Showing posts with label cat allergen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cat allergen. Show all posts

Wednesday, 26 June 2024

Allergic to horses? You might be allergic to cats too.

If you are allergic to cat dander, are you likely to be allergic to horse dander or the dander of other animals - or vice versa? Here are three answers from three different AI bots. Why not? If you can't beat 'em, join 'em is the motto. 

The point of this article is that if you are thinking of adopting a cat but are allergic to horses or other animals, you might check out if you are allergic to cats as well. There is a cross-over here.

I have found these AI bots reliable. You have to know their limitations. I expect those limitations to be greatly minimised over the forthcoming months and years.

Allergic to cats? You might be allergic to horses too.
Image: Canva.

Answers

Yes, there’s a possibility of cross-reactivity between cat and horse dander. People who are allergic to cats (or dogs) may also experience allergic symptoms when exposed to horses. The protein responsible for these allergies is called serum albumin, which is found in both horse skin cells (dander) and saliva. Symptoms can include itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, and even asthma. Fortunately, severe reactions are rare, but if you suspect a horse allergy, it’s essential to seek medical advice. 🐱🐴 - Bing's Copilot.

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There's a chance someone with a cat dander allergy could also be allergic to horse dander. This is because of something called cross-sensitivity [allergy uk].

Cat allergens are proteins (Fel D1) found in their saliva and skin flakes (dander). Horses have similar proteins in their dander and saliva that can trigger an allergic reaction in some people. These protein structures aren't identical, but close enough for someone's immune system to react if they're already sensitive to cats.

If you suspect you have allergies to cats or horses, it's important to see an allergist for proper testing and diagnosis. They can determine what you're allergic to and recommend the best course of treatment. - Google's Gemini.

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Yes, it is quite likely that someone allergic to cat dander would also be allergic to horse dander. Allergies to animal dander are often cross-reactive, meaning that if someone is allergic to one type of animal dander, they are more likely to also be allergic to the dander of other animals.

The proteins in the dander of different mammals can have similar molecular structures, which causes the immune system to recognize and react to them in a similar way. This is why people allergic to cats may also experience allergic reactions to other furry pets like dogs, horses, rabbits, and guinea pigs.

The degree of cross-reactivity can vary from person to person, but studies have shown significant overlap in allergies to different animal danders. So if you are allergic to cats, it would be wise to be evaluated for potential allergies to other animals as well, including horses. Consulting an allergist can help determine the full scope of your animal allergies. - Poe

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What is the allergen in horses?

The primary allergen in horses is equine serum albumin. This protein is found in horse skin cells (dander), saliva, and urine. When sensitive individuals come into contact with these substances, they may experience allergic reactions such as sneezing, itching, and respiratory symptoms. If you suspect a horse allergy, consult a healthcare professional for proper evaluation and management. 🐴🀧

What other animals might cause similar allergies?

Other animals that can cause similar allergies include:
  1. Dogs: Like cats, dogs produce dander and saliva proteins that can trigger allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Breeds with hair (such as poodles) are often better tolerated than those with fur.

  2. Rodents: Mice, rats, and guinea pigs can also produce allergens in their urine, saliva, and skin cells. People who handle these animals or live in close proximity may experience allergic symptoms.

  3. Birds: Feathered friends like parrots, canaries, and pigeons can release feather dust and proteins that lead to allergies. Bird droppings can also be problematic.

  4. Rabbits: Rabbit fur and dander can cause allergic reactions. Additionally, hay and straw used as bedding can be allergenic.

  5. Hamsters and Gerbils: These small rodents can also trigger allergies due to their dander and urine proteins.

Remember that individual reactions vary, and some people may be more sensitive to certain animals than others. If you suspect an allergy, consult a healthcare professional for proper evaluation and management. 🐢🐭🦜🐰

What can you do minimise an allergic reaction to cat or other animal allergens?


There are two main approaches to minimizing allergic reactions to cat or other animal allergens: reducing your exposure to the allergens and managing your symptoms with medication.

