Cats are wonderful animals. They are quite sensitive to the emotions of a person. When you feel bad, or if something hurts, the pet is curled up on his knees and will cute. It's enough to stroke a fluffy lump - and your mood will improve. But, unfortunately, not everyone can get this cute little beast. Sadly, allergy to cats is found in 15 percent of the world's population. Tears, runny nose, sneezing, coughing - all these symptoms can occur to you immediately after you pat your pet. And many of us write off health problems for colds or fatigue. Which, by the way, is fraught with serious consequences. After all, sometimes contact with domestic animals leads to death. 
Why is an allergy to a pet
Allergy is the reaction of your body tosubstance Fel d 1, with which you are constantly in contact. It is found in feces, saliva and glands of a cat. The allergen gets inside through a nose or a throat (at an inspiration). Through the mouth - when swallowing food. Or through the skin - when stroking a pet. Your immune system is trying to cope with the foreign protein, producing an increasing number of white blood cells. So, imagine, your cat is shedding, leaving villi and skin particles on the couch, clothes, armchair. Licking out, he splashes saliva into the air and lubricates her with wool. Pay attention, at a young age the little creature allocates a small amount of Fel d 1, so you can easily transfer contact with the pet. But the older it becomes, the worse you begin to feel. "What's the problem?", You think. Many naively believe that it is enough to have a short-haired or bald cat (Sphinx, for example) to avoid such sad consequences. But not everything is as simple as it seems at first glance. The fact that the hair itself is not an allergen! Pel d 1 falls on the villi through saliva. This substance is also found in the skin and in urine, which animals sometimes spray in the room to mark the territory. But even if you accustom the pet to the tray, you will not get rid of the problem. Another nuance about which cat owners should remember: this allergen remains on objects, walls and things for a long time. Therefore, even if you give a pet, improvement in the next 2-3 months will not come. The seizures will be repeated all the time until you have a general cleaning with detergents. 
How the allergy manifests: symptoms and consequences
The patient after a short contact withanimals lays a nose, there is a runny nose, itching, lachrymation. The skin gradually becomes covered with a rash and turns red. If there is an exacerbation, a person may begin to suffocate, as in bronchial asthma. At the same time, breathing is accompanied by a dry cough, shortness of breath and suffocation. Unfortunately, in this case, you have to say goodbye to the pet. If you continue to contact the allergen, the situation will only worsen. Because of the decrease in immunity, health problems will begin, you will quickly become tired, there will be aggression, apathy, bad mood. But this is not the worst thing! Conjunctivitis, bronchial asthma, eczema, chronic rhinitis is just a small list of what you will have to face. Further - even worse. If almost all the time to be with the source of the allergen (ie with a cat), ignoring the above symptoms, anaphylactic shock can occur. Be always on the alert! As soon as the patient has a sharp drop in blood pressure, he begins to choke, lose consciousness or he will have convulsions, remove the animal from the room and call an ambulance. Fortunately, the lethal outcome after contact with the cat occurs extremely rarely.
Treatment of allergies to pets (cats)
So, it all depends on how it manifests itselfan allergy to the pet. If the symptoms are minor (itching or runny nose), you can take special antihistamines prescribed by your doctor. At the same time, there must be anti-edemas in the house, which will be useful if complications occur. In no case do not self-medicate and do not buy tablets, sprays, solutions and similar products at random. They may not approach or even lead to an aggravation or distortion of symptoms. In the future, this greatly complicates the diagnosis of the disease. In the beginning, you have to undergo a comprehensive examination to find out what really makes you sick. In the clinic you can be offered a course of treatment that will allow you to get rid of allergies for a while. These can be droppers or injections. Of course, such a pleasure will not be expensive, plus you will then have to repeat all the procedures anew. But the result will exceed all your expectations.
Start a cat: how to cope with an allergy
So, you decided to have a pet,despite his illness? Or is it too late to realize that you are allergic to cats? In this case, a number of rules and requirements should be followed to avoid exacerbations and serious consequences. And if you follow them without question, there will be no problems in the future.
