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Care
Before I discuss what is causing the allergies I have some interesting
facts for you.
The
prefix "hypo" means "less than" and thus
the word hypoallergenic tells the kitten/cat buyer that the
breeder
believes the cat to to produce fewer allergens than other cats.
How is this measured or regulated - well it isn't. There are
no legal regulations defining allergens (let alone allergens
in cats), nor are there any guidelines. So the world "hypoallergenic"
has very little meaning.
Around
2-15% of the worlds population is allergic to cats and 1/3 of
these have a cat in their home.
Up
to 40% of Asthma sufferers are sensitive to cats.
A
large proportion of cats surrendered to shelters are from allergic
pet owners.
Up
to 25% of Rex cats that are in need of assistance from rescue
organizations are there because their new owners cannot cope
with their allergic reaction to their Rex cat. Cats bought because
of their so-called hypoallergenic nature.
Many
allergic people report more or less allergic reactions to individual
cats.
Considerable
allergen variation exists between cats and at differing times
the same cat.
Allergic
Symptoms may not occur until there have been several days or
weeks of continuous exposure to the cat.
There
have been reports of both, reductions or an increase in symptoms
after long-term exposure to cats.
An
asthma study by Thomas Platts-Mills, MD, PhD and his colleagues
showed that high exposure to cat allergen appears to be protective
for some children and a risk factor for others.
Male
cats produce more allergen than female cats and neutered males
produce less than non-neutered males (but not always).
Kittens
produce less allergen than adult cats.
A
study of 321 patients with allergies showed that dark-coloured
cats where 4 times more likely to cause more sneezing, wheezing
and overall allergy-symptom than light-coloured cats did.
Another
study showed cat allergen levels in domestic living rooms are
not related to cat colour or hair length.
Woollen
sweaters retain more cat allergens than cotton tops even after
washing.
What
causes the Allergies?
The
primary cause of allergic reactions to cats is caused by allergens
found in the cat sebaceous glands in the cat's skin, such as
the allergenic glycoprotein called Fel D1(short for "Felis
domesticus"), it is also secreted via saliva in lesser
quantities. When cats lick themselves, they spread this protein,
which is rather sticky, and glues itself onto dust particles,
the home, your clothing and their fur; whether it's long, short,
straight, curly, or absent. As all cats have sebaceous glands,
all cat breeds can potentially cause allergies. Allergic allergens
are also found in the faeces, serum, urine, mucous, dander,
and hair roots of the cat.
Cat
allergen is incredibly pervasive and even after the cat has
been removed, the cat allergen can remain throughout the home
for up to 6 months and up to 4 years in the cats bedding. The
allergen has been found in almost 1/3 of non-cat owner's homes
and on the clothing of co-workers who don't own any cats, and
in doctor's surgeries and schools. And yes, they even found
cat allergen in the Antarctic (where no cat has ever been).
Cat allergen is about 10 times smaller than pollen or dust particles
it is so small that it easily penetrates the bronchial membranes.
It
is also very important to note that up to 50% of people who
are allergic to cats will not get any immediate symptoms. So
always check with your Dr first via skin prick tests and have
multiple visits to catteries, over a period of months to test
your reaction to particular breeds.
And
remember before you blame the cat for your itchy and watery
eyes, constant sneezing or runny nose, go and get allergy tested,
as the cat may not be to blame after all.
Why
can some people allergic to cats, tolerate rex cats?
In truth, a rex cat is no different from any other cat and produces
allergen like all other cats. They are not hypoallergenic by
any means, as claimed by some. Then why do some people seem
to have no allergic reaction to rex cats? There is no simple
answer to this question at this time, and more research is required
to get the answers needed. One possible hypothesis is that as
rex cats have less hair to shed, they simply deposit less allergen-laced
hair around the home. But, whatever the reasons some allergic
people seem to tolerate them. From personal studies and observations
by Margaret Lawrence in the UK, she found that around 10% of
people allergic to cats tolerate rex cats. Please, before you
race out and look for a rex cat, remember you should always
test your allergies by visiting home or catteries that only
own rex cats, and test continuously over several weeks or months.
As you don't want the poor little kitten to be re-homed if you
find out you are allergic to him or her. Don't let your new
cat become another statistic at a shelter.
How can I reduce allergen levels in my home and cat?
