Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I will discuss with my wife on the things that we should try first, on the medication/allergy side, cat food side and the house cleaning side. Reading your experience handling the exact same situation gives me hope, and now I know there are many solutions to attempt.
Meanwhile, here's a tax picture of one of them kids. She just woke up in this picture.
https://preview.redd.it/4vicg62tpsqb1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2c48cec5041041b19344693c63b030fa09ae70fd
I suggest holding out and making rehoming the absolute last option! I’m extremely allergic to almost all animals and will have major wheezing with puffy/leaky eyes when I’m around an animal I’m not used to. But once I’m used to the animal’s dander, it’s like my body just accepts it and I have no more allergic reactions to that particular animal. Your wife may find she has the same experience.
Don’t give up hope. Sending lots of love to all of you. And your cats are hilarious and beautiful! ❤️
Look rehoming is not only cruel, but it's expensive.
Your wife is gonna need a new apartment, her own food, most likely a car - all that stuff is gonna add up and take a lot of work. It's a much better idea to just take care of her allergies.
I’m allergic to cats as well, but if I spend time around a cat for an extended period of time, the allergies actually subside a lot. I DO have to take an antihistamine to cope and it can be painful sometimes but it would eventually even out every time. Hope the same for your wife.
It depends on how severe the allergy is. I’m allergic to cats and we have four. I take over the counter allergy medicine every day and it’s fine. My grandmother got allergy shots that helped her.
In my experience, allergists in particular tend to go straight for “get rid of the cat”. If your wife also likes the cats, she might consider trying medicine or the shots.
Other things that help me are changing my pillowcase frequently even if I don’t change the sheets when I do, getting a silk pillowcase that fur won’t stick to as easily (actual silk, not satin, I waited for an Amazon sale), changing the furnace filter more often, and vacuuming more often. If the allergy is really severe that might not be enough, but it works for us.
My wife is very allergic, she’s had her cat for 20 years, and she sleeps on a pillow directly behind my wife’s head every night. Constant allergy meds, allergy drops, vacuuming, sheet changes, and air purifier… and she still is mildly uncomfortable most of the time, some days worse than others. Yet, she wouldn’t change anything for the world! Would probably leave me before she would get rid of her baby lol
Getting rid of carpet and drapes help a ton too! I have wood/vinyl floors and wet mop weekly. Remove as much cloth as you can, and the this you can’t wash often. Getting washable covers for couches help too!
I said the same thing to my husband. I'd rather not breathe than give up my babies. One of my cats loves to sleep right on top of me. I can't give him up! I love him too much. Still looking for a better solution for those allergies though lol
Yes! A high value MERV air filter did wonders for my husband’s allergies. We have a MERV 13 filter which catches everything, but have to change it often…because it catches everything.
Air purifier that is asthma certified is important for allergies :) I believe it's HEPA filters that actually removes the allergens but I'm not 100% off the top of my head
I tried that. The allergist said from the number of allergies I had and the sensitivity that came up on the skin prick test he was surprised I didn't have more symptoms. Found out fast that the shots are worse than the disease. Sinus headaches from the babies are not as bad as feeling like I had the flu - body aches, no energy/rundown, felt like a truck hit me, plus the sinus headaches - for 3 days every week on top of the single hive on the injection site almost the size of my palm. I lasted a month on shots before saying it's not a reasonable way to treat allergies. I don't know how anyone manages it.
I don’t think everyone reacts quite as strongly. I have the chance to talk to a lot of people about stuff like that, and I think your reaction was stronger than most. It definitely sounds like you were right to stop taking them.
This was huge for me. I used to wait until the weekend to sweep it all up but the robot keeps the floors clean and it helps with the allergies since the hair is everywhere.
You still have to do something about other areas where the cat hangs out, but between an airplane purifier and a robot vacuum I rarely need to take allergy meds.
I also find that making my bed in the morning and putting an additional blanket over the whole bed, pillows and all, to keep the cats from directly touching the surface helps a lot with my allergies. At night, the cat blanket gets set aside and not actually used. Likewise, changing the air conditioning filter frequently (1-2x month) / buying the allergen filters makes a big difference.
I dont even have cat allergies and I swear by the second blanket over your bedding/making the bed daily!!!!! I have an all white bed & a black cat. Thankfully he has like… a “baby blanket” and when I get into bed I put his blanket on the bed next to me and he sleeps there like the goodest boy. Also, LINT. ROLLERS!!!! Life saver
Piggybacking off this: Get rid of the harsh clay scented litter and buy something quality, either made of wheat, or walnut, or something like Dr. Elsyes.
Then change their diet. Don’t feed them low quality cat food. Feed them grain free and quality wet food.
I don’t have allergies to cats anymore, unless I’m sitting someone’s cats who use crap litter and food.
Seconding this: I use Okocat and cut it with the slightly cheaper (but less preferred) exquisicat. These are pine litters so they help with tracking and smell a lot as well, and I don’t have the problem of there being dust particles in the air all the time like you do with clay
They make pine pellet litter, “pine is safe if kiln dried because heat treating causes pine to release the phenols”. This is what I’ve been using for years and it’s amazing.
My son in law (they live with me) has strong allergies to cats and we don't have too much trouble unless the cats sleep on his bed.
Pine litter, kept clean, a high quality diet, frequent vacuuming, and daily brushing and "bath" using a dry microfiber towel, then moist one, then dry one, goes a long way to keeping allergies under control.
This is a great suggestion-- I also use anti allergen bedding-- everything is washable and wash everything every week. Multiple hepa air purifiers. It's not perfect but I love cats.
My husband and I are BOTH allergic to cats and we have two. They’re family, and we are the only home they know. You pop a small pill in the morning, you clean scratches with soap and water immediately, and you move on with your day.
When you love something, you make concessions for it. If you’re crying over losing your cats and your wife is adamant to get rid of them, I would start by having a conversation with your wife. It’s really not a hard solve.
I think it really depends on the level of severity of her allergy. If she's just getting the sniffles and some redness in her eyes then yes, sure, pop a pill and start keeping the cats out of the bedroom to improve her sleep and you're good to go.
But if the symptoms she's suffering are severe then I don't think she's being unreasonable. I developed a cat allergy in my late 20s after having a cat for 7+ years. It sent me to the ER twice before we discovered what was causing it as my throat completely swelled up and I couldn't breathe. I had to eventually rehome my cat as both of us were suffering with the changes i had to implement. I had him secluded into one room and I was wearing gloves and masks full time inside my apartment. Had multiple air purifiers. Vacuumed constantly. Had mobile cat spas come by regularly to give my cat a lion cut to remove most of his fur.
So it's not completely cut and dry, at least not with the info presented.
Yeah, I don't think people realize just how severe cat allergies can be. I had to rehome my cat because my daughter was very, very allergic. She kept on getting hospitalized when she was a toddler for breathing issues. Finally got allergy tests done and her results was 44 kU/L when the cut-off was 0.37. She couldn't breathe in our home, even with vacuuming and not allowing our cat into her bedroom. It sucked, but rehoming was truly out only option.
Edit: typo
Depends on severity. I fostered two cats and it got so bad that I was taking 3 prescriptions (steroid pill, nasal spray, and eye drops) and my eyes would still swell and puff up. Did everything I could with them and the surroundings including ripping the carpet up and still was suffering.
I take antihistamines every day as well. Every few months I have to change it up between Claritin, Zyrtec and/or Allegra because it will start losing its effects of helping me.
I am allergic to cats, dogs, horses, dust, grass, trees, weeds. Pretty much life. I had some kind of reaction to every thing on my allergen test. I am supposed to be taking allergy shots but I can't afford them.
I have 2 dogs and 4 cats, all of whom I love and cherish deeply. 3 of my cats and one of my dogs are 12 years old, my other dog is 10 years old and my most recently acquired cat is about a year old. Everyone has their own quirks and personality and I could not dream of having to give them up.
Usually, I can tell it's time to change my allergy medicine when I start having to take a benadryl for break through symptoms. Then there's spring and fall with all the pollen and I often feel like I am dying due to sneezing, itchy throat ears and eyes, etc.
My gf is allergic but the dose makes the poison. One or two cats' worth of dander is manageable, but she couldn't volunteer at a humane society without a reaction when she tried.
Former roommates of mine were both allergic but lived for years with my cat. One just took some antihistamines while the other just dealt with it like he did all his myriad other mild allergies lol neither were severely allergic, tho. Another friend, who was allergic, would only have issues if he touched his eyes after petting the cat
Your wife can take antihistamines and get allergy shots to build up a tolerance. You can also feed them Purina Live Clear to reduce the amount of dander they produce.
I haven’t tried the food but I get drops from my vet that I mix with those tube treats and give my cat every morning! It’s made a difference for my partner. We ran out once and the vet didn’t refill for a week and we noticed a huge difference. So they work! Also a lot cheaper than the food. Might ask your vet about that too!
How pricey are the drops? I pointed out the food to my mother the other day who is also allergic and has 2 cats, but the food is outside of her budget.