- Castrate or sterilize the kitten
Scientists have determined that castrated homethe animal releases less allergen. No matter how sorry you are for the animal, contact the veterinary clinic as early as the sixth month. In addition, in the future you will not have to worry about where to put new offspring. By the way, it's better to have a cat, not a cat.
- Ventilate the room
Every day (morning and evening), ventilateroom. In summer you can leave an open window or balcony for the night. Get an air humidifier, which will help clean the room of the allergen. And do not forget to do wet cleaning at least 3 times a week.
- Get rid of excess items
Everything on which dust can settle must be removedfrom the room. Try to get rid of carpets, curtains, synthetic bedspreads, figurines and paintings. If finances permit, buy only leather and wooden furniture. And do not let your pet into your bedroom.
- Wash the cat
Periodically (every two weeks) wash yourhome pet. Buy special shampoos designed for cats in pet stores. Otherwise, if you use ordinary soap, the animal can begin dermatitis and hair loss. Once a week, comb it with a comb with curved iron teeth.
- Visit doctors and veterinarians
If you have not had an allergy beforecat, and then you suddenly started to get sick, the reason may not be in the animal itself. First, visit the doctor, try to give the pet for a while to friends. Go to the veterinary clinic to have your pet checked for mycoplasmosis, toxoplasmosis, etc. diseases. The fact is that some types of infection can also be transmitted from animal to human. This also applies to fungus (lichen) or mites (scabies). By the way, the animal may not have pronounced symptoms of the disease. So, for example, after a catamia, a cat does not necessarily have a strong conjunctivitis. A plentiful discharge from the eyes of the host is usually taken as the norm. In this case, the pet will infect those who are in contact with it.
- Choose high-quality products
Pay attention, the allergy can be not on itselfAn animal, but for what you feed it, wash it. Try to buy another filler for the tray, change the feed and zoo-cosmetics (shampoos, dentifrices), remove for a while from the field of view of the toy.
- Equip a Corner
A cat is an animal that walks by itself. It is impossible to force a freedom-loving pet to sleep in a particular place. When you go to work, he will still try to run into the bedroom to mark the territory. But if you put a kitten in the corner with a house and a three-level set-up, the cat will spend time there, watching you from above. Excellent if the pet has the opportunity to walk outside. In this case, your contact with the allergen will be minimized.
- Observe basic hygiene
After you play with the cat orpat her, be sure to wash your hands with soap. Try as little as possible to touch the pet. Do not let him rub against your face, hair or body. If you visit a guest with people who have cats, when you come home, wash all things, because they could get hair with allergens or saliva. 
Cats and children: whether to start a pet
Specialists have found that children, in familieswhich since birth were cats, are less susceptible to allergies. Therefore, if you are in a position or have recently given birth, you can freely start a pet. It is not necessary to do this in the event that one of the parents in the literal sense of the spirit does not tolerate the family of felines. With hamsters, dogs and feathered friends, it's also better not to take chances. Optimal option - fish. Behind them and care is almost unnecessary (of course, if the aquarium is equipped), and the noise they do not publish. But it's beautiful, convenient and completely safe for your health. What if you brought the kitten into the house? At first, it is necessary to limit the animal's contact with the child. Do not leave them alone alone. The danger lies not only in the manifestation of an allergic reaction, but also in the behavior of the cat itself. It can scratch, bite the baby, which will crush it too much or get tired of its harassment. If this happens, be sure to lubricate the damaged area with hydrogen peroxide and treat it with iodine or zelenka. Wash the wound with antibacterial agents twice a day (until complete healing). A cat can infect a child with worms. Therefore, every two to three months, give the animal special pills. Do not let the kid kiss, hug the pet, take his paws or tail in the mouth (for some reason the kids like to do it). After your pets have played enough, make sure that they wash their hands with soap. In the future, such cleanliness should become a habit. If the child takes care of the cat, explain to him the basic rules of hygiene. Tell us how to clean the tray, wash cat food and give food to the animal. Great, if you buy rubber gloves, in which it is safer to do it all. Your baby should not touch with bare hands and other parts of the body to the cat's food and its excrement.
