What Are the Symptoms of Being Allergic to Cats?

Nearly 10 percent of the population of the United States suffers from pet allergies. While some people are allergic to dogs or other animals, feline companions are responsible for the majority of pet allergies. Allergies are caused by hypersensitive immune systems that mistake the proteins in cat dander, the allergens, for dangerous health threats. The body reacts to these threats, attacking the allergens as though they are bacteria or viruses. The wide range of symptoms results from your body reacting and attacking the irritating allergens.

Nasal Symptoms

• Exposure to cat allergens may evoke a range of nasal symptoms in an allergic person. The body activates such responses in an attempt to flush out the irritating allergens. An individual with cat allergies may find himself sneezing frequently. Other cold-like symptoms, such as a runny, stuff, or itchy nose, often accompany an allergy to cats.

Respiratory Symptoms

• Coughing is the body's way of expelling foreign particles from the respiratory system. When the allergic individual's body identifies an allergen as a dangerous foreign molecule, it often attempts to cough it out. Wheezing, shortness of breath, tightening inside the chest, and a difficulty of breathing may also be symptoms of an allergy to cats. It is also not uncommon for allergy sufferers to have a sore throat, as their body reacts to the allergens.

Symptoms of the Eye

• The cat allergens can irritate the human eye as well. In an attempt to get rid of the irritating allergen, the eyes may begin to water. If the allergen has contact to the eye, the eye may also become red, irritated and itchy.

Skin Signs and Symptoms

• In addition to symptoms that may be reminiscent of a cold, some people manifest symptoms of the skin. An individual with cat allergies may break out in hives or develop a rash on her skin, as the body releases histamine and other molecules in an allergic response, in its attempt to rid the body of the allergen. Skin may become especially red when it has been scratched, bitten or licked by a cat.