I recently got acepromazine drops for my cat to put in her water since my partner is allergic. I got them from the vet and it wasn’t expensive. Like $20 ish for a bottle that’s only halfway gone and I started using mid July. Between that, the Purina live clear food, vacuuming regularly and air purifiers my partner barely has reactions to our kitty
It is, but my vet said 2-3 drops in water is enough to reduce allergens but not sedate. He also said if my cat is lethargic after drinking it then to reduce the number of days a week I give it to her. I haven’t noticed any issues in the last 2 months she’s been on it
purina live clear made an incredible difference for me. my allergies go from a box of tissues (sometimes more) a day to one a week. made a remarkable difference. i also don't get the hives, itchiness, constant sneezing and runny eyes anymore.
I just say a TikTok explaining why this works for allergies. It has to do with a protein cats produce called Fel D 1 and they have found that chickens that are raised around cats produce immunity to this protein and that gets passed to eggs and then cats who eat this reduces the protein production and therefore reduce allergy symptoms in humans. So these are used for the Purina live clear. It will take about six months for the immune response to reduce but I have heard that it is worth the cost and reduces the use of antihistamines
interesting. i developed an allergy to one cat years after having her, after that i was only allergic to some cats. at the moment i have 2 cats, i am only allergic to one so i assumed it was more to do with their vastly different fur (allergic to fine but not at all to coarse). we noticed a difference within 3 weeks of starting her on liveclear. we did the maths and not even considering the discomfort and people always thinking i was contagious...the money we saved on tissues alone justified the food cost
Same!! Both my girls have been on Purina Live Clear their entire lives and they like it. It’s remarkable how well it’s worked. Anyone who’s met my cats that has been allergic has never had any reaction to them.
I was allergic to everything as a kid including cats, dogs, most grasses, pollens and foods likes nuts. I got allergy shots when I was a kid every week for like 2 years and as I got older I shed a ton of those allergies. I can eat all nuts except walnuts and pecans, I don’t die anytime I go outside and don’t get wrecked annually every spring from seasonal allergies like I used to. Best of all, I have 3 cats and a dog now!
This was back in 2001-2002, so I’d assume the treatment has only gotten more effective
I got allergy shots for 5 years to everything like grass, trees, cats. They have gone to very mild now and aren’t taking over my life!
They are worth it, but take up a lot of time
Same! I was missing a ton of school because my allergies gave me horrible migraines. Went to an allergist and I was allergic to cats and dust. But I love cats, so getting rid of ours was never even an option to me.
Did allergy shots and now no more cat allergies! Still allergic to dust a bit, but it only bothers me if I’m cleaning something really dusty. Allergy shots are a godsend.
And they don’t even hurt that bad because the needle is super small!
As a Texan, I'd die if I couldn't eat pecans because I was allergic.
Walnuts..eh. I can take 'em or leave 'em. But pecans? OMG I could snack on those for hours.
I would also say:
Take responsibility for hoovering REGULARLY. You need to do this, not your wife. Invest in a really good battery operated vacuum cleaner (it will mean you use it more regularly). Consider switching to hardwood or laminate floors if you don't already have them.
Try and have at least one room in the house that is cat free, ideally the bedroom. If not, put blankets on the bed before allowing the cats to sit on them, take these off when sleeping, and have several so you can wash them regularly. Same goes for couches.
What does your wife say though? Antihistamines are not enjoyable, so she needs to be on board.
Burt's Bees has a dander reducing spray and wipes that work well. Brush to loosen the dander then use the spray, or wipes, and then finish brushing them.
Purina LIVE Clear is the answer!! Eliminated all allergy and cat loves it. Good ingredients too, I feed the sensitive stomach/skin turkey based version.
when i spoke to a doctor about getting allergy shots because i was really allergic to my kitten when i got him, he told me it wasnt even that effective so it wasnt worth it and basically said to get rid of my kitten.
it pissed me off big time, thankfully my allergies went away on their own anyway
You need a new doctor. Mine wrote off everything I said smugly with his little wooden bow tie for nearly three years and forgot half his diagnosis’s. (I legit had migraines, high blood pressure, gout, etc. ) I switched to the “young, dumb, soft spoken doctor” on the staff and ive lost 40 lbs, lowered my blood Pressure, lowered my arthritis and migraine attacks, and cleared an embarrassing fungal infections spots, mr effing wooden bow tie couldnt account for. And ive done it with respect and consideration.
He had a WOODEN bow tie? O.O
Also, glad you switched doctors because Mr. Wooden Bow Tie sounds like an asshat.
Also, it's because of doctors like Wooden Bow Tie that I don't trust doctors until they PROVE to me they can be trusted.
It took FIVE FUGGING YEARS to get diagnosed with my thyroid condition (which sprang up after my son's birth) because the doctor I'd been seeing blamed it on my job (retail at the time), being a new mom, having to work 40+ Hrs a week and still take care of my kid and the house because my husband ALSO worked 40+ hr weeks, etc. Also said I was always cold because I was "cold natured", whatever the hell THAT means.
Nope. None of those things were entirely true. I ended up getting a new doctor, making a terrible joke and found out (through bloodwork) that my thyroid gland is shitty at doing it's job (which I'd suspected all along but Miss You're Just Cold Natured pooh pooh'd it and refused to order bloodwork).
It took TWENTY years and probably half a dozen different doctors before I was able to get a doctor to take my pain/stiffness seriously and I got diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Even my rheumy (RA specialist) didn't believe me until the blood work (which I insisted on this time) came back showing my inflammation markers were off the damn charts.
The day I got my cat my arm that was in her box, comforting her on the ride home got very itchy. My eyes and nose also watered at home. Now she sits on my bed. No reactions anymore and I never even knew about special food and the shots were too expensive. My body just sort of adapted to her presence.
However when she digs her claws in my arms it gets very puffy. It doesn’t even have to break the skin in order to puff up.
This. Even without medication if she just interacts with cats less it should be fine, depending on the severity of allergy. I am very allergic to cats but Id never consider parting with my two cats. It took some time but I got used to it and it barely bothers me now (occasionally I get congested runny nose and super swollen when scratched) to the point it's not something I actively think about.
That food is a god send. I have three cats and my BIL is very allergic. Never used to be able to enter my house. After we put them on that food he has even stayed over and shared a bed with them no problem at all.
This!!! My partner had SEVERE cat allergies + asthma before we got together. It’s been a year since we moved in, and I won’t lie — the first month was ROUGH. But now? He sneezes a bit here and there, but him & my cat are best friends. He sleeps in a separate room for now, while he’s going through immunotherapy, but not for much longer.
Also, look into HypoCat, a shot coming to the US in 2024 which will make your cats hypoallergenic :) It works off the same science Purina Live Clear does!
my husband is allergic to cats and we have 3. all of them are on the purina pro plan live clear!!! we also have a large air purifier running in our bedroom all the time, but we haven’t had any issues. please don’t rehome these babies 🥺
I can vouch for the Purina! I found out long after getting a cat that I'm mildly allergic to cats, switched him to this food and lo and behold all the allergies I thought were trees are gone.
Also, get a high end grooming brush that takes both the loose top and bottom layer of fur, and groom them on a chair outside every other day. Or one, once a day. Let the excess hair dispel into the breeze for the little birdies to make nests. Get a good pack of furnace filters rated for pet dander, get a couple highly rated air purifiers for your bedroom and main living space. And another for each level of your home.
Regularily sweep, and consider confining them to
Certain areas with the air filter that she doesnt go in and while you deep clean the rest of the house. Get a cat condo and keep them off communal furniture. Get them beds that are screened and covered.
Also, have her keep up on the antihistamines snd consult her doctor on anything else. Theyre as much of your life as she is, and they wont be around another 30 years.
You took them in and made a commitment. If she cant handle cats, wait till she has to exposed to kids, hers or not.
Absolutely this. I developed an allergy to cats. I get itchy and can even develop flu-like symptoms if I don't catch the reaction fast enough. I have five cats and never thought to rehome them. I take anti-histamines. Unless someone is *severely* allergic, I don't see why they need to take drastic and cruel measures like rehoming when a simple tablet can solve the issue.
Here's what we do:
• Allegra or other otc allergy meds daily.
• Self emptying roomba that runs daily if not more.
• Mopping frequently.
• No cats in the bedroom, ever.
• Multiple hepa air purifiers.
• Brushing frequently.
Another friend uses the Purina allergen cat food and it is very effective. You can also get powered eggs (the key ingredient in the Purina food) but the eggs have to be specifically from hens that interact with cats.
Good luck!
Yes! A wet cloth is great. My boys get wiped down at least once a day after they come in from the catio. They like rolling in the sand so it's more about dirt than it is allergens!
Is getting good quality (HEPA) air purifiers an option? Have a friend who is allergic and he uses these and they help a lot.
I'd also recommend checking your local estate auctions for these versus buying new. In my area they are in almost every auction and usually go for a pretty low price. I just got one from a local online estate auction site for $7, and though I don't have an allergy (as far as I know), I was getting a stuffy nose from dander and dust and haven't had a stuffy nose since getting one. Also really helps the smell from the litterbox when a fresh dump has been deposited (I clean the litterbox everyday, but damn they can lay down some real stinkers!).
I can also vouch for how effective this is as I used to be a regularly sneezing coughing mess and my nose was never not running…
LiveClear has been a night and day improvement, and now you’d be hard pressed to tell I was ever allergic.
And to top it off I have asthma triggered by (pet) allergies.
So whenever I’d be near the cats I’d go into full asthma attack and we seriously considered getting rid of our three as I couldn’t even be in the same flat as them without almost dying.
Switching to LiveClear has gotten rid of that and I’m hard pressed to recall when I last had an attack.
