddenly stopped doing them in the UK for some reason.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

The dander is the most "allergic" part of the cat, and any cat with hair will make dander. I am concerned that this might be a problem for you.

I know shots work great for environmental stuff, but I am not sure about cat dander. You would have to look into it, but the shots are the most effective treatment out there. Regardless, I would try to find away to get the allergies under control before you bring a cat into the home.

 

[purrfectpear]

As far as I know, cat hormones - spayed/neutered or not - have nothing to do with allergies to cats. It''s all about the dander and the saliva from what I''ve read. That said, I don''t think visiting a place where there were 13 cats was much of a "test".

I''d try to find a home where there was 1 cat of the breed, and spend an hour there. Does the breeder have any friends or a client that would be willing to let you visit a one cat household?

Also, sphinx (though expensive) might be a better fit. They do need to be bathed regularly but I believe they are less likely to trigger allergens.

 

[Sabine]

I would ask yourself: What would you do if you did adopt a cat and eventually decided you were unhappy with how allergic you are? If your first response would be that you would get rid of the cat, then getting a cat is not the best idea.

However, if you would be willing to try different allergy medicines, allergy shots, and every other thing possible in order to keep the cat, I would go ahead and try it with one.

This is just my own experience, but I am terribly allergic to almost all animals. But I LOVE dogs and couldn''t imagine my life without one. Some dogs affect me more than others, but honestly, I''ve been to people''s houses that have ONE dog, and my allergies go crazy. Yet having my own dog doesn''t actually bother me. I think I''ve someone gotten used to her. I''m sure I could breath slightly better if I didn''t have her, and I do try to keep her out of the room if I''m sick or something like that, but for the most part I don''t even notice her. It was like that with my dog growing up as well. And she''s not even a supposedly "hypoallergenic" dog either.

 

[cara]

That you are concerned about your allergies does not necessarily mean that you are not devoted enough to adopt a cat... with due respect to Gypsy, cats are not quite human children for all owners, and I don't think that you have to be willing to sacrifice quite as much for them as you would human children in order to be a good cat owner. (Not trying to disparage cat owners and their kids at all here, just saying that the bar has to be just a bit different - I haven't seen any human kids rehomed when they weren't working out for their parents but I've seen a number of pets rehomed with good results.) Also, I'm sure a lot of your worry has to do with the uncertainty of how you will adapt or not adapt to a cat in your home. Gypsy has cats, is surviving, so she's not in fear of her life or airways just yet

But there are no guarantees, and you seem to want guarantees. I would proceed only if 1) you are willing to try shots and drugs if you don't build up a sufficient tolerance AND 2) the breeder is willing to take the cat back if it doesn't work out or you are willing to keep the cat despite any allergies until you can rehome it to a good home.

Last, maybe your uncertainty warrants adopting an older cat rather than a kitten? There is way more demand for kittens, so those are always easier to find homes for than an older cat. If your breeder has any older cats, maybe that would be more suitable for a trial placement rather than a kitten, which the breeder can sell as a kitten but will have a harder time selling as an adult usually.

 

[innerkitten]

Is a sphinx the bald one or the one with curly hair? I was thinking maybe the curly haired ones might be okay. What are those called?

 

[got2goldens]

Date: 4/26/2009 2:57:28 PM
Author: redfaerythinker
Allergy shots... You seem to really want a pet... and allergy shots are a permanent solution to your allergy problem. I was allergic to dust mites and I did the treatment, and now i''m fine. Now granted, you''ll have to get shots for four or five years... but it''s SOOOOO worth it!

I agree with Redfaerythinker completely!

I used to get HORRIBLE migraine headaches, and had no idea why until I got allergy tested and lo and behold, it turned out I was highly allergic to cat AND dog dander. At the time I was tested, I''d had a cat for almost 8 years, and a Golden Retriever for a little over a year--no way was I giving up my babies.

