Cat allergy: symptoms and treatment routes

cat-allergy-symptoms-and-treatment-routes

A cat allergy manifests itself through similar symptoms as a cold. We explain how you recognize the allergy and what treatment helps.

What is a cat allergy?

Although cats are among the most popular pets in Germany, the velvet paws can also cause an allergy. After house dust allergy , cat allergy is even the second most common allergy in Germany. It triggers symptoms that are very similar to those of a cold. The complaints can be treated with medication, but hyposensitization also helps.

Cat allergy or cat hair allergy?

It is often called a cat hair allergy, but in fact it is not a direct animal hair allergy. Although the hair plays a major role in the spread of allergens, these are mainly caused by the dander, saliva and tears of the cats . Particularly common is an allergen called Fel d 1, which exists both in saliva and in the skin cells, but also in the urine, in sebaceous glands and in the blood serum of a cat.

Opponents of the Immune System: What Cat Allergy Symptoms Are There?

The following symptoms can occur in a cat allergy:

  • Hust and sneeze irritation
  • sniff
  • itching
  • Eye burns and tears
  • redness
  • Rashes (eg hives)
  • asthma attacks

Basics of diagnosis: cold or cat allergy?

As already described, the cat allergy symptoms also fit to a cold or other infectious diseases. To distinguish them, it helps to look at the duration of the symptoms: If the symptoms persist over a longer period of time, come again or again, or they often occur in the warm season, a cat allergy is more likely than an infection.

Eye drops and nasal spray: what helps with reactions to cat allergens?

Medications such as antihistamines can curb allergy symptoms . Even cortisone-containing ointments relieve discomfort, against burning eyes and runny nose help an allergic eye drops and a nasal spray. Like many other allergies (eg insect venom allergy), cat allergy can be treated by hyposensitization. 

On the other hand, it is difficult to avoid the triggering allergens in general: Similar to pollen, which causes hay fever , cat allergens are widely distributed. They are often even in an apartment even if no cat lives in it for years. Even in public buildings such as cinemas, they can occur for years. Therefore it is advisable to clean all textiles (clothes, carpets and upholstered furniture) regularly. Incidentally, cat allergy sufferers also often have a cross allergy – they are sensitive to pork.