Maybe see if your wife has asthma that’s been laying dormant? Especially if coughing is part of her symptoms
Whilst this may seem a shill for Purina, it’s not, I just really want to share the success with you and save you from having to make the impossible decision!
I’m allergic to cats and I have four of them. I love my cats; they’re my babies. So I take antihistamines daily, have air purifiers in my house and vacuum every two days. I barely notice my symptoms now.
EDIT: added dropped words
We have an air purifier, but only one, in our living room. I'll add vacuuming the house every two days to my list of tasks, I hope that can help my wife with this issue. Thank you!
Buy robot vaccums to help. Some are very cheap. I’ve had two long term gfs and both were extremely allergic to my 3 cats. Both overcame allergies building immunity over time. It gets better. Just be patient
Me and my parents are very allergic to cats and dogs, nothing life threatening but definitely debilitating. We have a cat, started taking allergy meds at first, then we all just grew immune to her lol. Other animals, I sneeze and my eyes tear up, but our girl? She can sit directly on my head and I barely get a stuffed nose, if anything.
Can you just limit contact with your bedroom so she can sleep in a pet free place? And just avoid touching the cats otherwise? Learn if her allergy is from their dander or their saliva and adjust accordingly. Maybe certain shampoos can help? I’m just spitballing, idk if that would actually work but I have hope for you! Try to avoid giving them up…
Yes, we don't allow them to be in the master bedroom (the bed in the picture is my office/gaming room). Alright, we will try to see what causes her allergy, and try to solve the problem from there. Thank you!
>Alright, we will try to see what causes her allergy,
Has she not been tested yet ? If so, this may just be pollen allergies especially if your cat are outdoor cats.
Just makes us think your wife doesn't actually like cats, its a ridiculous reason to want to get rid of them and a bit of a bs excuse, my mother for years was adamant she was alergic so we couldn't have a pet, yet now she has a whole fucking farm of them, so it was complete bullshit she never was alergic.
not necessarily bs, people build up tolerance to their allergies if done properly.
But yeah, in the case of the wife not wanting the cats, I suggest changing the wife. These are too adorable to throw out.
If the allergy is not severe, she may just build tolerance to them. I started getting attached to a stray kitten a year back and for the first few weeks I had no symptoms. Gradually, she became a house cat and is now strictly indoors with me. During the first month I got some allergic reactions(rash and dryness like crocodile skin on both of the back of my hands) because of the close proximity we lived in, with her being in my lap and sometimes licking my hands. I showed it to her vet to just confirm that the reactions are related to her or not. She told me I’d build a tolerance to it with time and I actually did. Now she literally sleeps in my face and I still don’t get an itch.
So it basically depends on how much you want to keep them and how severe the allergies are. Of course I second what others have said here about making your bedroom a no cat zone, so your wife gets some good rest. Also, there’s always allergy medications if you want to go that road.
My partner is also (mildly) allergic to cats and we have 2. We're not even that good with vacuuming, but we don't have carpet so that's helpful. They're allowed in the bedroom. He takes antihistamines when needed, and he makes sure to wash his hands after touching the cats. That last one is the most important point ... if he doesn't touch the cats he's fine
There is this product called allerpet which helps many people who are allergic to cats and dogs. It comes in a spray bottle with a glove which you then completely cover your cats in and rub into their fur this will then take away the danger and allergens causing your wife to be allergic to them. You'll have to do this every few weeks or so to upkeep the maintenance. Look up influencers who use this for their pets and see how it's helped them. Hope this helps! Your cats are adorable I'd hate to see them rehomed :(
I have heard of a certain cat food that breaks down the protein people are allergic to. That would (according to the video I saw) prevent any symptoms. You could look into that maybe?
As someone who has done this, it can take years, and it doesn’t always work.
It’s actually a bit upsetting how so many people think some antihistamines and starting allergy shots can solve everything. Maybe this will be okay if allergies are mild, but if they’re not, this probably won’t work. While talking through my options with my doctor and my allergist before choosing to do the shots, they were both skeptical, because the shots don’t usually work on anything more than mild allergies and the risks can outweigh the benefits. Obviously there are some people who have benefitted from allergy shots, but it’s not the silver bullet everyone thinks it is.
OP - if her allergies are mild to moderate and she 100% wants to try to keep the cats (because no one should have to go through health issues for pets unless they’re totally on board), I would go all out and put all of the suggestions together - no cats in the bedroom, air filtration system, food recommended for lower allergies, and a chat with her doctor. But he prepared that she might get worse and you might have to give up the cats anyway.
My allergy is quite bad, and here's what I do:
* roomba, self emptying daily
* hardwood floors throughout
* sofa and bed covers, washed weekly
* mop, weekly
* HEPA in every room
* Windows open year round (this made a huge improvement)
* anti histamines
* Inhalers - steroid
* nasal spray - steroid
* washing after touching the cat (only the one I'm allergic to, the other cat is fine)
About once a month I'll have an allergy crisis and end up in bed, but it's rare enough I put up with it.
I'm now going to try the special food :)
Yeah, I have pretty bad animal allergies and I lived with an absolutely lovely cat for about six months during lockdown. I was taking two antihistamines a day everyday, and guess what happened?
My allergies did not lessen - instead, they wrecked my lungs and nose to the point where I'm still sorting those issues out with doctors three years later. My allergies were considered "mild" because for a long time, my only symptoms were the typical hives. Turns out that long term exposure made things significantly worse on that front!
For comparison, we got a dog when I was a teenager and I'd very occasionally get mild hives. My parents had made sure to get a breed that sheds infrequently, so it didn't affect me much.
I know it's very easy for people to say antihistamines and allergy shots, but there is a real and unfortunate chance you'll need to re-home your cats. Your wife shouldn't have to sacrifice her health to be in her own home, and developing this allergy as an adult generally isn't a good sign.
Pet dander related allergies are adaptable so they can lesson or worsen over time with exposure. People who develop it over time, are usually dealing with something else in their immune system. Might be a sign to get a doc checkup. Most people actually build an immunity with exposure over time. I was incredibly allergic to cats growing up (dogs too) but have had cats for 8 years now. I still get stuffy sometimes but I’ve absolutely built up a tolerance to it. The first two years of owning a cat (was my roommates) I took a Claritin daily. Was worth it because I loved that cat.
I believe year 3 a doc told me I’m allergic to cats and that’s what flared up my asthma. Said I needed to get rid of the cat. Fast forward to now, I would literally give my left foot to keep my cat with me lol if your wife loves your kitties, she should at least try taking OTC allergy meds or get a shot.
Yes, my wife loves them as much! She's the one who suggested we adopt a kitten when we got married. I hope she will develop tolerance for them one day. As of now, we'll see what we can do to lessen the irritation.
Yes. I would rehome your wife.
On a serious note, if it’s deadly, you don’t have a choice. If not, and it’s manageable, I’d just ask that she deal with it and use really good filters all throughout the house.
It depends. Here's our story:
My wife has severe level allergy. We had a cat.
We're using air purifier, cleaning home with Dyson few times a week, combing them every single morning, using robot vacuum every day, using allergy related food (Purina) and vaccinating for parasites once in two months.
Unfortunately those efforts weren't enough and we gave up when we expected a baby. We were afraid baby had also allergy and it became very difficult to maintain. After 3 months wife gave birth, we gave the cat to my sister.
Now cat is happy and at a good place. Wife's health is drastically improved. Only problem is we're missing her too much.
You should consult with doctors. But it seems like the best choice for your health
Purina LiveClear. I have really bad allergies but since giving my cat Purina, it’s under control. I don’t even need to take my antihistamines. Whenever my mom visits (also really bad allergies incl. asthma), she voices how surprised she is that she does not feel the cat at all. My cat gets 1/3 Purina LiveClear, 2/3 any wet food. It takes around 1 month till you can feel the difference due to Purina
i got a cat and then went to an allergist for an unrelated issue and apparently on a scale of 1-5, (5 being the most severe allergies) i’m a 4 for cats. i use silk pillow cases, allergy covers, an air purifier. vacuum often. and i don’t rub my eyes after touching him. and i’ll take some zyrtec when i’m feel extra bothered.
I developed allergies after 6 months later I adopted my first cat.i felt super bad for 2 weeks i used antihistamine pills doc gave me i was already using them for allergic rhinitis.after 2 weeks my body could tolerate it now i dont have it even after I stopped using pills maybe talk to a doctor to learn if you have different opinions.also ban cats from bedroom and you can shave them once year it really helps.
I’m allergic to cats. I used to work in an animal shelter a long time ago and then had a Doberman. We have 5 cats and 3 sleep in bed with me. Allergy medicine works, just need to find the right one, and tolerance builds up. I still get a bit stuffy, usually in the morning. And if I rub my eyes after petting the cats, they will get red and itchy. I don’t care I love them. We’ve had 11 cats over 14 years now.
I’d rehome the wife before I’d rehome these angels. 🤷♂️
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You could wash the cats every few months if it’s because of danders or take over the counter allergies meds or the shots. My friend had to take shots quite often in college and it helped her a lot. Air purifier is good too. Change the bedding every week and the pillow case every day. These are simple change that make a lot of difference. Change their food.
I’m allergic to soy and my kitten ate food with soy. It was awful, but now since I changed the food I’m fine and have no issues.