Reduce allergen exposure:
  • Keep your pet out of certain areas: This is especially important for the bedroom, where you spend a lot of time breathing in allergens.
  • Clean frequently: Vacuum with a HEPA filter to remove dander from carpets and furniture. Wash bedding and pet linens weekly in hot water. Consider replacing carpets with hard floors if possible.
  • Bathe your pet regularly: This can help remove allergens from their fur.
  • Air purifiers: HEPA air purifiers can help remove allergens from the air.
Manage allergy symptoms:
  • Over-the-counter medications: Antihistamines and nasal corticosteroids can help reduce allergy symptoms such as sneezing, itching, and runny nose.
  • Allergy shots (immunotherapy): This is a long-term treatment that can help reduce your sensitivity to allergens over time.
Consulting a doctor:

It's important to consult with a doctor or allergist to get a proper diagnosis and discuss the best course of treatment for your allergies. They can recommend specific medications and allergen reduction strategies.

What about desensitising the immune system to these allergens?

Desensitizing the immune system to allergens is exactly what allergy shots, also known as immunotherapy, do! It's a long-term treatment option for allergies, including those to cats and other animals.

Here's how it works:
  • Gradual exposure: You'll receive gradually increasing doses of the allergen (cat dander in this case) through injections or sublingual tablets (placed under the tongue).
  • Retraining the immune system: Over time, with repeated exposure to small amounts, your body learns to tolerate the allergen and stops overreacting to it.
  • Long-term benefits: Immunotherapy can provide long-term relief from allergy symptoms, lasting for several years after treatment is complete.
Here are some things to consider about immunotherapy for cat allergies:
  • Effectiveness: It's not a quick fix and can take up to three to five years to see significant improvement.
  • Commitment: It requires a long-term commitment to regular treatment schedules.
  • Not for everyone: It might not be suitable for everyone with allergies, especially those with severe allergies or other health conditions.
Consulting an allergist:

If you're interested in exploring immunotherapy for your cat allergies, consult with a board-certified allergist. They can assess your individual situation, determine if you're a good candidate for immunotherapy, and develop a personalized treatment plan.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Tuesday, 14 May 2024

Purina LiveClear to reduce sinusitis in cat owners


This is a quick note on a product which has been around for a while now, Purina LiveClear, a dry cat food which coats the cat allergen which causes an allergic reaction in people. This is a protein called Fel D1. And in coating this protein it prevents it having the same effect and irritating people who are sensitive to it. 

And one of the effects of cat dander on people who are allergic to cats is that their sinuses become inflamed. This is sinusitis. There are other symptoms such as sneezing and watery eyes et cetera. It depends upon the severity of the reaction in the allergic person.

But the point I want to make here is this: there may be a lot of people who are not formally diagnosed as being allergic to cats but their sinuses might be inflamed by the Fel D1 allergen without the person realising it.

Sinusitis is a very common condition as it affects around 10%-30% of people in the United States and Europe with chronic sinusitis affecting about 12.5% of people according to Wikipedia.

Purina LiveClear review


But as I said, there are different grades of severity of sinusitis and some people might suffer from minor sinusitis and it may be caused by cat dander

And what I'm proposing here is that in order to check if a cat owner is suffering from mild sinusitis they should purchase some Purina LiveClear and test it. Test whether their sinusitis decreases in severity while they feed their cat with this product.

My research indicates that the product is reasonably successful in its objective. That's based on reviews you can read online.

My feeling is that there are perhaps many thousands of people living with cats who don't know that they are in a minor way allergic to them. That's because their symptoms are so low level that they don't recognise the problem but their sinuses may be affected and this test will at least tick that box to make sure that they are not suffering unnecessarily..

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Sunday, 24 March 2024

Are men more likely to be allergic to cats than women?

No, would appear to be the answer based on my research (see below) but a survey in Australia found that about twice as many men compared to women attended hospital for an allergy to the feline allergen Fel D1.
In 2021–22, open wounds were the most common type of injury, accounting for 13,420 (57%) cases, followed by fractures (15%), toxic effects (10%), and superficial (5%) and soft tissue injury (4.5%). The upper limbs (46%) and head and neck (14%) were the body parts most likely to be injured. Allergic reactions to animals sent 1,180 cases to hospital, the majority being males who were twice as likely as females to be hospitalized for this reason (5.9 and 3.2 per 100,000 respectively).

