My 2 cats and I have just moved in with my boyfriend. For the 4 years we have been dating, he says how much he loves cats. Now, it turns out he has allergies: rashes on arms, watery eyes, hives develop when the cats lick him, and some sneezing (not much). He cannot take any anti-histinamin due to high blood pressure. His doctors told him to get rid of the cats but I don't want to. I just lost my 60 year old mother last week from cancer and I just can't bear with the cats now. He is now saying that I am choosing the cats over him - am I really that selfish? Is there ANYTHING else we can try to keep the cats?
Claritin (not Claritin-D) is thought to be safe for most people with high BP. It's non-drowsy and one pill lasts a whole day. The generic name is Loratadine. You should have your BF discuss using this allergy med with his doctor.
They make pet wipes that reduce allergens as well as shedding which can cause the allergy. As well as the previous answer, see an allergy/asthma doctor and have tests run on your boyfriend. If the tests come back with an allergy to cats, they can start him on shots, which over time will allow his body to become immune to the allergy. I have a slight cat allergy, and at times can get worse, but i will never rid of my babies. Not to mention they make allergy meds without antihistamine.
Are there any allergy shots that he can take? I don't blame you for not wanting to get rid of the cats, I wouldn't either. I sure don't think that you are selfish. I think it's selfish that he wants to to just get rid of them. there is something out there that you can wipe on cats for those who have allergies though. I think it's called allerpet or aller cat or something like that. It comes in a 16 ounce bottle at pet stores.
Yes, allergy shots. I have taken the shots for 2.5 years now. No more allergies.
The allergies people have to cats are not because of their fur. The enzymes that people are allergic to are in the cat's saliva. So when the cat licks its fur cleaning itself, it gets those enzymes onto the fur and voila, allergies. # 1, don't let the cat lick him. # 2, perhaps a bath for the cats could reduce the amount of enzyme he is exposed to, including their bedding. Make certain you have a vacuum cleaner that is capable of sucking up dander, that will help immensely. Otherwise, it's just keeping he and the cats apart as much as possible. My own opinion about getting rid of the cats is that if you had the cats and bonded with them before you met him, he's being unfair asking you to get rid of your friends. Seems odd to me he's turned out to be that allergic. He would have to have spent a great deal of time with cats in order to know that he loved them and if he spent a great deal of time with them he certainly would have known he was allergic. I offer no conclusions, I don't know him, but give that a little thought.
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good luck,
