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Shanghai Expat Forum Index » City Living Forums » Expat Cat Answers on Living in Shanghai

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galatea310

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Joined: Feb 07, 2008
Posts: 26

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Posted: Aug 24, 2008 - 11:42 AM
Post subject: Sudden Allergy?

Hello there,

Is it possible to develop a sudden allergy towards a kitty? We've had our kitty for 2 months and I've suddenly developed what appears to be allergy towards her. My nose is stuffy and itches and I wake up with a sinus headache. We tried to limit the kitty to only one room in the house for a few days and my allergy improved. Then the kitty was reintroduced to the entire house and allergy returned.

Is it possible to develop a sudden allergy towards a kitty that we've had for a couple of months? Could it be a phase that might pass? The kitty seems to be shedding her baby fur and growing her real fur at the moment.

Any ideas?

Thanks much!

yu888
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Joined: Jan 25, 2003
Posts: 18048
Location: ZhongShanParkArea SH

Posted: Aug 24, 2008 - 11:47 AM

from my expereince once you become allergic to cats, that is it. Your body now identifies it as an allergen and will react with an immune response.

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OZDave

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Joined: July 04, 2008
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Posted: Aug 24, 2008 - 12:31 PM

My family had a cat for all of my teenage life at home and I had no problems at all.

Since I moved out of home, at some stage I developed an allergy- I haven't had a cat myself and the only exposure I had was when I visited my parents.

One day, 10 years or so ago, I just started getting allergic reactions- runny nose, itchy eyes and lots of sneezing.

I have continued to have the reaction for the last 10 years since that time everytime I spend a few hours in a house with a cat.

galatea310

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Posted: Aug 24, 2008 - 12:36 PM

This is really tragic!!! I love our kitty!! And I've had exposure to other cats before, even owned one for many years as a teen, and lived with another for 3 years during grad school. I've never had problems with either of them, that's why I was hoping it was a phase... Maybe I'm in denial... Sad

freedelia

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Joined: Nov 27, 2006
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Posted: Aug 24, 2008 - 12:40 PM

Yeah, me too, no problem for years (my grandparents had a cat) and then one day i became allergic and have been allergic ever since. Sorry -- cat has to go Sad

boomber72

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Joined: June 17, 2006
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Posted: Aug 24, 2008 - 05:19 PM

Check out the ears...they might have something inside that will spread and create those symtoms for you. Is the kitty scratching also? Clean her up and the places she is living in and your house...it is difficult to get rid of those buggies, like dust mites....but once its spread it is there...normally they die after a while without the host....but if you clean your cat up, you got to clean up its place else it will get back on to her.

blondesands

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Joined: Nov 21, 2007
Posts: 208

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Posted: Aug 24, 2008 - 06:13 PM

As the others have stated, it is possible to become allergic. Lived with cats for many years without a problem at home, (my cat used to sleep with me) moved away, and whenever I go near a cat now, have severe allergic reactions.

Wash your hands after you've played with the cat, and don't put it near your face, and if you don't mind living with the allergy, get some antihistamines.

Found this site which might be useful http://www.neirc.org/allergy_myths.htm

galatea310

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Posted: Aug 24, 2008 - 07:02 PM

Thanks for all the helpful information! The site blondesands sent is especially helpful and explains why sometimes a kitten may not cause allergy until they are older... I would probably just deal with it by taking some claritin if I wasn't pregnant... Still, it's really difficult to give up the little fur ball at this point... Well, I'll think it over... Sad

Thanks again for all the helpful suggestions though!

monalisalee

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Joined: May 10, 2005
Posts: 652
Location: Shanghai
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Posted: Aug 24, 2008 - 07:45 PM

Couldn't that inadvertantly be your answer. Some people develop allergies when pregnant. Something like the opposite to a craving. Is this your first time?. If not, did you have any reaction the first time?. Your regular G.P. might be able to answer this one.
Good Luck.

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johnboy88

galatea310

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Posted: Aug 24, 2008 - 10:05 PM

I thought about that too, and in fact has an appointment with my OB tomorrow to discuss it. It is my first pregnancy so no previous experience to go by. If that is the case, I would have a bigger problem: I would then really hate to part with the kitty knowing that all this might go away in a few month. But then it's virtually impossible, not to mention unfair to try to give the kitty to someone to keep for 6 months and then ask for it back...

monalisalee

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Posted: Aug 24, 2008 - 11:48 PM

Yep, Galatea, Guessed you would have thought about that, so please post about your 'OB's opinion. So yes, you are the one with the scratching biting kitty, so how is that problem now?. If the current prob. is related to your pregnancy, it should end as quick as it started.
I am a cat lover, always had one, (or two) my whole life, until coming here, then I had to walk away from my best friend, and black cat, when I left N.Z. I had a restaurant there, and the people taking it over wanted my cat, because he was so popular working in the restaurant. True. I went back after a year here, but he didn't want to know me. Boo Hoo.
boomber72 gave good advice, as there could be trouble with mites, that you cannot see. Vets could help there.
If you need, I would take kitty for the duration, and would have no problem with giving it back. As you may remember, in your other post, we have my wife's two Liwawa miniature dogs, but they get on well with the cats in our compound, because they dont seem to realize they are dogs.
Anyway, just keep it in mind, and remember there is always a solution to every human problem.
John.

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johnboy88

galatea310

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Posted: Aug 25, 2008 - 11:01 AM

Well, OB says it's possible that the allergy is something that is due to pregnancy. But it could also just be the onset of allergy which can start at any age or time. There is no way to know for sure until I'm no longer pregnant. I'm going to take kitty to the vet and check on the ear mite thing and see if that could be the cause.

Thanks John for your kind offer! I will keep it in mind as things develop. I'm still holding on to last bit of hope... On the biting, she's gotten better lately, mostly bites only when she's had enough petting. She never had much of a scratching problem though, mostly scratch the inside of her enclosed kitty pan.