Cats cause me a great deal of discomfort...

by Adam
(CA, USA)

What is the allergy you suffer from?

I suffer from allergies to cats and horses

At what age did it start for you?

I have had this allergy since I was a child, however it got worse as I grew older.

What are the symptoms? and what discomfort do you go through?

I get a few different symptoms, depending on how close I get to a cat.

If I am in a house that has a cat, I sneeze uncontrollably. My nose gets stuffy and I can' breathe. If a cat comes near me, I start to wheeze and have problems getting air into my lungs. My chest feels heavy and my breathing gets more and more restricted if I don't get some fresh air.

Just being in a house that has a cat isn't too bad. If the house is kept clean and the cat hair and dander are kept under control, my symptoms are fairly easy to deal with.

The discomfort comes when I get within a few feet of a cat. It feels like someone is sitting on my chest and plugging my nose.

Is there a particular time of the year when it gets worse?

This is not a seasonal allergy, but in the summer it lessens because I can spend more time outside of a house

Have you found a solution? If yes, how did you deal with it?

The only solution I have found is to avoid cats as much as I can.

If I'm visiting a friend who owns a cat, I request that the cat be kept in another room or a basement. On nice days, I suggest spending as much time outside as possible.

Have you been able to get rid of them? What did you do to get rid of it?

I have not been able to get rid of my allergies. All I can do is try to control them

Did you use any products, if so, which ones?

I use an inhaler and Claratin when I am going to spend a lot of time near cats.