3 Responses

1. Sweet Cherry [3.14]

   August 5th, 2009 at 1:36 pm

   1

   I know where you’re coming from. I am also deathly allergic to cats, but absolutely love them. I have had them all my life, and plan to always have them. Here are a couple of things that I have done that really help me, besides the things you have already covered

   ~ Use a saline nasal irrigation system daily. [Here's the one I use http://www.neilmed.com/usa/sinusrinse.php ] It helps rinse any stray dander out of your nose, and REALLY reduces symptoms. I have terrible allergies to everything, and this method has singlehandedly reduced my symptoms by about 75%. It runs about $10 a month, but is well worth it. It also doesn’t interfere with any other medication. It was reccommended to my by my allergist, so try talking to them about it. You can also find it at any pharmacy.

   ~ Allergen / Pet Dander reducing vacuum. As the other person said, expensive but WELL worth it. Use it every day, and make sure to get your couch, as this is the place where you are most likely to have your face near dander.

   ~ Allergen reduction pillows and bedwear. I get the pillows at Target for $12 a piece, but I’m sure you could get them at any place that sells pillows. The bedwear is a little harder, and more expensive, and not as necessary since the cats sleep on the bed. My only suggestion here would be to cover the bed with another blanket or something during the day that you can remove before bed so that you’re not sleeping in a total bed of kitty hair

   ~Allergen reducing laundry soap. Also try to use a hair remover [one of those sticky roll things] to get cat hair off of your clothes as often as possible, especially when you are going out to your car.

   ~ Keep the cat hair out of your car! This is where using the hair remover and such helps. If its in your car too, you never have the chance to get away from the hair in your house. You take it everywhere with you, and that only increases your allergies.

   Bottom line, keep everything free of cat hair as often as possible, and that, in conjunction with the CONSTANT meds will help reduce allergies, and hopefully, the allergy shots will help take away the allergy in the long run

   Good luck, from one kitty lover to another…don’t let your allergies get in the way of having kitties! You can have allergies and still have animals…I do, and I know many others who do as well [you'd be surprised how prevalent allergies to cats actually are]

2. Sage

   August 5th, 2009 at 1:36 pm

   2

   The best investment I ever made when buying animals was I went out and bought a good $350 vacuum designed specifally for pet hair. It truly does WONDERS around my house. It Is excellent for picking up all dust and animal hair!!

3. Bold&Beautiful

   August 5th, 2009 at 1:36 pm

   3

   You just have to clean house more frequently than most. Dust, vacume and dust mop twice a day or more if needed. Keep a throw blanket on your bed so you don’t have to wash your bed clothes daily. Lint rollers or anything that picks up pet hair should be in every room they are in. Keep a pet free area in your house for relief if you haven’t cleaned as well as you should have. I LOVE THEM TOO!