What does your cat need?
Before you decide to get a homeanimals, take care of him and your safety. Many owners naively believe that it is enough to buy a bowl, a tray and a couple of toys. As a result - the cat is angry and constantly biting, the apartment has an unbearable smell from excrement, and members of the family have an allergy. By the way, such pets are not a cheap pleasure. So first calculate all your future expenses, weigh the pros and cons, and only after that make the final decision. Choosing a cat's toilet The average cost of a good tray made from quality material is about 200 rubles. When buying a toilet, count on two cats per cat. They will have to be changed once in two years, because during this time the smell has time to creep into the plastic. But you can then accustom your pet to an ordinary toilet or to the street. Nowadays, you can find bio-toilets in the form of small houses in pet stores. They look like a big box with doors. So your cat will not spray urine on the floor or scatter the sand. Thanks to a carbon filter that absorbs unpleasant odors, the air does not get dirty. The disadvantage of such a wonderful device is its high cost. Another option that attracts cleanliness, but scaring off the price - a toilet with napkins. For the first time such a tray went on sale in Japan. And only after a while this product became available in Russia. The main advantage is that the cat that goes about its business does not contact its excrement. Pet's paws remain dry and clean, and the allergen is not carried throughout the apartment. Choose a filler for the cat's tray Sand with flavoring - from 40 rubles per 1.5 kg, sawdust - from 50, the remedy turns into gel - from 120. Which is better to choose depends on your financial capabilities and needs. Do you want to clean less often, but do not suffer from the smell? Well, the tenth part of the budget will go only to the filler.
- Wood Filler
Inexpensive and practical option for those who do notplans to spend a lot on keeping a pet. Pine or cedar sawdust will not cause allergies to you and your family members. At the same time, they quite well cope with the smell, and the cat will not carry the contents of the tray throughout the apartment.
- Bentonite filler
As soon as moisture falls on raw materials, wetthe particles start to get lost in the lumps. To remove the animal, it is enough to walk on the surface with a special spatula. Unfortunately, this option is not suitable for those who have an allergy to cats and their excrement. The filler also copes badly with smells.
- Mineral filler
Quickly absorbs moisture, does not miss unpleasantaromas. This filler is made of chalk, mineral additives and quartz. As for the minuses, this is dust that will settle around the tray. After the cat looks in the toilet, you have to wipe the floors with a damp cloth to get rid of the white traces.
- Silica Gel Filler
If you are allergic to the cat family,buy silica gel filler. It has bactericidal properties, completely absorbs moisture, does not form lumps. Very convenient and safe to use. Your pet will be able to walk into the tray for a week, and you do not have to clean up after all this time. Choose accessories for cat care In addition, you will need a special spatula, with which you will clean the tray of excrement. Choose a device with a long handle so that you do not have to contact the allergen. Also you can get a fragrance with antibacterial effect. Pay attention: waste can not be thrown into the toilet, as it can clog. For these purposes, it is better to buy plastic bags. And, of course, do not forget about rubber gloves. Do any procedures (cat washing, cleaning the tray) only in them. What toys to buy a kitten To the cat as little as possible left traces and scratches on your armchair or sofa, buy him a scratching pad. As mentioned above, your pet will need a comfortable house. If desired, you can equip a window sill or table with a special sunbed. Do not also forget about small toys: balls, mice, feathers. If you do not get these items, the kitten will start playing with what's there - with curtains, tablecloth, carrying, your hands and feet. By the way, the choice of such things should be approached with all responsibility. So, the rubber balls and mice manufacturers impregnate with a special liquid (catnip), so that the pussy was interesting to play with them. By the way, you can have this allergy. Therefore, when buying a toy, smell it. If you immediately begin to cough or sneeze, look for something else. We buy food for cats. Remember once and for all: you can not save on small things. Acquire only high-quality products from well-known manufacturers. Cheap feeds, of course, are more profitable, but they conceal a hidden threat not only for pets, but also for their owners. And never buy goods in markets and in transitions. It is rather difficult to predict in what conditions everything is stored there, and also what kind of living creature as a result of this can start in the stern.
