How to Test for Cat Allergies

Millions of people suffer from cat allergies. However, most people who have cat allergies are allergic to mold, dust and other allergens as well and may not realize that they are allergic to cats. Luckily, there are ways to test for cat allergies.

Things You'll Need

• Doctor visit
• Cat exposure

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Instructions

How to Test for Cat Allergies

• 1

  Know the symptoms of cat allergies. Cat allergy symptoms include the following:
  ? Coughing
  ? Difficulty breathing
  ? Itching of the nose, eyes, throat or skin
  ? Red eyes
  ? Watery eyes
  ? Runny nose
  ? Sneezing
  ? Wheezing
  ? Sinus pressure
  ? Hives

• 2

  Schedule a visit with your doctor. Describe your allergy symptoms to him. Oftentimes she will recommend an allergy test.

• 3

  Undergo a skin test. A skin test is the most common type of allergy test. It is usually a scratch or patch test that identifies the cause of your symptoms by examining your body’s reaction to different allergens.

• 4

  Take a RAST blood test. A radioallergosorbent test is a blood test that uses your extracted blood to detect IgE antibodies to a specific allergen.

• 5

  Expose yourself to a cat. Try living with a cat for a week, or visit someone you know who has a cat. If you develop the symptoms above in the presence of a cat, you may have cat allergies.