I started getting allergy shots once a week. About 2 months later, I had built up enough of an immunity that my headaches were practically non-existent, so were my sinus problems. Eventually you don''t have to go once a week for the shots, you can cut down to once every 2 weeks, once a month, etc. depending on your progress.
I''d look into getting the shots. You seem like you''d really like to have a cat...I know it was totally worth it for me, in fact, at one point we added another Golden Retriever to the household to celebrate my progress!

~Kat

 

[kcoursolle]

Have you thought about owning a sphynx? My DH also has allergies (fairly severe) and we visited a sphynx breeder and he didn''t have much of any reaction at all and he has been doing great with her for the past year in our apartment.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

We had two indoor cats before our third child came. She was allergic and basically was congested all the time until they died. We had had them for several years when our daughter came, so we couldn''t just get rid of them. I always kept my daughter''s bedroom door closed, but that didn''t really solve anything. So once the cats were gone, I knew we could not have indoor cats again.

My advice is to forget the idea unless you find a cure for the allergies. I personally wouldn''t go for shots for 4-5 years if I didn''t already have a cat!

 

[bee*]

Date: 4/26/2009 6:18:51 PM
Author: purrfectpear
As far as I know, cat hormones - spayed/neutered or not - have nothing to do with allergies to cats. It''s all about the dander and the saliva from what I''ve read. That said, I don''t think visiting a place where there were 13 cats was much of a ''test''.


I''d try to find a home where there was 1 cat of the breed, and spend an hour there. Does the breeder have any friends or a client that would be willing to let you visit a one cat household?


Also, sphinx (though expensive) might be a better fit. They do need to be bathed regularly but I believe they are less likely to trigger allergens.

I agree. I''ve never heard that people have less allergies to speyed/neutered cats. I''d definitely try and go into a one person cat home. I work in a vets and even I get sniffly sometimes when I go into the cattery as there''s quite a lot of hair. I have a cat at home and it never bothers me. A sphinx cat sounds a great idea.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

First, thank you everyone for taking the time to reply! You guys have given me a lot to think over the last couple days, even while I''ve been trying to figure out where my head and heart lie as far as the cat/allergy issue goes. It''s going to take me a while to respond to all of you but keep checking back in, and once again, a HUGE thanks!

Date: 4/26/2009 1:25:33 AM
Author: Gypsy
I can''t advise you what to do, honey. I wish I could.


I have never ever considered my allergies as a factor in deciding whether or not to have cats. I don''t know what it would take to get me to give them up... but I can tell you it would probably have to be something that seriously threatens my child (if I had one). When push came to shove, we couldn''t even ''trade'' Lucy, our foster, for a male foster that might fit into our household-- and that''s after she got freaked today and scratched the ever loving crap out of my right hand.


The best advice I can give is this: If your allergies are really causing you to worry this much, to the extent that you are posting multiple times about it, it''s probably not a good fit. Most people I know who, like me, have mild-medium allergies and cats just do not care at all and have never considered it an obstacle. But, I''ve seen too many returned or surrendered animals in shelters from people who thought they could deal with allergies, and then couldn''t. It''s a commitment you make for life for me. I wouldn''t give up my child if they had some kind of strange saliva issue that made my eyes itch, water and sting, made me wheeze (even trigger asthma episodes), and made my nose run and get stuffed up. My cats are my children. If you don''t think you can make that commitment, then... I think you are absolutely right to give up the deposit and applaud you for putting the cats needs ahead of your own desires for a cat.

Well I''ve had a couple days now to think about this (and get over the exhaustion - since we rented a car, and we never have a car, we had a very busy couple days getting errands done, lol) and I''m still...hesitant I guess.

So on one hand I''m a fairly risk-averse person, and getting a pet is a HUGE step (especially since this is the first time I''d have a pet on my own - i.e. without parents). It''s something I''ve thought about for the last year and half, since I moved into a real apartment, and timing-wise it''s really something I''d like to do now. But because it''s a huge step, I guess I''m second-guessing my decisions, especially when it comes to allergies, because I don''t want to do anything wrong, and I want to make a good, well-informed choice.

