Allergies to Cats - Precautions and Recommendations
What is cat allergy?
Cat allergy is the condition in which the human body's immune system develops an allergic response to various antigens found in cats. Allergens that can be found in cats:
- Cat saliva (the allergen found in cat saliva is called Fel d 1 - Felis domesticus 1 allergen)
- Secretions in the sebaceous glands of the cat's skin
Our body produces specific immunoglobulin (specific IgE) against cat allergens. The Fel d 1 allergen that causes cat allergy is actually a sticky glycoprotein structure that sticks to the cat's fur and can be dispersed into the environment during shedding or by evaporation. People in the vicinity inhale this allergen and breathe it in. Especially people with allergic constitutions and those who are allergic to cat hair may experience many symptoms such as nasal itching, sneezing, and nasal congestion when they come into contact with this allergen. In people living with cats, allergy symptoms may become more severe as the duration and intensity of contact increases.
This allergen is then inhaled by people in the household, and sensitive individuals who produce IgE to cat allergen (most often those with eczema, asthma, hay fever or other allergies, but some without) become sensitized to cat allergen and may begin to develop symptoms. These symptoms caused by cat allergen are called cat allergy. How severe this is depends on the individual and their allergen tolerance threshold levels.
Symptoms of cat allergy
In cat allergy, the symptoms that occur may vary depending on the sensitivity level of the person in contact, the duration and level of exposure to the allergen. When these symptoms begin to appear, if patients use allergy medications or stay away from the cat, the symptoms may become more subtle. Symptoms of cat allergy may occur immediately after contact or later and can be listed as follows:
- nasal itching and sneezing
- runny nose
- nasal congestion (may gradually increase)
- itching, redness or watering of the eyes
- postnasal drip and a tickling sensation in the throat
- cough
- changes in lung sounds, wheezing, difficulty breathing, chest tightness - bronchospasm or asthma attack may occur (this is especially common in asthmatic and hypersensitive individuals)
If these symptoms increase when you approach cats, unfortunately, you will need to stay as far away from these sweet and cute animals as possible.
Fel d 1 antigen is found in all cats!
There is no non-allergic or hypoallergenic cat. All cats produce Fel d 1, the main component of cat allergy, but there are differences depending on gender and breed. In other words, not all cats are equally allergenic and contact with cats does not mean that you will develop an allergy. In general, male cats produce more Fel d 1 than females; while neutered male cats produce Fel d 1 glycoprotein, the main cat allergen, at levels similar to female cats.
Cat fur itself is not allergenic!
A common misconception is that cat fur itself is allergenic and that the fur itself directly causes these symptoms. The real cat allergen is the Fel d 1 protein found in cats' saliva and skin. When cats lick their fur to clean themselves, this causes these allergens to stick to their own fur and skin. Thanks to the spiky comb-like structure and saliva found on cats' tongues, their fur is cleaned, shed and tidied. During this self-grooming of the cat, the fur is shed inside the house and allergens are spread to the environment.
Fel d 1 is a sticky and durable antigen, it can cause sensitization for months!
Fel d 1 is very sticky and light, it can remain suspended in the air. When inhaled, even if the cat is not in that environment, it can easily reach the depths of the lungs of people inside the house and cause symptoms in the respiratory tract, causing an asthma attack. This sticky protein-structured allergen can easily stick to people's hair and clothes, parts of vacuum cleaners, and ventilation areas. It can ensure that the allergenic effect continues for months. Cat allergens are particularly persistent and can remain in homes for at least six months to 1 year and possibly longer after the cat is no longer there.
Cat fur can also be a carrier of other allergens besides Fel d 1!
Cat fur can be a carrier of other airborne allergens such as pollen, house dust mites and mold. These allergens that can accumulate in cat hair can also cause an increase in cat allergy symptoms. In atopic people, i.e. patients with allergic diseases, in addition to cat antigens, there may also be pollen, mold and house dust allergy. In these people, not only avoiding cat allergens but also taking care to avoid other allergens is beneficial in reducing the patient's complaints and allergic response.
