Is It Really a Cat Allergy? How to Tell

I was born a cat lover, but I spent a significant portion of my life believing that I was deathly allergic to my feline friends. After years of sniffling, sneezing, coughing, sinus infections, hives, and even waking up to swollen-shut eyes, I finally visited an allergist when over-the-counter remedies were failing to help. After a nightmarish skin-test that covered my arms, back, and both thighs, my physician concluded that I was allergic to about forty different culprits-- but cat dander was not on the list.

The majority of people with allergies are affected by more than one allergen, so it is easy to mis-identify an irritant. Cat allergies are extremely common, but they are often mis-diagnosed by people who mistakenly point to Smokey as the source of irritation, when another inhaled allergen is actually to blame. Before finding a new home for your cat, make sure that your problem is actually a cat allergy.

The symptoms of a cat allergy aren't as easy to spot as some people assume: many other problems can cause a similar range of problems. If you experience what seems to be a cat allergy when you're only in the presence of one cat, it's likely that the house, not the cat, is the problem. For example, the allergy could be caused by mold spores, cockroaches, dust mites, cigarette smoke, or any other allergen or irritant found in the cat's dwelling-space.

Long-haired cats may actually harbor dust mites, smoke residue, and mold spores in their fur. Cat allergies are caused by a cat's dander, not its fur, so the length of a cat's fur has no impact on whether or not a person will experience an allergic reaction. If you find that your symptoms of cat allergy become more prevalent in the presence of long-haired cats, the problem is most likely unrelated to pet dander. Dust is the most likely problem in this case, but molds, roaches, and fleas are another possibility.

Often, a person may have a true cat allergy, but it may be causing only a fraction of his or her symptoms. My doctor explained that a person with an extreme allergy to Bermuda grass pollen will already feel miserable. If he has a cat allergy, his symptoms may suddenly become worse when he is around his pet; however, pollen is actually his primary problem. For some people with multiple allergies, a cat allergy will be so mild that it only becomes noticeable when other seasonal allergens are present.

A medical test is the only way to definitively diagnose a cat allergy. Before you surrender your beloved cat to a shelter or a friend, strongly consider visiting an allergist, a doctor who specializes in allergy-related medicine. He or she can use skin testing to measure your body's histamine reaction to small doses of cat dander and other potential allergens. Even if you do find that you are allergic to cats, you do not necessarily have to surrender your pet: many treatment options and lifestyle adjustments can ease your situation.