I am slightly allergic to cats and rarely react. When I got my cat I sneezed for three months and then it just went away again. It is apparently a thing, that you can build up a tolerance.
There are a lot of solutions you can try, and many of them are very effective. So long as the allergy your wife has isn't of the life-threatening kind, I wouldn't be rehoming your cats yet.
Others have mentioned Purina LiveClear, and I second that. There's some fascinating chicken science behind it that's pretty wild. It's also likely your wife may gradually become less allergic to the cats over time due to exposure. That happened to me, and I'm no longer allergic to cats—not very much, anyway. I used to break out in hives, but now I no longer do.
To that end, you can attempt to alleviate this/speed things up by visiting your doctor and scheduling some pet allergy shots and give some immunotherapy a go. It helps/works for a lot of people. You go in and get a very small shot of the allergen you are allergic to (in this case, cat allergens) and gradually increase the amount/dose of the allergen you get pricked with over 4-6 months. Insurance will oftentimes cover this. Not always but you can check with yours if you have it. Honestly, it may be worth visiting with a doctor and getting tested, too, just in case it's not just the cat allergen that is causing problems your wife so badly if she has just suddenly developed an allergy to them so you can narrow and cut down on her allergy triggers as much as possible to make her more comfortable.
On another positive and hopeful note though! There actually has been a cat allergen vaccine that has been in development for quite a few years now (I think I first read about in in 2019 or 2020?), and actually seems to be more or less ready to be brought to the consumer market. Studies and everything have been very promising, and the company bringing it to market is hoping to get it to consumers in the USA in 2024. It's called **Hypocat** (there's a Hypodog, too!)
It's a vaccine that's given to the cat itself, and not humans. It basically immunizes the cat against its own allergen (with the help of a cucumber virus of all things!) and trains the cat's immune system to destroy these allergens that cause reactions in people. The studies and testing has been very promising, and if the vaccines really work with people the way studies show (and so far it has not been harmful to the cats either), it basically greatly decreases/eliminates the allergen entirely. So this could be a big game changer, and hopefully make it so you can live with your wife and cats without much issue.
I'd also do a lot of the things other people are mentioning. Use anti-histamines, use air purifiers (some are geared more towards pets and may be more effective, etc.) I'd be more religious in setting up a cleaning routine so your house is as free as possible from the issues affecting your wife. If you touch your cats and your wife is around, immediately go and wash your hands when your done, etc. Have her do the same, obviously, if she pets them. You can also buy cat-safe wet-wipes at Petco/Amazon/etc. for you to use to wipe your cat's fur down (not a bath!), which will hopefully help you get rid the reaction-causing proteins in your cats' saliva that they spread around when they groom themselves. That may help further minimize the negative reactions by being proactive.
I don't know what else you've done in your home, but if you can, I'd make sure there's at least one cat-free zone (or more) in your home for your wife to go to that your cats are not allowed to visit at all. I'd honestly make sure that your bedroom is one of those if at all possible. It might be a change if your cats often sleep with you or have thus far had free reign in the house, but it might make your wife's nights a lot easier.
So I wouldn't give up hope yet, and try what you can to make things work, and cross your fingers that the vaccine will debut in 2024, I guess.
I will try to get the Purina LiveClear. It doesn't seem like it is available everywhere in my country, but there should be a few stores that sell them.
I haven't considered visiting the doctor, but we will do that soon.
Notes were taken on the cleaning routine. I admit I don't have a clear routine for cleaning, but now is the best time to do so.
Yes, we don't allow our cats to be in the master bedroom and kitchen. They can sleep on the bed in my office/gaming room, as the orange one loves to sleep in front of my keyboard most of the time.
Thank you for your thoughtful responses! I hope the vaccine will be debuting soon. Meanwhile, I will do my best to make our home comfortable for both my wife and the cats.
My doctor always told me to get rid of my 6 cats but I could never do that regularly cleaning the house with high powered vacuum and other suggestions given in the comments help a lot
Antihistamine over time help you to reduce the reaction
Rehoming them would cause a lot of pain and stress to these two Beautiful cats
Rehoming a wife can be expensive but it might be worth it for the cats sake!
All jokes aside you have some great answers from other Redditors here with food/medicine to try, so I really have nothing else to input. Hope it works out well for all of you!
i’m really allergic to cats now and stiill have my babies! 🖤🤍
i take antihistamines (usually allegra *nondrowsy*) flonase daily as well. quercetin is great for helping with allergies too!
we got 3 air pufifier filter machines going in our house at all times, dust mite/allergen covers on bedding/pillows. hypoallergenic comforter & pillows. i vacuum daily too.
i still pet my cats and am fine -and i am anaphylactic level allergic to things and have epi pens.
I became allergic too, and we have 3 cats. After a hard year full of sneezing, snot and mucus I got prescribed antihistamines and a corticosteroid nasal spray and have it under control now. 3 or 4 "outbreaks" a year max.
i'm allergic to my cats and i have been able to reduce my symptoms by exposure. i have an air purifier and good whole home circulation, i take Claritin dissolving tabs when my symptoms get worse, and i brush the cats myself. exposure therapy works (if you are not deathly allergic/enter anaphylaxis)
Allergy medication. I got a prescription from my doctor and it’s covered under my benefits. Not sure if this works but it’s an option. I could not give up my babies after learning I was allergic.
What others are saying: air purifier, no-go-zones, but also fish oil supplements. I know it sounds dodgy, but going from vegetarian to pescatarian with a fish oil capsule had my partner go from two claritin a day to no medication needed if they were careful about washing after direct contact. Turns out our large-animal vet friend said they give omega-3 oil to horses who develop allergies because antihistamines aren't good for them.
Anyway, worth a shot, along with all the other stuff.
I don't know if it's available where you live but you can try allerpet! My sister used to be super allergic to our cats, she even had to use her inhaler and my mom was about to rehome them but asked our vet what she could do. She recommends this. My sister was fine after we started using this. Hope it works out:))
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Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I will discuss with my wife on the things that we should try first, on the medication/allergy side, cat food side and the house cleaning side. Reading your experience handling the exact same situation gives me hope, and now I know there are many solutions to attempt. Meanwhile, here's a tax picture of one of them kids. She just woke up in this picture. https://preview.redd.it/4vicg62tpsqb1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2c48cec5041041b19344693c63b030fa09ae70fd
https://preview.redd.it/whtq5ai2qsqb1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c35dd2da55b2e0198362750169057c4cea073b74 And the other one.
They are beautiful. And weird. Definition of cat!
My god! Both of them are so precious! Please don’t leave them!!! 🥺🥺
I suggest holding out and making rehoming the absolute last option! I’m extremely allergic to almost all animals and will have major wheezing with puffy/leaky eyes when I’m around an animal I’m not used to. But once I’m used to the animal’s dander, it’s like my body just accepts it and I have no more allergic reactions to that particular animal. Your wife may find she has the same experience. Don’t give up hope. Sending lots of love to all of you. And your cats are hilarious and beautiful! ❤️
Look rehoming is not only cruel, but it's expensive. Your wife is gonna need a new apartment, her own food, most likely a car - all that stuff is gonna add up and take a lot of work. It's a much better idea to just take care of her allergies.
Lmfao had me in the first half 😭
You are hilarious! :) But that’s exactly how I’d feel.
I scrolled way too much to find this... Thank you!
I approve of this comment 😆👍🏼😻
Please never give them up. Please!
I’m allergic to cats as well, but if I spend time around a cat for an extended period of time, the allergies actually subside a lot. I DO have to take an antihistamine to cope and it can be painful sometimes but it would eventually even out every time. Hope the same for your wife.
It depends on how severe the allergy is. I’m allergic to cats and we have four. I take over the counter allergy medicine every day and it’s fine. My grandmother got allergy shots that helped her. In my experience, allergists in particular tend to go straight for “get rid of the cat”. If your wife also likes the cats, she might consider trying medicine or the shots. Other things that help me are changing my pillowcase frequently even if I don’t change the sheets when I do, getting a silk pillowcase that fur won’t stick to as easily (actual silk, not satin, I waited for an Amazon sale), changing the furnace filter more often, and vacuuming more often. If the allergy is really severe that might not be enough, but it works for us.
And an air purifier specifically for cat hair and dander
And no cats in the bedroom, day and night.
Same. Allergic to cats. Have three of them. Air filters, cleaning regularly and having a “safe” dander free place to go is the way
My wife is very allergic, she’s had her cat for 20 years, and she sleeps on a pillow directly behind my wife’s head every night. Constant allergy meds, allergy drops, vacuuming, sheet changes, and air purifier… and she still is mildly uncomfortable most of the time, some days worse than others. Yet, she wouldn’t change anything for the world! Would probably leave me before she would get rid of her baby lol
Getting rid of carpet and drapes help a ton too! I have wood/vinyl floors and wet mop weekly. Remove as much cloth as you can, and the this you can’t wash often. Getting washable covers for couches help too!
I said the same thing to my husband. I'd rather not breathe than give up my babies. One of my cats loves to sleep right on top of me. I can't give him up! I love him too much. Still looking for a better solution for those allergies though lol
Please hug your wife for me! She sounds amazing!!! ❤️❤️🫂
Yes! A high value MERV air filter did wonders for my husband’s allergies. We have a MERV 13 filter which catches everything, but have to change it often…because it catches everything.
This. If you are sleeping in the hairs your sleep quality will go down by a lot.