If it was a case of having a cat and developing allergies, if I could control it with OTC meds, Rx meds or shots, I''d do it. But since this issue is coming up before then, I''m trying to get a handle on whether it''s smart anyway to go ahead and adopt a cat, to hell or highwater with the consequences because I can (and WILL) deal with them (with said meds, shots, etc.)

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 4/26/2009 1:52:37 PM
Author: MissPrudential

I am tending to agree with Gypsy...

I think that you know in your heart you shouldn''t do it and you''re posting because you are looking for someone to tell you to go ahead and that everything will work out perfectly. I think there are too many ''ifs'' in here... you mention a lack of recent bathing on the cats you visited. What if the kitten you get grows into a cat that will absolutely not tolerate bathing? what happens if their skin is too sensitive for the frequent bathing you need to do to keep your allergies under control? You said there were allergens being circulating all around like crazy but do you have carpet? upholstered furniture? curtains? bedding? pillows? clothing? You can try to clean as much as you''d like, but unless you plan to get these cleaned professionally weekly, they''re going to get cat ''stuff'' in them.

I am not allergic to cats, but my SO is as are many friends. I combat the ''catness'' in my apartment as hard as I can. I have a Ragdoll who I get groomed biweekly. I vacuum daily--sometimes more than daily, I have a covered couch and I was the cover weekly, the cat is not allowed on my bed, I have an oversized hepa filter, etc. I still have friends who can''t stay more than a few hours.

It''s a tough decision. But you have to be realistic on what you''re willing to endure.


I wish you luck in your decision.

I did e-mail the breeder again to ask what she thought. I assume that she cares enough about her kittens that she won''t want to give them up to someone who won''t be able to handle them because of allergies...and I know there is no shortage of people who want a kitten (the waitlist is fairly long).

I do have carpeting...BF was actually telling me we were going to need to get a better vacuum (ours stinks) if we do get a cat.

I think the problem is what you said: it''s about what I''m willing to endure. Like I told Gypsy, if I had a cat already it would be no problem. I don''t think I could give up my furry baby because of allergies (unless it was a serious serious case - i.e. can''t breathe, etc.).

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 4/26/2009 2:55:08 PM
Author: Resonance.Of.Life
I notice that my allergies become exaggerated when there are more than 3 cats in a certain area. I used to be a pre-vet major and up until I worked at a Veterinary Hospital as a Tech... I didn''t realize my allergies were bad in a hospital setting just because of the amount of allergens circulaing in a small area. Ie: 30 animals in the back office of a vet hospital.


Other than that I''m fine with my DSH tabby cat, min pin, and new english bull terrier with the occasional sniffles.


Did you get a chance to perhaps be alone in a room with ONE cat and see how you react? Usually I know I''m allergic to a particular cat within 15 minutes of contact of said cat. I get itchy, watery eyes, and the sniffles.

I was actually alone with one cat, although the others all have access to the room (just not while I was there). I got to sit in the chair all the cats like

My allergies flare up badly at the vets, and at my friend''s apt (she has one cat that everyone is allergic to). At another friend''s, I have no problems at all even though he has a cat - my allergies flare up when I pet the cat and touch my eyes (dumb I know) but just being in the apartment (and the cat isn''t restricted to any one room) I have no problem. Ugh. This would be easier if I either didn''t react at all or reacted really really badly - this in-between state makes it hard to decide.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 4/26/2009 2:57:28 PM
Author: redfaerythinker
Allergy shots... You seem to really want a pet... and allergy shots are a permanent solution to your allergy problem. I was allergic to dust mites and I did the treatment, and now i''m fine. Now granted, you''ll have to get shots for four or five years... but it''s SOOOOO worth it!

Haha I am seriously considering it! BF thinks I''m crazy, but I love animals. And we did reconsider dogs but that''s out for so many reasons (although not because I''m allergic). And yes, I really want a pet. How often do you go for shots? Is it inconvenient (as far as work schedule, or whatever) goes?

