Allergic to cats or what?
By Cargoleta
@Cargoleta (723)
Spain
November 30, 2010 4:41pm CST
Hi myLotters!
I'm currently staying at my boyfriend's place, and I will be there until a couple of days after Christmas. I've been there several times already (we're from different countries), and every single time the same thing has happened: my boyfriend has 3 cats, and every time I go to his place, during the first week I just can't stop sneezing whenever I pet them or just being in the same room as them. The thing is, this only lasts for 3-4 days, and after that everything is perfectly fine: I can cuddle the cats as much as I want and even sleep with them without any problems. The only thing that remains is that my skin gets a bit irritated if it gets in contact with their saliva.
So, I was wondering, can this be called allergy, or is my body just getting used to it eventually, or is it something else...?
Thanks for your help!
1 person likes this
3 responses
@allyoftherain (7208)
• United States
1 Dec 10
Strange, but it is probably an allergic reaction. You get over it pretty quick though, so I believe the more time you spend with the cats the less that you'll react. Your body can get used to allergens if you're exposed to them periodically (That's why allergy shots are effective. They basically hit you with what you're allergic to in small doses every week until your immune system starts to realize there's nothing to worry about.) So spend as much time with the cats as you can and maybe eventually you won't react at all.
1 person likes this
@Cargoleta (723)
• Spain
1 Dec 10
Yeah, that's what I'm doing indeed, since the cats are around all the time. I guess that what makes it harder is the fact that I stay at my boyfriend's place for a month or so, then go home for 2-3 months, and then back to him again... which I guess makes my body "unadjust" again, so whenever I come back I have to get started all over again, so to speak. But oh well :)
Thank you for your reply!
1 person likes this
@allyoftherain (7208)
• United States
1 Dec 10
You could get your own cat. lol Or not. If you really want to be able to keep from "unadjusting" then you might look into getting allergy shots. If that's too expensive or tedious an option then you can find someone who owns a cat nearby and spend lots of quality time with that kitty. 
1 person likes this
@Cargoleta (723)
• Spain
2 Dec 10
Haha well, we actually talked about getting a cat at home, but mom wasn't really up for it and it's too expensive for the moment anyway. But who knows, maybe sometime in the future :)
@Cargoleta (723)
• Spain
29 Dec 10
I'm pretty sure it's an allergic reaction, but fortunately it seems my body eventually adapts to being around the cats and the symptoms stop.
Thank you for your reply, and take care! :)
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
1 Dec 10
It sounds like you are having an initial reaction to the cats but then your body adjusts, which is why your symptoms go away. It's good that they do because pet allergies can make you miserable.
1 person likes this
@Cargoleta (723)
• Spain
1 Dec 10
Yeah, I'm glad it's like that indeed as opposed to just feeling crappy all the time... I love cats, so it'd be such a pity if I wasn't able to be around them.
Thank you for your reply!