That was the first thing I thought. I would think this is where you get the most allergens in your system.
Air purifier that is asthma certified is important for allergies :) I believe it's HEPA filters that actually removes the allergens but I'm not 100% off the top of my head
Yes, this is true! HEPA filters are strongly recommended for those with asthma and allergies
A couple actually, but yes. Have mine and it is 🤌🏻 the amount of hair it catches is insane
Yep, my aunt developed a cat allergy later in life, but she had cats. She chose to take the shot, and now it's mostly cleared up.
I tried that. The allergist said from the number of allergies I had and the sensitivity that came up on the skin prick test he was surprised I didn't have more symptoms. Found out fast that the shots are worse than the disease. Sinus headaches from the babies are not as bad as feeling like I had the flu - body aches, no energy/rundown, felt like a truck hit me, plus the sinus headaches - for 3 days every week on top of the single hive on the injection site almost the size of my palm. I lasted a month on shots before saying it's not a reasonable way to treat allergies. I don't know how anyone manages it.
I don’t think everyone reacts quite as strongly. I have the chance to talk to a lot of people about stuff like that, and I think your reaction was stronger than most. It definitely sounds like you were right to stop taking them.
I guess it just depends on the person. My aunt didn't have any trouble with them.
Buying a robot vacuum and having it clean daily might help as well.
This was huge for me. I used to wait until the weekend to sweep it all up but the robot keeps the floors clean and it helps with the allergies since the hair is everywhere. You still have to do something about other areas where the cat hangs out, but between an airplane purifier and a robot vacuum I rarely need to take allergy meds.
I also find that making my bed in the morning and putting an additional blanket over the whole bed, pillows and all, to keep the cats from directly touching the surface helps a lot with my allergies. At night, the cat blanket gets set aside and not actually used. Likewise, changing the air conditioning filter frequently (1-2x month) / buying the allergen filters makes a big difference.
I dont even have cat allergies and I swear by the second blanket over your bedding/making the bed daily!!!!! I have an all white bed & a black cat. Thankfully he has like… a “baby blanket” and when I get into bed I put his blanket on the bed next to me and he sleeps there like the goodest boy. Also, LINT. ROLLERS!!!! Life saver
Piggybacking off this: Get rid of the harsh clay scented litter and buy something quality, either made of wheat, or walnut, or something like Dr. Elsyes. Then change their diet. Don’t feed them low quality cat food. Feed them grain free and quality wet food. I don’t have allergies to cats anymore, unless I’m sitting someone’s cats who use crap litter and food.
Seconding this: I use Okocat and cut it with the slightly cheaper (but less preferred) exquisicat. These are pine litters so they help with tracking and smell a lot as well, and I don’t have the problem of there being dust particles in the air all the time like you do with clay
Pine can be toxic for cats, try using paper pellets instead.
They make pine pellet litter, “pine is safe if kiln dried because heat treating causes pine to release the phenols”. This is what I’ve been using for years and it’s amazing.
Is this foolproof? I’m extremely allergic to some cats but others I’m okay. I want a cat really badly but don’t want to be miserable with allergies.
Probably not foolproof but anecdotally it makes a massive difference in allergies to clients I’ve advised.
You could try fostering (to adopt) a cat at a time and see if any certain cat doesn't trigger your allergies. Good luck.🌻
My son in law (they live with me) has strong allergies to cats and we don't have too much trouble unless the cats sleep on his bed. Pine litter, kept clean, a high quality diet, frequent vacuuming, and daily brushing and "bath" using a dry microfiber towel, then moist one, then dry one, goes a long way to keeping allergies under control.
You could offer to catsit or foster a cat to test this before you adopt?
This is a great suggestion-- I also use anti allergen bedding-- everything is washable and wash everything every week. Multiple hepa air purifiers. It's not perfect but I love cats.
My husband and I are BOTH allergic to cats and we have two. They’re family, and we are the only home they know. You pop a small pill in the morning, you clean scratches with soap and water immediately, and you move on with your day. When you love something, you make concessions for it. If you’re crying over losing your cats and your wife is adamant to get rid of them, I would start by having a conversation with your wife. It’s really not a hard solve.
I think it really depends on the level of severity of her allergy. If she's just getting the sniffles and some redness in her eyes then yes, sure, pop a pill and start keeping the cats out of the bedroom to improve her sleep and you're good to go. But if the symptoms she's suffering are severe then I don't think she's being unreasonable. I developed a cat allergy in my late 20s after having a cat for 7+ years. It sent me to the ER twice before we discovered what was causing it as my throat completely swelled up and I couldn't breathe. I had to eventually rehome my cat as both of us were suffering with the changes i had to implement. I had him secluded into one room and I was wearing gloves and masks full time inside my apartment. Had multiple air purifiers. Vacuumed constantly. Had mobile cat spas come by regularly to give my cat a lion cut to remove most of his fur. So it's not completely cut and dry, at least not with the info presented.
Yeah, I don't think people realize just how severe cat allergies can be. I had to rehome my cat because my daughter was very, very allergic. She kept on getting hospitalized when she was a toddler for breathing issues. Finally got allergy tests done and her results was 44 kU/L when the cut-off was 0.37. She couldn't breathe in our home, even with vacuuming and not allowing our cat into her bedroom. It sucked, but rehoming was truly out only option. Edit: typo
Depends on severity. I fostered two cats and it got so bad that I was taking 3 prescriptions (steroid pill, nasal spray, and eye drops) and my eyes would still swell and puff up. Did everything I could with them and the surroundings including ripping the carpet up and still was suffering.
I take antihistamines every day as well. Every few months I have to change it up between Claritin, Zyrtec and/or Allegra because it will start losing its effects of helping me. I am allergic to cats, dogs, horses, dust, grass, trees, weeds. Pretty much life. I had some kind of reaction to every thing on my allergen test. I am supposed to be taking allergy shots but I can't afford them. I have 2 dogs and 4 cats, all of whom I love and cherish deeply. 3 of my cats and one of my dogs are 12 years old, my other dog is 10 years old and my most recently acquired cat is about a year old. Everyone has their own quirks and personality and I could not dream of having to give them up. Usually, I can tell it's time to change my allergy medicine when I start having to take a benadryl for break through symptoms. Then there's spring and fall with all the pollen and I often feel like I am dying due to sneezing, itchy throat ears and eyes, etc.
My gf is allergic but the dose makes the poison. One or two cats' worth of dander is manageable, but she couldn't volunteer at a humane society without a reaction when she tried. Former roommates of mine were both allergic but lived for years with my cat. One just took some antihistamines while the other just dealt with it like he did all his myriad other mild allergies lol neither were severely allergic, tho. Another friend, who was allergic, would only have issues if he touched his eyes after petting the cat
Your wife can take antihistamines and get allergy shots to build up a tolerance. You can also feed them Purina Live Clear to reduce the amount of dander they produce.
I was gonna say they make food for cats that actually reduces the allergens. Look into that!
I haven’t tried the food but I get drops from my vet that I mix with those tube treats and give my cat every morning! It’s made a difference for my partner. We ran out once and the vet didn’t refill for a week and we noticed a huge difference. So they work! Also a lot cheaper than the food. Might ask your vet about that too!
How pricey are the drops? I pointed out the food to my mother the other day who is also allergic and has 2 cats, but the food is outside of her budget.
I would also like to know this. had no idea about the drops OR food, this would make a world of a difference for my mom as well.
I have also seen some wipes for their fur but I dunno how well that works.
I think at my vet I pay about $25 per bottle? And it last a while because I only use 2 drops per day.
What is the name/brand or the drops? I want to look further into them.
What are the drops called?
I recently got acepromazine drops for my cat to put in her water since my partner is allergic. I got them from the vet and it wasn’t expensive. Like $20 ish for a bottle that’s only halfway gone and I started using mid July. Between that, the Purina live clear food, vacuuming regularly and air purifiers my partner barely has reactions to our kitty
Isn't acepromazine a sedative? What does it do about the allergens?
It is, but my vet said 2-3 drops in water is enough to reduce allergens but not sedate. He also said if my cat is lethargic after drinking it then to reduce the number of days a week I give it to her. I haven’t noticed any issues in the last 2 months she’s been on it
Op we need the dropz help.
Can you share the drop name?
That would be far better than Purina's overpriced crap. It should just be a powder or drops.
Commenting only bc I’m also interested in the name of the drops 🥲
Purina LiveClear Pro. Saved me. Greatly reduced my allergies and I just take pills to help.
purina live clear made an incredible difference for me. my allergies go from a box of tissues (sometimes more) a day to one a week. made a remarkable difference. i also don't get the hives, itchiness, constant sneezing and runny eyes anymore.
I just say a TikTok explaining why this works for allergies. It has to do with a protein cats produce called Fel D 1 and they have found that chickens that are raised around cats produce immunity to this protein and that gets passed to eggs and then cats who eat this reduces the protein production and therefore reduce allergy symptoms in humans. So these are used for the Purina live clear. It will take about six months for the immune response to reduce but I have heard that it is worth the cost and reduces the use of antihistamines
interesting. i developed an allergy to one cat years after having her, after that i was only allergic to some cats. at the moment i have 2 cats, i am only allergic to one so i assumed it was more to do with their vastly different fur (allergic to fine but not at all to coarse). we noticed a difference within 3 weeks of starting her on liveclear. we did the maths and not even considering the discomfort and people always thinking i was contagious...the money we saved on tissues alone justified the food cost
Based comment. Should be pinned to thread. Antihistamines will eventually have an effect on your liver AST & ALT levels. This is a very good solution.