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 4/26/2009 4:07:49 PM
Author: Ara Ann
I have a solution for your cat allergy and it works. We had our cat ''Hobbes'' for many years, my DH was allergic to him, but I found a great tip in a natural medicine book... simply add Vitamin E to your cat''s food...the vitamin E helps to neutralize the enzymes in the cat''s saliva that causes the allergic reaction.


Even my MIL, who adopted a kitten about a year ago, started having an allergic skin reaction/contact dermatitis type of rash. She tried several things to clear up the rash, including drops from the vet (also put on the cat''s food), topical medicines and allergy meds...nothing worked, AT ALL... I suggested the vitamin E and it has helped to clear up about 95% of her problem. She was skeptical at first, but now swears by the vitamin E.


It takes a couple of weeks to kick in, but it DOES help. My DH always has reactions to other cats, but he did fine with ours as long as I kept up the vitamin regimen!


Good luck! I hope you can get a new kitty!

I had never heard of this before - thanks so much! I''ve been looking it up since you mentioned it. So I''m guessing this is totally safe for the cat? If so (and I assume you wouldn''t give it to yours if not

) it sounds like something I definitely will try if I end up allergic to a kitten. Thanks!!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 4/26/2009 4:40:51 PM
Author: innerkitten
I have a mild cat allergy. For some reason when I didn''t have any cats in my home i would get really itchy around them. But now I have thee and my allergies aren''t that bad. I do have to take allergy meds and eye drops sometimes though. But I do seem to have built up a resistance.

I''m hoping that will happen if I end up getting a cat. I''m afraid of counting on it too heavily though, y''know? But I''m glad you built up a resistance to yours - it gives me hope!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 4/26/2009 5:04:09 PM
Author: Pandora II
My DH is allergic to cats and yet we would love to own one.


We haven''t noticed any improvement around neutered cats or any different breeds (yet to find a Sphynx to try out).


I''ve heard good things about the shots - my brother used to get them for hayfever - but they suddenly stopped doing them in the UK for some reason.

Oh that''s too bad for your DH Pandora! It''s so weird because I used to be around cats a LOT when I was younger - our neighbor had dozens that just ran half-wild. Didn''t cause us problems and a few were really sweet and we would feed them. Definitely not neutered/spayed...and there were a lot, yet I had no problems.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 4/26/2009 5:39:41 PM
Author: LtlFirecracker
The dander is the most ''allergic'' part of the cat, and any cat with hair will make dander. I am concerned that this might be a problem for you.


I know shots work great for environmental stuff, but I am not sure about cat dander. You would have to look into it, but the shots are the most effective treatment out there. Regardless, I would try to find away to get the allergies under control before you bring a cat into the home.

I read that there were shots for the cat dander...which would be great. I also read that there were pills...but those are not available in the US (I think they weren''t approved yet?). BF is a bit skeptical...when we start working in a year and half or so, our schedules are going to be tighter...although I''m sure that if I really had to, I could make it work (by leaving early to get to the doctor''s first, or going during lunch, etc.).

I''m just curious - does anyone know whether allergy shots are covered by insurance?

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 4/26/2009 6:18:51 PM
Author: purrfectpear
As far as I know, cat hormones - spayed/neutered or not - have nothing to do with allergies to cats. It''s all about the dander and the saliva from what I''ve read. That said, I don''t think visiting a place where there were 13 cats was much of a ''test''.


I''d try to find a home where there was 1 cat of the breed, and spend an hour there. Does the breeder have any friends or a client that would be willing to let you visit a one cat household?


Also, sphinx (though expensive) might be a better fit. They do need to be bathed regularly but I believe they are less likely to trigger allergens.

That''s a great idea, PP. I should e-mail my breeder again and see if that''s an option (visiting a one-cat home). Thanks!