Washing
your cat 2 times a week has shown to help reduce the allergen
levels. Ensuring that you wash and rinse it well. Studies have
shown that the accumulation of of Fel d1 on the skin is restored
within two days.
Fel
d 1 levels on the skin of the cat are dramatically higher on
the facial area than chest. Make sure you wash that face well.
The
use of allergy wipes such as Allerpet, has proved effective
in reduces cat allergens on the cat and thus your home (studies
showed that it was effective for around 80% of its users).
Ensure
your cat is spayed or neutered.
Wash
your hands after handling your cat and refrain from touching
your face or eyes.
Wash
clothes frequently and where more cotton and less wool.
Keep
the house as clean as possible by washing floors and bed linen
often with hot water to eliminate the allergens.
Wash
clothes and bed linen using detergent solutions at 25°C
(77°F) for at least 5 minutes - to extract cat allergen
from bedding and clothing.
Use
dusting sprays whist dusting to minimize dust spread.
Carpet
is more likely to hold allergens - so if you can remove it in
favour of wood, vinyl or tile floors.
Avoid
heavy drapes that trap the allergens and dust.
Keep
the cat out of your bedroom and laundry (keep it off your clean
clothes) and provide it with its own bed.
Minimize
other allergens in the house such as smoke, dust, moulds, scented
candles, chemicals and pollens etc. Multiple allergens are linked
to the development of more severe allergic reactions and asthma.
Create
outdoor enclosures for your cat so it can spend some time out
side and not confined to an enclosed house and you get some
fresh air in your home.
Keep
the cat litter in a well-ventilated area and dip rather than
pour when you empty it and use litter that is as dust free as
possible.
Use
high-efficiency air cleaners, either central or portable.
Check
with your allergist for any anti-inflammatory therapy or possibly
desensitisation ("immunotherapy") options.
Hope
they finish working on a vaccine.
References
Allergy
July 2001;56:646-652.
"Allergic Reactions in Rex Cats" by Margaret Lawrence
MA.
"Allergies and Your Cat. Does Water make a Difference"
By Carolyn Ross Tomlin
"Allerpet: Press Release", American Academy of Allergy
and Immunology meeting in New York in February of 1995
"Cats Trigger Asthma Only Sometimes". Brian Vastag
JAMA
"Could That Dark-Colored Feline Be Causing Your Sneezing?"
By Susan A. Steeves Reviewed by Dr. Pamela R. Yoder Jan. 19,
2001 for WebMD Corporation
The Devon Rex Breed Club
"Fel d 1 levels in domestic living rooms are not related
to cat color or hair length.", Siebers R, Healy B, Holt
S, Peters S, Crane J,
Fitzharris P, J Allergy Clin Immunol 2001 Oct;108(4):652-3
"Fel d 1 production in the cat skin varies according to
anatomical sites.", Carayol N, Birnbaum J, Magnan A, Ramadour
M,
Lanteaume A, Vervloet D, Tessier Y, Pageat P. Allergy 2000 Jun;55(6):570-3
"Home Characteristics Increase Indoor Allergen Levels"
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Network Release
Journal of Clinical Immunology March 2001;2:107(3)
The Lancet 1999; 353:1942.
"Laundry Washing Agents Prove Effective In Removing Cat
Dander, Dust Mites " September Journal of Allergy and Clinical
Immunology
"Pet Allergy Information" ASCIA - The Australian Society
of Clinical Immunology and Allergy
"The Protective Effect of Cats, Pet Cats May Keep Some
Kids From Developing Asthma", By Liza Jane Maltin Web MD
Medical News, Reviewed by Dr. Tonja Wynn Hampton
"School as a risk environment for children allergic to
cats and a site for transfer of cat allergen to homes."
J Allergy Clinical Immunology 1999; 103: 1012-1017.
"Sensitisation, asthma, and a modified Th2 response in
children exposed to cat allergen: a populations-based cross-sectional
study". T. Platts-Mills, et al. (2001)
The Lancet 357, 752-56.
"Vacuuming Increases Cat Allergen Exposure ", American
Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Network Release
"Washing the dog reduces dog allergen levels, but the dog
needs to be washed twice a week." J Allergy Clinical Immunology
1999; 103: 581-85.
"What you wear impacts allergies" by Michael E. Ruff,
M.D. AAAAI, The American Academy of Allergies Asthma and Immunology
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