What are the Symptoms of Cat Allergy?

Almost one person on every 5 Americans has some type of allergy. Cat allergy is very high on the list of allergies and therefor it is important to know the symptoms of cat allergy.

Actually people are not allergic to cats but only to the saliva of the cat. When a cat lose hairs these hairs are allergens on which the immune system reacts. Most symptoms of cat allergy are visible so you will know you are allergic. However, there is also a chance that the reaction will develop until later on. In this case you will not notice anything at first, but after a few weeks or months you will start to show some allergic reactions. Basically there are two options when you have cat allergy: getting rid of the cat or find some kind of therapy. The best way is to get rid of the cat, but this may be very harsh, especially if you have children who are attached to it. Luckily there are some treatment options that might diminish the allergic reaction.

So when do you know you are allergic to cats? What are the symptoms? There are a variety of symptoms that people could show when they are allergic to cats and this is not the same in every person. Some will only feel a sneeze and maybe think they have a cold. Others will have some kind of skin rash or a sore throat.

However, the most basic symptoms of cat allergy are sneezing and coughing. At first you will probably think you have a cold, which may seem odd when it is summertime. However, soon enough you will notice that you only have these symptoms when you are in the house and when your cat is close to you. When you are at the mall or at work you will not have these symptoms. Other symptoms are skin rashes, ringing ears and a sore throat. A burning feeling in the eyes might also be a symptom. Your eyes will start to turn red and watery.

So what starts the allergic reaction? Only recent it was discovered what was the true reason for cat allergy. At first people thought it were the cat hairs or the kitty box but it has proven to be something different. A characteristic of a cat is that it likes to clean itself. It could do it all day as it has nothing else to do. The saliva of the cat which he uses to clean himself is the allergen for humans.

So how can you be absolutely sure you are allergic to cats? The best way is to have a test by your physician. Ask for an allergy test and soon enough you will know if you are allergic to cats. Another option is to remove the cat from the house for a few weeks. If your symptoms of cat allergy are going away there is a very big chance you are allergic to cats.

When you are allergic, always consider what your options are. Although the easiest thing you could do is get rid of the cat, there are also some treatment options you could consider. Therefore ask your doctor what your options are.

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