Cats: a Love/Hate Relationship

How do you react to this picture? I can tell you I have a bit of a dual reaction: I find this kitten both adorable and avoidable. I've already checked to see if windows are open and spotted my closest exit. I know I've got some Benadryl in the car along with my emergency inhaler, and my medical card is in my wallet. But, you know, adorable.

Ever since I was a baby I've had a love/hate relationship with felines. I love them, they're wonderful companions, but I can't ever build a relationship with one unless I decide they're worth the cost of an airtight suit. My first allergy attack was after meeting my paternal grandparents' cat, Sam, a tabby (not dissimilar than the kitten above).

As I've covered before, dander and saliva from animals like cats can act as an irritant and, when combined with the wrong immune system, can trigger a moderate to incredibly severe allergic reaction. Symptoms for cat allergies are heavy on the respiratory, causing coughing, wheezing, chest tightening, and asthma. Moderate reactions include itching and rash along with eye irritation. It's not fun. Worse still, dander and saliva particles can be quite small, beating some filters on the market.

What can be done? When avoidance simply isn't possible, there are naturally steps that can be taken to reduce the severity and frequency of allergy attacks and symptoms. The most obvious action would be to reduce the amount of allergens by having HEPA air filters and vacuuming often. If you're not vigilant with these, living with a cat can be torture. Beyond that, when you wash clothing, bedding, and other fabrics, you must do so in hot water. The hot water is more efficient in breaking up allergens so they can be washed away. For the love of god, don't let your cat sleep on your bed, or even in your bedroom. You should also air out the house when you can because there's no faster way to get stuffy, allergen-filled air out of your house than a decent wind.

So, cat allergy sufferers, how do you deal? Do you have a cat? Are you interested in a cat? Have you learned to live with a cat for a significant other?