|  | Conditions Treatments | Allergies

What Are the Allergies That Humans Can Get From Cat Dander?

The term dander refers to dead skin cells shed from the body of an animal or human. Cat dander is shaken loose when a cat moves or grooms itself. It then floats through the air or attaches itself to a new surface. A person suffering from an allergy to cat dander may experience a variety of symptoms or may suffer severely from one particular type of reaction.

  1. Respiratory Difficulties

    • When inhaled, microscopic particles of cat dander settle in the nasal passages or lungs. This causes sneezing, wheezing, coughing and may even provoke an asthma attack, say the experts at the Asthma and Allergy Foundation. Very little cat dander can provoke breathing difficulties or a runny nose. Even visiting a location where a cat has recently been may be enough to trigger a highly sensitive individual.

    Skin Irritation

    • Cat dander triggers a rash, hives or other forms of skin irritation in some allergic people. The Hives Treatment website explains that hives are red or pale colored raised welts that appear suddenly and itch. While hives or itchy rashes may not seem as serious as a severe asthma attack, they can last longer than other types of cat dander allergies.

    Eye Irritation

    • Irritated, watery, red eyes caused by cat dander make seeing clearly difficult and uncomfortable. Most commonly accompanied by a runny nose and breathing difficulties, the NationalAllergy website says that this symptom usually appears as soon as an allergic person enters a room with cat dander present. In a highly sensitive person, the irritated eyes can become very swollen and painful, even after the individual leaves the area that caused the reaction.

    Chronic Asthma

    • Frequent cases of bronchitis may occur in patients who attempt to live with a cat despite a cat dander allergy, according to the experts at Allergy Escape. But for asthma sufferers who are extremely allergic to cat dander, regular exposure can lead to chronic asthma. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation warns that patients with asthma who test positively for a cat dander allergy should stay away from cats and locations where cats may be present to prevent developing a more serious form of asthma.

Allergies - Related Articles