I did look into Sphinx, and I think I read that the difference was fairly small - if you''re allergic, you''re allergic, and like you said, it''s about the saliva. Although I do imagine that they would be less likely to trigger allergies just bc they don''t have fur. All I can say is that if I do go with a furry kitten, I hope it likes baths.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 4/26/2009 6:41:17 PM
Author: Sabine
I would ask yourself: What would you do if you did adopt a cat and eventually decided you were unhappy with how allergic you are? If your first response would be that you would get rid of the cat, then getting a cat is not the best idea.


However, if you would be willing to try different allergy medicines, allergy shots, and every other thing possible in order to keep the cat, I would go ahead and try it with one.


This is just my own experience, but I am terribly allergic to almost all animals. But I LOVE dogs and couldn''t imagine my life without one. Some dogs affect me more than others, but honestly, I''ve been to people''s houses that have ONE dog, and my allergies go crazy. Yet having my own dog doesn''t actually bother me. I think I''ve someone gotten used to her. I''m sure I could breath slightly better if I didn''t have her, and I do try to keep her out of the room if I''m sick or something like that, but for the most part I don''t even notice her. It was like that with my dog growing up as well. And she''s not even a supposedly ''hypoallergenic'' dog either.

If I actually took the step and got the cat, and I was still allergic, I wouldn''t give it up. I honestly don''t think I would be able to, unless I was reacting in such a way that I couldn''t breathe, throat was closing up, etc. It''s knowing that, however, that causes me to really stress about this now, because I pretty much know that once I get the cat, it''s there to stay

And I''m with you. I''m a dog-lover first...if I were allergic, I wouldn''t let it stop me. I also like cats, but not quite to that extent...which is where I think my hesitation comes from.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 4/26/2009 7:09:39 PM
Author: cara
That you are concerned about your allergies does not necessarily mean that you are not devoted enough to adopt a cat... with due respect to Gypsy, cats are not quite human children for all owners, and I don''t think that you have to be willing to sacrifice quite as much for them as you would human children in order to be a good cat owner. (Not trying to disparage cat owners and their kids at all here, just saying that the bar has to be just a bit different - I haven''t seen any human kids rehomed when they weren''t working out for their parents but I''ve seen a number of pets rehomed with good results.) Also, I''m sure a lot of your worry has to do with the uncertainty of how you will adapt or not adapt to a cat in your home. Gypsy has cats, is surviving, so she''s not in fear of her life or airways just yet

But there are no guarantees, and you seem to want guarantees. I would proceed only if 1) you are willing to try shots and drugs if you don''t build up a sufficient tolerance AND 2) the breeder is willing to take the cat back if it doesn''t work out or you are willing to keep the cat despite any allergies until you can rehome it to a good home.


Last, maybe your uncertainty warrants adopting an older cat rather than a kitten? There is way more demand for kittens, so those are always easier to find homes for than an older cat. If your breeder has any older cats, maybe that would be more suitable for a trial placement rather than a kitten, which the breeder can sell as a kitten but will have a harder time selling as an adult usually.

I believe the breeder actually does have a couple older cats...both males. One is a possibility actually - the other one I also tested with and he triggered my allergies like crazy (apparently everyone''s had the same reaction to him though). I''ll ask.

And yeah, I guess I do want guarantees and I just won''t get them - it was pretty foolish of me to expect it. I think that I will ask about whether the breeder will accept the cat back. Right now, I''m thinking that if push comes to shove I will make the effort on my part (meds, shots, etc.) to keep the cat.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 4/26/2009 7:58:35 PM
Author: innerkitten
Is a sphinx the bald one or the one with curly hair? I was thinking maybe the curly haired ones might be okay. What are those called?

I think Cornish Rex? I haven''t looked it up though so I could be wrong...

 

[Inanna]

I use a product called Allerpet-C on my cat about once per week. Basically you just rub the Allerpet liquid on your cat every week - it seems to completely neutralize the dander and saliva allergens. I''m very mildly allergic, and with this product I have absolutely no problems. My severely allergic friends also have no problem being in my house for extended periods of time.

Here''s a link to the product: http://www.amazon.com/Allerpet-People-That-Allergic-Cats/dp/B000S0L0M4.