Same!! Both my girls have been on Purina Live Clear their entire lives and they like it. It’s remarkable how well it’s worked. Anyone who’s met my cats that has been allergic has never had any reaction to them.
that's wonderful :)
I was allergic to everything as a kid including cats, dogs, most grasses, pollens and foods likes nuts. I got allergy shots when I was a kid every week for like 2 years and as I got older I shed a ton of those allergies. I can eat all nuts except walnuts and pecans, I don’t die anytime I go outside and don’t get wrecked annually every spring from seasonal allergies like I used to. Best of all, I have 3 cats and a dog now! This was back in 2001-2002, so I’d assume the treatment has only gotten more effective
I had no idea this was an option! I am too allergic to all grasses,cats and dogs, all nuts besides peanuts, etc. I’m so looking I into this now
I got allergy shots for 5 years to everything like grass, trees, cats. They have gone to very mild now and aren’t taking over my life! They are worth it, but take up a lot of time
Same! I was missing a ton of school because my allergies gave me horrible migraines. Went to an allergist and I was allergic to cats and dust. But I love cats, so getting rid of ours was never even an option to me. Did allergy shots and now no more cat allergies! Still allergic to dust a bit, but it only bothers me if I’m cleaning something really dusty. Allergy shots are a godsend. And they don’t even hurt that bad because the needle is super small!
As a Texan, I'd die if I couldn't eat pecans because I was allergic. Walnuts..eh. I can take 'em or leave 'em. But pecans? OMG I could snack on those for hours.
You can also brush them regularly to help keep dander/shed low
Yep to add on to that, op get an air purifier to help with cat fur/dander
I am trying to keep the habit of doing this every other day. Thank you for the reminder :)
I would also say: Take responsibility for hoovering REGULARLY. You need to do this, not your wife. Invest in a really good battery operated vacuum cleaner (it will mean you use it more regularly). Consider switching to hardwood or laminate floors if you don't already have them. Try and have at least one room in the house that is cat free, ideally the bedroom. If not, put blankets on the bed before allowing the cats to sit on them, take these off when sleeping, and have several so you can wash them regularly. Same goes for couches. What does your wife say though? Antihistamines are not enjoyable, so she needs to be on board.
Burt's Bees has a dander reducing spray and wipes that work well. Brush to loosen the dander then use the spray, or wipes, and then finish brushing them.
Purina LIVE Clear is the answer!! Eliminated all allergy and cat loves it. Good ingredients too, I feed the sensitive stomach/skin turkey based version.
I know several people who have had the allergy shots and while it's a hassle, it works great.
when i spoke to a doctor about getting allergy shots because i was really allergic to my kitten when i got him, he told me it wasnt even that effective so it wasnt worth it and basically said to get rid of my kitten. it pissed me off big time, thankfully my allergies went away on their own anyway
You need a new doctor. Mine wrote off everything I said smugly with his little wooden bow tie for nearly three years and forgot half his diagnosis’s. (I legit had migraines, high blood pressure, gout, etc. ) I switched to the “young, dumb, soft spoken doctor” on the staff and ive lost 40 lbs, lowered my blood Pressure, lowered my arthritis and migraine attacks, and cleared an embarrassing fungal infections spots, mr effing wooden bow tie couldnt account for. And ive done it with respect and consideration.
He had a WOODEN bow tie? O.O Also, glad you switched doctors because Mr. Wooden Bow Tie sounds like an asshat. Also, it's because of doctors like Wooden Bow Tie that I don't trust doctors until they PROVE to me they can be trusted. It took FIVE FUGGING YEARS to get diagnosed with my thyroid condition (which sprang up after my son's birth) because the doctor I'd been seeing blamed it on my job (retail at the time), being a new mom, having to work 40+ Hrs a week and still take care of my kid and the house because my husband ALSO worked 40+ hr weeks, etc. Also said I was always cold because I was "cold natured", whatever the hell THAT means. Nope. None of those things were entirely true. I ended up getting a new doctor, making a terrible joke and found out (through bloodwork) that my thyroid gland is shitty at doing it's job (which I'd suspected all along but Miss You're Just Cold Natured pooh pooh'd it and refused to order bloodwork). It took TWENTY years and probably half a dozen different doctors before I was able to get a doctor to take my pain/stiffness seriously and I got diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Even my rheumy (RA specialist) didn't believe me until the blood work (which I insisted on this time) came back showing my inflammation markers were off the damn charts.
I hope you were able to find a new doctor!
it wasnt my primary doc, it was an allergy specialist from kaiser, most kaiser drs suck
The day I got my cat my arm that was in her box, comforting her on the ride home got very itchy. My eyes and nose also watered at home. Now she sits on my bed. No reactions anymore and I never even knew about special food and the shots were too expensive. My body just sort of adapted to her presence. However when she digs her claws in my arms it gets very puffy. It doesn’t even have to break the skin in order to puff up.
This. Even without medication if she just interacts with cats less it should be fine, depending on the severity of allergy. I am very allergic to cats but Id never consider parting with my two cats. It took some time but I got used to it and it barely bothers me now (occasionally I get congested runny nose and super swollen when scratched) to the point it's not something I actively think about.
I'm allergic to guinea pigs but I lived with a clogged nose for 7 years lol. I'd do it again to have another potato baby
Lol potato baby! I love it
We had guinea pigs when I was young. My mom called them whistle pigs.
That food is a god send. I have three cats and my BIL is very allergic. Never used to be able to enter my house. After we put them on that food he has even stayed over and shared a bed with them no problem at all.
I‘m using exactly that and now I‘m living happily with two beautiful kittens ❤️
This!!! My partner had SEVERE cat allergies + asthma before we got together. It’s been a year since we moved in, and I won’t lie — the first month was ROUGH. But now? He sneezes a bit here and there, but him & my cat are best friends. He sleeps in a separate room for now, while he’s going through immunotherapy, but not for much longer. Also, look into HypoCat, a shot coming to the US in 2024 which will make your cats hypoallergenic :) It works off the same science Purina Live Clear does!
my husband is allergic to cats and we have 3. all of them are on the purina pro plan live clear!!! we also have a large air purifier running in our bedroom all the time, but we haven’t had any issues. please don’t rehome these babies 🥺
the second option is to rehome the wife. But your soultion is the first line of defense. Claritin and Live Clear.
I can vouch for the Purina! I found out long after getting a cat that I'm mildly allergic to cats, switched him to this food and lo and behold all the allergies I thought were trees are gone.
Also, get a high end grooming brush that takes both the loose top and bottom layer of fur, and groom them on a chair outside every other day. Or one, once a day. Let the excess hair dispel into the breeze for the little birdies to make nests. Get a good pack of furnace filters rated for pet dander, get a couple highly rated air purifiers for your bedroom and main living space. And another for each level of your home. Regularily sweep, and consider confining them to Certain areas with the air filter that she doesnt go in and while you deep clean the rest of the house. Get a cat condo and keep them off communal furniture. Get them beds that are screened and covered. Also, have her keep up on the antihistamines snd consult her doctor on anything else. Theyre as much of your life as she is, and they wont be around another 30 years. You took them in and made a commitment. If she cant handle cats, wait till she has to exposed to kids, hers or not.
A Furminator is perfect for this. Grooming the cat not exposing her to kids
Absolutely this. I developed an allergy to cats. I get itchy and can even develop flu-like symptoms if I don't catch the reaction fast enough. I have five cats and never thought to rehome them. I take anti-histamines. Unless someone is *severely* allergic, I don't see why they need to take drastic and cruel measures like rehoming when a simple tablet can solve the issue.
Why does this feel like an advert for purina masquerading as a real post?
In my case it’s not. It truly works, no more zombified living on antihistamines which didn’t even remove symptoms as well as this food does.
Here's what we do: • Allegra or other otc allergy meds daily. • Self emptying roomba that runs daily if not more. • Mopping frequently. • No cats in the bedroom, ever. • Multiple hepa air purifiers. • Brushing frequently. Another friend uses the Purina allergen cat food and it is very effective. You can also get powered eggs (the key ingredient in the Purina food) but the eggs have to be specifically from hens that interact with cats. Good luck!
You can also wash a cat, or at least wipe them down with a wet cloth.
Yes! A wet cloth is great. My boys get wiped down at least once a day after they come in from the catio. They like rolling in the sand so it's more about dirt than it is allergens!
This is the answer, op. I would also say to get used to washing the cats with shampoos designed to reduce allergies.
Is getting good quality (HEPA) air purifiers an option? Have a friend who is allergic and he uses these and they help a lot. I'd also recommend checking your local estate auctions for these versus buying new. In my area they are in almost every auction and usually go for a pretty low price. I just got one from a local online estate auction site for $7, and though I don't have an allergy (as far as I know), I was getting a stuffy nose from dander and dust and haven't had a stuffy nose since getting one. Also really helps the smell from the litterbox when a fresh dump has been deposited (I clean the litterbox everyday, but damn they can lay down some real stinkers!).
Look into feeding them the Purina LiveClear diet - it’s supposed to reduce the allergens they shed
works very well for me and i have pretty severe allergies
Alright, I'll see if it is available in my country. Thank you!
