How To Build Immunity to Cat Allergies?

I understand how you might feel suffering from cat allergies, as I have also been through it. Cat allergies are annoying as you might end up sneezing, itching, red eyes, flushed face, breathing issues, and so on.

With most people wondering about how to build immunity to cat allergies? I’m here to help you understand how to build immunity to cat allergies.

Building immunity to cat allergies is simple if you understand the cat allergens and how your body reacts to them. But, first, you must realize that cat allergy occurs because of the proteins in the cat’s saliva and urine.

Such proteins are present in dry flakes of the cat’s skin within their fur, cat dander. Therefore, if you are allergic to cats and still planning to invest in one, you should learn to build a tolerance to cat allergens with time.

I have also discussed some home remedies and cat allergy treatment options to alleviate your symptoms.

To help you understand all about building immunity to cat allergies symptoms, dive in to have a look.

What Are the Symptoms of Cat Allergies? How Does It Affect Your Health?

You have landed in the right place if you suffer from cat allergy symptoms. But do you start sneezing or coughing with watery eyes as soon as you enter the home or room where your cat stays?

Are your symptoms mild initially, and do they aggravate as soon as you spend several hours within the same territory as your cat?

These all are the signs of suffering from cat allergies leading to such symptoms. Understand the symptoms that you might undergo while suffering from cat allergens:

Upper Respiratory Tract Infections:

Cat allergies can result in upper respiratory tract symptoms or affect the skin. Common symptoms of cat allergies include:

Sneezing and Watery Eyes:

Sneezing with itchy, red, watery eyes are the common symptoms. You might also suffer from a stuffy or runny nose if you suffer from cat allergies.

Coughing:

Coughing is another important symptom that you might undergo if exposed to cat allergens. In addition, sore throat is commonly seen in people suffering from cat allergens.

Redness And Itching:

Redness, itching, and skin rash are common symptoms of cat allergies.

Wheezing And Breathing Issues:

Wheezing or breathing issues are also common with cat allergies. In addition, people with asthma might suffer from an asthmatic attack triggered by cat exposure.

Complications You Might Face Due to Cat Allergies:

Apart from these symptoms, a cat owner or people living with a cat in the same house can suffer from certain complications too.

Such complications include face swelling, throat obstruction leading to severe breathing issues, or different parts of the body reaction to cat allergens. If you suffer from shortness of breath or develop any swelling, it’s essential to seek medical attention.

How To Prevent Cat Allergies from Developing?

Cat allergies are more widespread than dog allergies. Cat allergies have nothing to do with the friendly nature of the cat or how much you love your cat and vice versa. Getting cat allergies is common as your body identifies the cat allergens as foreign invaders.

If you have been wondering how to prevent cat allergies from developing, I’m here to help out as I have managed cat allergy symptoms to some extent.

• Avoidance is the best thing to prevent cat allergies as the top prior thing. However, if you discover cat allergies, there are specific options apart from avoiding the cat. Consider the following strategies to prevent cat allergies from developing.
• Keep your cat out of the bedroom and make it seated in a well-defined setting rather than allowing it to roam around.
• Wash your hands thoroughly after touching your cat, as this might lower your chance of suffering from allergic reactions.
• Remove any upholstered furniture or wall-to-wall carpeting. Ensure to clean walls and your tile/ wood flooring to reduce the chance of suffering from cat allergens.
• Make sure to get your hands on the furniture covers or throw rugs that you can wash using hot water. Using throw rugs and furniture covers allows you to wash them frequently and eliminate cat allergens.
• Cover your air conditioning and heating vents using dense, filling material like cheesecloth, preventing cat allergies.
• Make sure to install a top-notch air cleaner as this helps you away from all sorts of allergens.
• Change your filters over your air conditioning units with the furnaces frequently.
• Maintain around 40% humidity levels in your home, especially your room, to avoid cat allergens.
• Make sure to vacuum weekly using the HEPA filters.
• When cleaning or dusting, make sure to wear your face masks.
• Make sure to hire some non-allergic person to dust your home and clean your litter box regularly.

Talk to your doctor regarding immunotherapy for severe cat allergy to get a long-term solution.

Coping With Your Cat Allergy Symptoms at Home

To cope with the cat allergy symptoms at home, what I do is that I make sure to vacuum the carpets and furniture regularly, plus regular sweeping of the floors. If I feel severe allergies, I hire someone to do such chores so you can do the same.

The simple remedy for coping with cat allergy symptoms is to carry the epinephrine injection pen. People like me who suffer from severe cat allergies should consult the doctor and always have an epinephrine pen.

Epinephrine pen helps reduce the severe symptoms you might face because of cat allergies.

