Are Cats The Most Allergenic Pet?

When we talk about animal allergy, the first culprit we almost always think of is the cat. To say that one is allergic to animals is a shortcut, because it is a allergen, present among other things in the saliva or in the hair of an animal, which causes problems in sensitive subjects. This can manifest itself in the presence of a dog, a horse, a hamster, but the cat is, it seems, even more frequently the source of allergies in humans. Let’s do a check in.

Allergy To Allergenic Animal Proteins

As with all types of allergies, those that manifest in the presence of an animal affect more and more people. Nearly 30% of people are affected, all allergies combined.

Allergy to animals is due to the presence of allergenic proteins which can be found (for example in the cat) in:

Saliva,
anal glands,
sebaceous glands,
Dander (dead skin).

It is enough that one is sensitive to this allergen to develop various cutaneous, ocular (conjunctivitis), respiratory manifestations (runny nose, cough, asthma).

The Most Allergenic Pets: The Cat At The Top Of The Ranking

It is in fact the cat that rises to first place on the podium of allergenic species since it is at the origin of over 65% animal allergies. It must be said that the kitty does everything it takes to dispatch its allergens throughout the living space of its masters. He squats on the sofa as well as the bed, where once settled in, he licks himself profusely, always very careful to clean himself and to pull out the knots formed by his hair. It is recognized that the risks of developing allergic asthma are four times larger when owning a cat.

This is a serious subject, because the allergic asthma can get worse over time, so much so that the complications are sometimes serious for children and adults, especially on the respiratory level.

Living With Your Cat When You Are Allergic: The Right Gestures

When the allergy is important, the ideal is to do not have allergenic animals. Be that as it may, to limit the risks of one day being affected by allergens, it is essential to ensure that your dwelling either from one impeccable cleanliness. It is necessary to dust and vacuum every day in order to eliminate dust and animal hair which settles as much on the floor and the carpets as on the furniture and the clothes.

It is equally crucial to ventilate several times a day all rooms in the house or apartment, regardless of the outside temperature. If it is really very cold, two daily ventilations are sufficient, at the rate of ten minutes in the morning and as much in the afternoon.

It is not easy to live with a cat when you have a allergic terrain. In the most serious cases, it is strongly recommended to to separate from his little companion and instead opt for a scaled animal. In other words, a person allergic to animals can quite get into the aquarium…

In any case, it is not at all reasonable to wait until the allergy gets worse to make the necessary decision, namely to entrust your cat or other allergenic animal to a new family. Let’s not forget that the immune system of an allergic person is weakened. But if you refuse to take this step, the solution remains to prohibit your animal from living there and to install a small house for it in the garden, even if it is not certain that it appreciates…