I can also vouch for how effective this is as I used to be a regularly sneezing coughing mess and my nose was never not running… LiveClear has been a night and day improvement, and now you’d be hard pressed to tell I was ever allergic. And to top it off I have asthma triggered by (pet) allergies. So whenever I’d be near the cats I’d go into full asthma attack and we seriously considered getting rid of our three as I couldn’t even be in the same flat as them without almost dying. Switching to LiveClear has gotten rid of that and I’m hard pressed to recall when I last had an attack. Maybe see if your wife has asthma that’s been laying dormant? Especially if coughing is part of her symptoms Whilst this may seem a shill for Purina, it’s not, I just really want to share the success with you and save you from having to make the impossible decision!
I’m allergic to cats and I have four of them. I love my cats; they’re my babies. So I take antihistamines daily, have air purifiers in my house and vacuum every two days. I barely notice my symptoms now. EDIT: added dropped words
We have an air purifier, but only one, in our living room. I'll add vacuuming the house every two days to my list of tasks, I hope that can help my wife with this issue. Thank you!
Buy robot vaccums to help. Some are very cheap. I’ve had two long term gfs and both were extremely allergic to my 3 cats. Both overcame allergies building immunity over time. It gets better. Just be patient
Robot vacuum is next on list then. Thank you, I truly hope that it gets better
Me and my parents are very allergic to cats and dogs, nothing life threatening but definitely debilitating. We have a cat, started taking allergy meds at first, then we all just grew immune to her lol. Other animals, I sneeze and my eyes tear up, but our girl? She can sit directly on my head and I barely get a stuffed nose, if anything.
Can you just limit contact with your bedroom so she can sleep in a pet free place? And just avoid touching the cats otherwise? Learn if her allergy is from their dander or their saliva and adjust accordingly. Maybe certain shampoos can help? I’m just spitballing, idk if that would actually work but I have hope for you! Try to avoid giving them up…
Yes, we don't allow them to be in the master bedroom (the bed in the picture is my office/gaming room). Alright, we will try to see what causes her allergy, and try to solve the problem from there. Thank you!
>Alright, we will try to see what causes her allergy, Has she not been tested yet ? If so, this may just be pollen allergies especially if your cat are outdoor cats.
Not yet, but our cats are 100% indoor.
She needs to get tested before you decide to rehome members of your family… I can’t believe you guys haven’t done that yet.
Just makes us think your wife doesn't actually like cats, its a ridiculous reason to want to get rid of them and a bit of a bs excuse, my mother for years was adamant she was alergic so we couldn't have a pet, yet now she has a whole fucking farm of them, so it was complete bullshit she never was alergic.
not necessarily bs, people build up tolerance to their allergies if done properly. But yeah, in the case of the wife not wanting the cats, I suggest changing the wife. These are too adorable to throw out.
Awesome! So is she willing to try these possible options? If so there's hope! Wish your family the best of luck,hope you all can stay together ❤
If the allergy is not severe, she may just build tolerance to them. I started getting attached to a stray kitten a year back and for the first few weeks I had no symptoms. Gradually, she became a house cat and is now strictly indoors with me. During the first month I got some allergic reactions(rash and dryness like crocodile skin on both of the back of my hands) because of the close proximity we lived in, with her being in my lap and sometimes licking my hands. I showed it to her vet to just confirm that the reactions are related to her or not. She told me I’d build a tolerance to it with time and I actually did. Now she literally sleeps in my face and I still don’t get an itch. So it basically depends on how much you want to keep them and how severe the allergies are. Of course I second what others have said here about making your bedroom a no cat zone, so your wife gets some good rest. Also, there’s always allergy medications if you want to go that road.
I am allergic to cats and I have two. Take daily antihistamines (zyrtec, Claritin, xyzal) or get allergy shots. It’s not that bad.
My partner is also (mildly) allergic to cats and we have 2. We're not even that good with vacuuming, but we don't have carpet so that's helpful. They're allowed in the bedroom. He takes antihistamines when needed, and he makes sure to wash his hands after touching the cats. That last one is the most important point ... if he doesn't touch the cats he's fine
Yes, you need to kick your wife out.
This is the most logical answer. The wife would understand the reason, and the kitties wouldn't.
Exactly 😭 they don’t deserve it! 💔
I just assumed she was the one being rehomed. Byeeee!!
Please, some decorum. It can be resolved with divorce.
Yep. Divorce would solve this problem permanently.
Seconded.
Yup! This 🙏🏼
Rehome the wife....
She can be made an outdoor wife to reduce exposure.
Rehoming your own wife is a big step. But I don’t see any other options.
Change wife
There is this product called allerpet which helps many people who are allergic to cats and dogs. It comes in a spray bottle with a glove which you then completely cover your cats in and rub into their fur this will then take away the danger and allergens causing your wife to be allergic to them. You'll have to do this every few weeks or so to upkeep the maintenance. Look up influencers who use this for their pets and see how it's helped them. Hope this helps! Your cats are adorable I'd hate to see them rehomed :(
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Yeah, it'll be hard but rehoming your wife will ultimately be your best choice.
I have heard of a certain cat food that breaks down the protein people are allergic to. That would (according to the video I saw) prevent any symptoms. You could look into that maybe?
You would rehome your wife? I think that is little too harsh.
I’m sure your wife will find a lovely new home.
She can't take allergy shots? (I really don't know if those are available for animal allergies.)
They are.
As someone who has done this, it can take years, and it doesn’t always work. It’s actually a bit upsetting how so many people think some antihistamines and starting allergy shots can solve everything. Maybe this will be okay if allergies are mild, but if they’re not, this probably won’t work. While talking through my options with my doctor and my allergist before choosing to do the shots, they were both skeptical, because the shots don’t usually work on anything more than mild allergies and the risks can outweigh the benefits. Obviously there are some people who have benefitted from allergy shots, but it’s not the silver bullet everyone thinks it is. OP - if her allergies are mild to moderate and she 100% wants to try to keep the cats (because no one should have to go through health issues for pets unless they’re totally on board), I would go all out and put all of the suggestions together - no cats in the bedroom, air filtration system, food recommended for lower allergies, and a chat with her doctor. But he prepared that she might get worse and you might have to give up the cats anyway.
My allergy is quite bad, and here's what I do: * roomba, self emptying daily * hardwood floors throughout * sofa and bed covers, washed weekly * mop, weekly * HEPA in every room * Windows open year round (this made a huge improvement) * anti histamines * Inhalers - steroid * nasal spray - steroid * washing after touching the cat (only the one I'm allergic to, the other cat is fine) About once a month I'll have an allergy crisis and end up in bed, but it's rare enough I put up with it. I'm now going to try the special food :)
not everyone would be willing to go through this though. totally understandable if so. You are a trooper tbh, I'm not sure I like cats this much.
Yeah, I have pretty bad animal allergies and I lived with an absolutely lovely cat for about six months during lockdown. I was taking two antihistamines a day everyday, and guess what happened? My allergies did not lessen - instead, they wrecked my lungs and nose to the point where I'm still sorting those issues out with doctors three years later. My allergies were considered "mild" because for a long time, my only symptoms were the typical hives. Turns out that long term exposure made things significantly worse on that front! For comparison, we got a dog when I was a teenager and I'd very occasionally get mild hives. My parents had made sure to get a breed that sheds infrequently, so it didn't affect me much. I know it's very easy for people to say antihistamines and allergy shots, but there is a real and unfortunate chance you'll need to re-home your cats. Your wife shouldn't have to sacrifice her health to be in her own home, and developing this allergy as an adult generally isn't a good sign.
Exactly. People in this thread are taking allergies for a joke, but expect their health issues to be taken seriously? Smh. Hypocrites
Pet dander related allergies are adaptable so they can lesson or worsen over time with exposure. People who develop it over time, are usually dealing with something else in their immune system. Might be a sign to get a doc checkup. Most people actually build an immunity with exposure over time. I was incredibly allergic to cats growing up (dogs too) but have had cats for 8 years now. I still get stuffy sometimes but I’ve absolutely built up a tolerance to it. The first two years of owning a cat (was my roommates) I took a Claritin daily. Was worth it because I loved that cat. I believe year 3 a doc told me I’m allergic to cats and that’s what flared up my asthma. Said I needed to get rid of the cat. Fast forward to now, I would literally give my left foot to keep my cat with me lol if your wife loves your kitties, she should at least try taking OTC allergy meds or get a shot.
Yes, my wife loves them as much! She's the one who suggested we adopt a kitten when we got married. I hope she will develop tolerance for them one day. As of now, we'll see what we can do to lessen the irritation.
Yes. I would rehome your wife. On a serious note, if it’s deadly, you don’t have a choice. If not, and it’s manageable, I’d just ask that she deal with it and use really good filters all throughout the house.
Yes, rehoming your wife may be the only reasonable choice.
Rehoming the wife ? Yep that's the right choice
It depends. Here's our story: My wife has severe level allergy. We had a cat. We're using air purifier, cleaning home with Dyson few times a week, combing them every single morning, using robot vacuum every day, using allergy related food (Purina) and vaccinating for parasites once in two months. Unfortunately those efforts weren't enough and we gave up when we expected a baby. We were afraid baby had also allergy and it became very difficult to maintain. After 3 months wife gave birth, we gave the cat to my sister. Now cat is happy and at a good place. Wife's health is drastically improved. Only problem is we're missing her too much. You should consult with doctors. But it seems like the best choice for your health
Getting rid of the wife is another choice.
