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Allergies to Cat Urine

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), in the United States, six out of ten people come in regular contact with cats and dogs. Cat allergies are twice as common in people than allergies to dogs. If you have cat allergies, you could experience an allergic reaction when you come in contact with a cat's saliva, skin or urine.

  1. Allergies

    • Every day, you are exposed to particles called allergens. To most people, these particles are completely harmless. If you have allergies, your immune system is sensitive to these allergens and reacts to them as though they are a threat, just as it would react to a virus or bacteria. To protect you, your immune system does everything it can to remove the particles from your system. This process is called an allergic reaction.

    Cat Allergens

    • Cats shed proteins that act as allergens to people who are sensitive to them. These allergens are found in a cat's dander, or shed dead skin. Cats also secrete allergens in fluid like saliva and urine. The allergens in a cat's urine do not fade away or lose strength for months. Allergens can stick to surfaces, and if they become airborne, can remain in the air for a long time.

    Symptoms

    • If you are allergic to cats and you come in contact with a cat's urine, you could experience an allergic reaction. Symptoms include swollen, inflamed eyes and a runny nose. If you touch the cat urine, your skin could become red in reaction to it. Inhaled allergens that reach your lungs can prompt wheezing, coughing and sneezing. These symptoms can appear in 15 minutes if you are especially sensitive. If your allergy is mild, symptoms might not appear until after several days of exposure, according to the AAFA.

    Treatment

    • Avoiding contact with cats will prevent you from experiencing an allergic reaction. If you own a cat or cannot avoid contact with one, then immunotherapy can help you manage your allergies. These allergy shots are usually administered over the course of three years. Within six months of beginning treatment, you should experience fewer symptoms and need less medication to control your allergies, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

    Considerations

    • While undergoing treatment for your allergies, you can help lessen your exposure to a cat's dander. If you can keep the cat out of your bedroom and restrict it to just a few rooms in the house, your symptoms could ease. The litter box should be moved to a room that does not connect to the air supply of the rest of your home, and someone else clean should clean it out. Vacuuming often can help remove dander from your home.

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