Cat fur alone can play a role as a trigger and symptom initiator in such allergic individuals. Allergens from pets such as cats and dogs can be carried to crowded places such as schools and daycares via clothing. Children and people in these places, and even if there is no cat at home, can come into contact with cat allergens and start allergic symptoms. Cat allergies can worsen symptoms in asthmatic children.
Cat allergens can be carried to schools and daycare centers on clothing!
Pet allergens can be found in environments where cats do not live, such as schools and public places where these allergens are transferred from pets such as cats and dogs on clothing and shoes. Exposure to cat allergens in schools.
Recommendations and precautions for cat allergies
You can reduce the possibility and symptoms of cat allergy by paying attention to the following recommendations:
- If you have had contact with a cat, wash your hands and if there is contact with your clothes, you can take your clothes off to be washed. Simple hair removal may not be enough!
- Brush cats outside the house to clean them. Clean the hair.
- Wash your hands after touching a cat or being licked by a cat.
- Reduce your pet's contact with the bed, pillow, cushion you sleep in and use as much as possible (of course this is not possible)- - Avoid touching cats
- Regularly wash the cushions in the areas where cats sleep in hot and detergent water
- Use special cleaning machines for hair loss
- Use an air cleaner machine in the house and bedroom and learn ventilation techniques
- Use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter when cleaning the house.
- If the friend you are going to visit has a cat at home, you can start using antihistamine tablets and cortisone nasal sprays in advance. Keep your inhalers and sprays for your respiratory tract with you in case of an asthma attack.
- Keep your cat out of the bedroom whenever possible.
- It is beneficial to regularly clean the litter box where cats urinate or defecate, because the same allergenic proteins found in cats' saliva, fur and dander are also found in cats' urine.
Feed your cat special cat food that reduces Fel d 1 production!
If allergy symptoms start when you come into contact with your cat, you can feed your cat a special cat food that can reduce the production of Fel d 1 glycoprotein, the main allergen in your cat, and neutralize Fel d 1. After feeding with this food, although Fel d 1 is still produced; the possibility of it being active may decrease.
These foods cannot completely eliminate cat allergy and the cat must be fed with it continuously in order to be effective. It may take up to three weeks for the symptoms to improve after you start feeding your cat with this food, and considering that the effect of cat allergens previously spread into the house can last for months, you may need to wait a long time after feeding with this food for the cat allergy to decrease and the symptoms to fade. In patients with cat allergy, if only nasal symptoms (sneezing, nasal itching and nasal congestion ...) are present, regular irrigation with salt water in the nose is beneficial. For this reason, regular nasal washing with sinus rinse bottles is beneficial.
Medical treatment for cat allergy
In patients with cat allergy, various symptomatic medical treatments can be planned according to the amount of symptoms. There is no definitive treatment for allergy and the simplest and most innocent precaution is to avoid contact. When cats are like family members in the house, this avoidance and prevention of contact is a very difficult recommendation. If you are a professional such as a veterinarian, doctor, nurse, home care specialist who has a cat allergy and has to come into contact with cats, you can consult an allergist to get an appropriate treatment plan. For symptoms related to the nose, as I said earlier, simple intranasal lavage with salt water, if necessary, oral antihistamine tablets, nasal steroid sprays, oral leukotriene receptor blocker tablets can be used. Avoidance in allergy, "minimally toxic treatment" is recommended in a stepwise manner. In other words, it is recommended to make a decision according to observation, from the simplest intranasal wash to the stage where the most drugs are used. If there are signs of pulmonary allergic disease, various inhaled sprays can be used. In patients with single cat allergy, desensitization treatments with immunotherapy can be planned.
Source links >> Allergic to your cat? Easy tips to prevent and control your allergy / An update on molecular cat allergens: Fel d 1 and what else? Chapter 1: Fel d 1, the major cat allergen | Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology / A comparative study of the allergens of cat urine, serum, saliva, and pelt - PubMed / Allergic to Your Pet? Learn About Dog and Cat Allergies
Murat Enoz, MD, Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgeon
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