Cat thread

[Ingmar]

Cat allergies are generally to their saliva, not their hair. It gets on their hair/skin dander from the way they clean themselves, so I would assume that hairless cats would be slightly better since their hair doesn't get everywhere, but could still cause allergies because they presumably still produce saliva-d up dander.

[Nebu]

Approximately 7-10% of people have cat allergies compared to some 25-30% of people that claim to have them.  When someone tells me that they are allergic to cats, I usually take that to mean that they don't like cats until proven otherwise.

[Samwise]

Approximately 7-10% of people have cat allergies compared to some 25-30% of people that claim to have them.  When someone tells me that they are allergic to cats, I usually take that to mean that they don't like cats until proven otherwise.

Damn your Western Medicine bias!  Allergies are about negative vibrations.  You can't prove negative vibrations.

[ghost]

I am highly allergic to cats.  It's a real issue, and my middle son is definitely on a cat kick right now.  He spent about an hour with the kittens at the vet the other die.  Of course I'm dying (I'm also highly allergic to horses and somewhat allergic to dogs). 

Has anyone ever been around a hairless cat?

[Viin]

Might as well get a stuffed one. At least you could cuddle it.

[Ingmar]

The hairless ones are kind of freaky looking, so that might not work with what attracts your kid to cats in the first place. There are some breeds that supposedly produce less Fel-d-1 that might work better for you (Russian blues are the only one I know off the top of my head but I'm sure the internet can list more.) Purebred cats are significantly more expensive than random kittens from the kitten bin, though.

There are also injections that I'm told work very well. (For you, not for the cat.)

EDIT: Rather than a sphinx (completely hairless) breed you could try a Rex of some kind - they only have the undercoat so there's less fur with allergens stuck to it floating around, and they aren't quite as strange looking.

[Nebu]

Studies have shown that male cats produce more allergenic secretions than females, and that “intact” males generate more allergens than neutered males.

I don't think a hairless would help, but a female might.

[Ingmar]

Also cleaning and vaccuuming religiously will be important.

(Just get the shots)

[Rasix]

I guess this won't work for everyone, but I was highly allergic to cats and eventually just got over it due to constant exposure.  Even the worst ones barely produce any allergic reaction at all anymore, and my wife has one that elicits a strong reaction from people that are only slightly allergic to cats.

They're also part of my current allergy shots, although at one point I they weren't even showing up on my tests anymore.  Probably helps some, but I have such severe grass/trees/weeds allergies that is my current concern more than the minor problems I would have with any cat now.

So, find a toxic cat and just man up.  

[ghost]

I had a cat for years growing up.  It never really got better.  I may try shots, but I'd prefer to find a non-allergenic or less allergenic cat.  I may look at the Russian Blues and see how they are.  That's a good idea.  Thanks, Ingmar.  And fuck the rest of you.   

[Samwise]

Or just stay away from cats?

[Sjofn]

I guess this won't work for everyone, but I was highly allergic to cats and eventually just got over it due to constant exposure.  Even the worst ones barely produce any allergic reaction at all anymore, and my wife has one that elicits a strong reaction from people that are only slightly allergic to cats.

They're also part of my current allergy shots, although at one point I they weren't even showing up on my tests anymore.  Probably helps some, but I have such severe grass/trees/weeds allergies that is my current concern more than the minor problems I would have with any cat now.

So, find a toxic cat and just man up.  

I used to be much more allergic to cats (you can ask proudft how his used to set me off, if you'd like), but after getting our own, I got used to ours. Stranger cats can still set me off, although not always. It's very odd.

[Samwise]

So my mom stopped into the local SPCA just to check it out, and came home with a new cat, which I am seriously planning to steal.

[Nebu]

That cat is awesome. 

[apocrypha]

That is one gorgeous cat.

[Samwise]

I'm fairly certain he's a purebred Maine Coon.  He was apparently given up by a pair of yuppies who were adopting and decided they couldn't handle a purebred dog, a cat, AND a baby.

[Ingmar]

He looks pretty much exactly like my mom's cat.

[Ceryse]

I'm fairly certain he's a purebred Maine Coon.  He was apparently given up by a pair of yuppies who were adopting and decided they couldn't handle a purebred dog, a cat, AND a baby.

So they gave up the one that has the lowest maintenance? Give up the kid or dog first, imo; cats are far cheaper and far less work.

And cats are more awesome than either one can ever hope to achieve.

[Ingmar]

A lot of people have some really, really stupid ideas about cats and babies not being able to co-exist safely.

[Sjofn]

Cat'll steal that kid's breath, man.

[Paelos]

Cat'll steal that kid's breath, man.

We had a housekeeper who believed this when I was a baby. She wouldn't let our cats into my room.

[Merusk]

Well they do!

What else do you call it when they curl up next to your head and fart.

[Rasix]

Heh, my cats get along with my son pretty well.  Well, the two that survived do.  

Helps that one is a 16 lb mini-panther that's let him crawl all over him since he was able to.   The other is just about the most relaxed cat you'll ever see (also a maine coon mix).   The two neurotic ones got sick.  I think one could have been handled better, but we were going through some serious shit and his condition didn't get the attention it needed before it was too late.  Sad, but, he really never would have gotten along with my son.  That cat's personality flipped into the crazy zone once he stopped being a kitten.  The other was nothing that could be helped, but she would have come along eventually. 

[Signe]

Okay.  So someone tell me about hairless cats and allergies.   

Dander.

[ghost]

Or just stay away from cats?

Middle kid really, really, really wants a cat.  I love him, so I'm willing to give it a shot if I can. 

[Reg]

Heh, my brother bought a cat after being nagged by his kids and two years later they managed to talk him into a puppy as well. Now the poor cat is lucky if anyone even remembers to feed it.

[Ingmar]

Or just stay away from cats?

Middle kid really, really, really wants a cat.  I love him, so I'm willing to give it a shot if I can. 

Just be sure if you do it that you have an exit plan that doesn't fuck the cat over. Non-kittens have a very hard time getting adopted if you were to have to give the cat back up for some reason.

[ghost]

One of my best friends runs a non-profit cat shelter down in Corpus Christi with his wife.  I've been read the riot act on that already, lol.  That's why I'm trying to do my homework first.  If we get one we're keeping the little bastard.

Interestingly, a friend of mine who is a vet said there is a compound that you can use to reduce the antigen production.  He used it on one of their cats because his wife is allergic, and it helped quite a bit. 

[jgsugden]

A lot of people have some really, really stupid ideas about cats and babies not being able to co-exist safely.

Speaking of Chris... (inside joke)

[Signe]

One of my best friends runs a non-profit cat shelter down in Corpus Christi with his wife.  I've been read the riot act on that already, lol.  That's why I'm trying to do my homework first.  If we get one we're keeping the little bastard.

Interestingly, a friend of mine who is a vet said there is a compound that you can use to reduce the antigen production.  He used it on one of their cats because his wife is allergic, and it helped quite a bit. 

Maybe you could foster one for a bit to see if works out.  Maybe you could find a hairless kitty to foster to see if it's the hair or the dander that bothers you.  A lot of people get over the allergy with exposure, too.  My nephew is allergic and has asthma and the cats don't bother him anywhere near as much as before and if the house is pretty clean, he hardly notices it at all.

[Malakili]

I couldn't figure out which thread to put this in, so I decided on the cat thread:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjB_oVeq8Lo

[Paelos]

DAWWWWWWWWWW 

[Mrbloodworth]

I couldn't figure out which thread to put this in, so I decided on the cat thread:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjB_oVeq8Lo

[Samwise]

Bobcat.  Want.

[Trippy]

He/she is probing for a weak spot.