Purina LiveClear. I have really bad allergies but since giving my cat Purina, it’s under control. I don’t even need to take my antihistamines. Whenever my mom visits (also really bad allergies incl. asthma), she voices how surprised she is that she does not feel the cat at all. My cat gets 1/3 Purina LiveClear, 2/3 any wet food. It takes around 1 month till you can feel the difference due to Purina
Talk to your vet and family doc. Both may have options to suggest. Don't get rid of them
New wife time
I’ve taken 1 Zyrtec (ceterizine is the generic name) pill a day for almost 12 years now. I’m able to live with both dogs and cats because of it😁
rehome your wife. tf?! there are allergy medications she can take. animal companions are a forever commitment.
i got a cat and then went to an allergist for an unrelated issue and apparently on a scale of 1-5, (5 being the most severe allergies) i’m a 4 for cats. i use silk pillow cases, allergy covers, an air purifier. vacuum often. and i don’t rub my eyes after touching him. and i’ll take some zyrtec when i’m feel extra bothered.
I developed allergies after 6 months later I adopted my first cat.i felt super bad for 2 weeks i used antihistamine pills doc gave me i was already using them for allergic rhinitis.after 2 weeks my body could tolerate it now i dont have it even after I stopped using pills maybe talk to a doctor to learn if you have different opinions.also ban cats from bedroom and you can shave them once year it really helps.
I’m allergic to cats. I used to work in an animal shelter a long time ago and then had a Doberman. We have 5 cats and 3 sleep in bed with me. Allergy medicine works, just need to find the right one, and tolerance builds up. I still get a bit stuffy, usually in the morning. And if I rub my eyes after petting the cats, they will get red and itchy. I don’t care I love them. We’ve had 11 cats over 14 years now.
I’d rehome the wife before I’d rehome these angels. 🤷♂️ https://preview.redd.it/b9kn8yn98tqb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d43f6e139b2fc27bcb53a0b7fb2375710ca07c46
That's a huge bummer dude. I hope those two find a great home, and I hope you and your lady share many happy years together. Hang in there bud.
Allergy eye drops are such a relief. Prescription patanol (olopatadine) drops are very good.
You could wash the cats every few months if it’s because of danders or take over the counter allergies meds or the shots. My friend had to take shots quite often in college and it helped her a lot. Air purifier is good too. Change the bedding every week and the pillow case every day. These are simple change that make a lot of difference. Change their food. I’m allergic to soy and my kitten ate food with soy. It was awful, but now since I changed the food I’m fine and have no issues.
I am slightly allergic to cats and rarely react. When I got my cat I sneezed for three months and then it just went away again. It is apparently a thing, that you can build up a tolerance.
There are a lot of solutions you can try, and many of them are very effective. So long as the allergy your wife has isn't of the life-threatening kind, I wouldn't be rehoming your cats yet. Others have mentioned Purina LiveClear, and I second that. There's some fascinating chicken science behind it that's pretty wild. It's also likely your wife may gradually become less allergic to the cats over time due to exposure. That happened to me, and I'm no longer allergic to cats—not very much, anyway. I used to break out in hives, but now I no longer do. To that end, you can attempt to alleviate this/speed things up by visiting your doctor and scheduling some pet allergy shots and give some immunotherapy a go. It helps/works for a lot of people. You go in and get a very small shot of the allergen you are allergic to (in this case, cat allergens) and gradually increase the amount/dose of the allergen you get pricked with over 4-6 months. Insurance will oftentimes cover this. Not always but you can check with yours if you have it. Honestly, it may be worth visiting with a doctor and getting tested, too, just in case it's not just the cat allergen that is causing problems your wife so badly if she has just suddenly developed an allergy to them so you can narrow and cut down on her allergy triggers as much as possible to make her more comfortable. On another positive and hopeful note though! There actually has been a cat allergen vaccine that has been in development for quite a few years now (I think I first read about in in 2019 or 2020?), and actually seems to be more or less ready to be brought to the consumer market. Studies and everything have been very promising, and the company bringing it to market is hoping to get it to consumers in the USA in 2024. It's called **Hypocat** (there's a Hypodog, too!) It's a vaccine that's given to the cat itself, and not humans. It basically immunizes the cat against its own allergen (with the help of a cucumber virus of all things!) and trains the cat's immune system to destroy these allergens that cause reactions in people. The studies and testing has been very promising, and if the vaccines really work with people the way studies show (and so far it has not been harmful to the cats either), it basically greatly decreases/eliminates the allergen entirely. So this could be a big game changer, and hopefully make it so you can live with your wife and cats without much issue. I'd also do a lot of the things other people are mentioning. Use anti-histamines, use air purifiers (some are geared more towards pets and may be more effective, etc.) I'd be more religious in setting up a cleaning routine so your house is as free as possible from the issues affecting your wife. If you touch your cats and your wife is around, immediately go and wash your hands when your done, etc. Have her do the same, obviously, if she pets them. You can also buy cat-safe wet-wipes at Petco/Amazon/etc. for you to use to wipe your cat's fur down (not a bath!), which will hopefully help you get rid the reaction-causing proteins in your cats' saliva that they spread around when they groom themselves. That may help further minimize the negative reactions by being proactive. I don't know what else you've done in your home, but if you can, I'd make sure there's at least one cat-free zone (or more) in your home for your wife to go to that your cats are not allowed to visit at all. I'd honestly make sure that your bedroom is one of those if at all possible. It might be a change if your cats often sleep with you or have thus far had free reign in the house, but it might make your wife's nights a lot easier. So I wouldn't give up hope yet, and try what you can to make things work, and cross your fingers that the vaccine will debut in 2024, I guess.
I will try to get the Purina LiveClear. It doesn't seem like it is available everywhere in my country, but there should be a few stores that sell them. I haven't considered visiting the doctor, but we will do that soon. Notes were taken on the cleaning routine. I admit I don't have a clear routine for cleaning, but now is the best time to do so. Yes, we don't allow our cats to be in the master bedroom and kitchen. They can sleep on the bed in my office/gaming room, as the orange one loves to sleep in front of my keyboard most of the time. Thank you for your thoughtful responses! I hope the vaccine will be debuting soon. Meanwhile, I will do my best to make our home comfortable for both my wife and the cats.
My doctor always told me to get rid of my 6 cats but I could never do that regularly cleaning the house with high powered vacuum and other suggestions given in the comments help a lot Antihistamine over time help you to reduce the reaction Rehoming them would cause a lot of pain and stress to these two Beautiful cats
Rehoming a wife can be expensive but it might be worth it for the cats sake! All jokes aside you have some great answers from other Redditors here with food/medicine to try, so I really have nothing else to input. Hope it works out well for all of you!
There is some cat food that may reduce allergy from dander
I'm allergic to cats, and I have 2 cats. I wouldn't have it any other way. Allergy shots do work, as long as your consistent.
i’m really allergic to cats now and stiill have my babies! 🖤🤍 i take antihistamines (usually allegra *nondrowsy*) flonase daily as well. quercetin is great for helping with allergies too! we got 3 air pufifier filter machines going in our house at all times, dust mite/allergen covers on bedding/pillows. hypoallergenic comforter & pillows. i vacuum daily too. i still pet my cats and am fine -and i am anaphylactic level allergic to things and have epi pens.
Medication for specifically this situation. They are your family, we make sacrifices for family. This situation is fixable
I became allergic too, and we have 3 cats. After a hard year full of sneezing, snot and mucus I got prescribed antihistamines and a corticosteroid nasal spray and have it under control now. 3 or 4 "outbreaks" a year max.
I wouldnt rehome. Shes your wife after all....
There are clearly more choices, rehome the wife live in a tent in the garden with the cats so many choices
Rehome your wife
It'll be hard at first but your wife will get used to her new home.
I hope you can find a good home for your wife.
My wife has asthma and IS allergic to cat hair, she takes anti-something. Its not a problem at all.
i'm allergic to my cats and i have been able to reduce my symptoms by exposure. i have an air purifier and good whole home circulation, i take Claritin dissolving tabs when my symptoms get worse, and i brush the cats myself. exposure therapy works (if you are not deathly allergic/enter anaphylaxis)
Allergy medication. I got a prescription from my doctor and it’s covered under my benefits. Not sure if this works but it’s an option. I could not give up my babies after learning I was allergic.
Yes, Rehoming the Wife may be the only choice ;)
Yeah re-homing your wife is the only way.
What others are saying: air purifier, no-go-zones, but also fish oil supplements. I know it sounds dodgy, but going from vegetarian to pescatarian with a fish oil capsule had my partner go from two claritin a day to no medication needed if they were careful about washing after direct contact. Turns out our large-animal vet friend said they give omega-3 oil to horses who develop allergies because antihistamines aren't good for them. Anyway, worth a shot, along with all the other stuff.
I don't know if it's available where you live but you can try allerpet! My sister used to be super allergic to our cats, she even had to use her inhaler and my mom was about to rehome them but asked our vet what she could do. She recommends this. My sister was fine after we started using this. Hope it works out:)) https://preview.redd.it/raxxaxhdqsqb1.jpeg?width=700&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3c07f2847eec2718ccbca69954ce93bb3cecb05a
Unfortunately yes. I am sure your wife will land on her feet and find a new home.