People suffering from cat allergies should avoid keeping cats, which is one of the powerful solutions. However, most of us don’t want to stay away from our pets, so it’s essential to keep the allergy medications that help control the symptoms.

Symptoms might persist for most people who keep their cats indoors. However, allergy shots are also a solution for keeping your cat allergy-free. Allergy shots boost your immune system and prevent you from cat allergy symptoms.

• There are other more straightforward ways too for decreasing exposure to cat allergens:
• Make sure your cat is neutered.
• Keep your cat clean at all times. Bath it once or twice weekly.
• Wipe your cat using a hand towel or wet cloth daily.
• Keep your cat away from the bedroom door or bedroom itself, so you don’t suffer from cat allergies.
• Keep your cats outside the garage or in a home without carpeted flooring.
• Vacuum using the HEPA filters.
• Utilize the HEPA air cleaners in the bedroom and different parts of your home to eliminate all the dust and allergens.
• Dry clean and launder the curtains and bedding.
• Steam clean the upholstered furniture and carpet.
• Vacuum all the flooring and wipe down the furniture.
• Keep your cats away from your bedroom and the air vents.
• If you cannot cope with the cat allergy symptoms at home, get rid of the cats completely, especially if someone has uncontrolled asthma.
• Nasal lavage is one of the effective cat allergies treatment at home for coping with the symptoms of cat allergies. You can use salt water or saline for rinsing the nasal passages, postnasal drip, and reducing congestion or sneezing.

Moreover, you can use over-the-counter medicines. You can also prepare saltwater in your home by mixing 1/8^th teaspoon of the table salt in 8 ounces of distilled water.

• Probiotics and acupuncture are also effective in improving the symptoms of cat allergies. In addition, herbal remedies show beneficial effects in getting rid of all cat allergy symptoms.

FAQs:

Can Cat Allergies Go Away With Exposure?

If you have been suffering from cat allergies, you must be wondering whether the cat allergies go away with exposure or not. So, the answer to this question is that allergy symptoms in cats don’t go away entirely, but they are highly manageable.

It is an ultimate fact that you need to know about what your allergy causes in cats. Cat allergens are airborne, and if you breathe the allergens, you might suffer from severe allergic reactions. In addition, cat allergens are small, so they remain suspended within the air for longer.

Your cat allergies might go away if you become accustomed to the particular cat over a duration. When regularly exposed to a specific cat, your reactions to the cat allergens might diminish.

Can You Get Shots To Not Be Allergic To Cats?

Suppose you are not developing immunity to cat allergens like most people, including me. You can try getting the shots to diminish the cat allergic reactions. The immunotherapy shots are designed to work similarly to the exposure to cats over a period.

Such injections comprise cat allergens with tiny doses at the start, gradually increasing over time. What you can do about the shots to prevent cat allergies is get them once or twice a week for a six-month duration. In addition, to create a strong immunity, get boosters every three years.

However, before getting the shots for cat allergens, you need to get an appointment with the doctor to perform allergy tests and offer you the shot treatment.

Can Someone Who Is Allergic to Cats Live With A Cat?

Yes, you can live with the cats if allergic to cats with mild symptoms. However, if you have severe allergies, you might need to reconsider. People with mild symptoms live with cats, and they treat the symptoms with readily available over-the-counter medicines.

You can live with cat allergies like me right here if you follow the right precautions. Make sure to keep cat allergies in mind while you choose the cat, reduce allergens in your house, and groom the cats regularly.

Do Cat Allergies Weaken Your Immune System?

Some people might develop immunity against a specific type of cat. Allergens are commonly considered foreign invaders in the human body leading to immunity reactions.

However, according to LiveScience, some of the pet parent bodies grow accustomed to the specific cat allergens, leading to diminished reactions by the human body.

Cat allergens don’t weaken your immune system. On the contrary, they make your immune system strong. So, if your immune system recognizes cat allergens, it’s working to its extreme and will help you eliminate all allergens.

However, this immunity is developed for a specific type of cat. So when you get exposed to a new cat at your friend or family member’s home, you might suffer from an allergic reaction.

Conclusion

If you or any of your loved ones suffer from cat allergies and want to enhance their immunity, then definitely try the abovementioned measures.

These preventive measures like medicines, boosters, shots, and cleaning measures are followed by me. After following these measures, you’ll feel the difference as they are highly effective.

Keeping your house clean and the cat clean prevents you from cat allergies. Use an air purifier to get rid of all the impurities. Get yourself tested for an allergic test to determine which allergens in your household lead to an allergic reaction.

So, without further delay, start following these measures, and I’m sure you’ll suffer from cat allergies like me!