 But my assistant Bing Copilot reports this on whether there is a difference:

The likelihood of cat allergies does not appear to be significantly different between men and women. However, it’s interesting to note that non-neutered male cats produce more Fel d1, which is the protein that causes allergic reactions, compared to other cats. This means that male cats might pose a higher risk of triggering allergies, but this does not necessarily correlate with the gender of the human being allergic.

In general, pet allergies, including those to cats, affect a substantial portion of the population, with estimates suggesting that between 10% and 20% of people globally may suffer from some form of pet allergy. The development of allergies is complex and can be influenced by various factors, including genetics, environment, and early exposure to pets.

Sources: Many including: Springer, Sage and An Allergy.

What is Fel d 1?

Fel d 1 is a protein complex primarily found in cat saliva and sebaceous glands. It’s encoded by the CH1 and CH2 genes in cats and is the major allergen responsible for allergic reactions in humans sensitive to cats. The protein’s function in cats is not fully understood, but in humans, it can trigger an allergic or asthmatic response. Interestingly, Fel d 1 levels vary among cats, with non-neutered male cats producing more of this allergen.

Sources: Four including Allergy UK and Wikipedia.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Tuesday, 13 February 2024

Veterinarian approved notes on cat food allergies which may help

I was reading a Miami Herald article by Sheah Rarback who is a registered dietician and nutritionist in private practice in Miami, Florida, USA. She's written an article about her cat being allergic to 'something'. She provides a couple of useful pointers - thank you - but no detail.

She was told by her veterinarian I believe that she should try different sorts of meat protein for her cat such as ostrich, rabbit, venison and kangaroo because perhaps the starting point for identifying food allergies and intolerance is that most food allergies in both cats and humans are proteins which produce an immune response.

Hydrolysed protein


And she adds that she was instructed to consider a hydrolysed protein formula. She gives these formulas to her human clients. It is a formula in which the protein is broken down to basic peptides and doesn't cause an allergic reaction and it is easier to digest. The product is expensive.

So in round terms that is what she is advising and I would like to add a little bit extra having dipped into the best book one can have on the topic of delivering good cat health.

Some more


The book I have is written by four veterinarians and therefore this advice is veterinarian approved. We know that cats can become allergic to certain foods or substances in foods. They can also become allergic to things in the air and the environment.

Regarding food, the most common food allergens are chicken, fish, corn, wheat and soy but cats may also develop a food allergy to beef, pork, dairy products or eggs.

Gluten and lactose


At this juncture I would like to say that I am semi-vegan and I eat gluten-free breads and cakes and I drink oat milk to avoid cows' milk as I am lactose intolerant to a certain extent.

Gluten is inflammatory as is lactose or they both can be in some people.

I'm digressing but perhaps these might be compounding factors as the veterinarians mention wheat and milk as sources of an allergy to foods.

Symptoms


A food allergy produces symptoms including an intensely itchy rash on the head, neck and back. It might be accompanied by swollen eyelids. There could be hair loss and oozing sores because the cat scratches themselves.

Sometimes the ears are inflamed and cats scratch them, injuring themselves. I can remember many years ago my mother having a Siamese cat with this exact problem and we had no idea what it was. My mother did nothing about it and looking back I still feel guilty about that.

Sometimes a food allergy results in diarrhoea or vomiting.

Treatment


So what's the treatment? Perhaps the hard part is diagnosis. It is feeding your cat a diet without the suspected food for at least 4 to 6 weeks. The next step is to expose the cat to a suspected food and watch to see if there is a reaction. And there are numerous hypoallergenic diet available.

My veterinary book tells me that there are special diets be limited protein sources always contain treated proteins and which can be prescribed by your veterinarian. Prescription diets for this problem include Eukanuba Response LB Feline, Royal Canin Hypoallergenic HP Feline, Royal Canin Neutral Formula Feline, Royal Canin's Ltd Ingredients with duck, lamb, rabbit or venison as the meat protein. Science Diet Feline d/d with duck, rabbit or venison as the meat protein, and Science Diet z/d ULTRA Allergen Free Feline.

Perhaps you might take your cat off all the foods that she is currently eating and buy for her a hypoallergenic diet and put her on that. If it clears up the symptoms of a food allergy you can then try different foods that she was on previously at different times to see whether any produces an allergic reaction.

A food allergy is in effect food intolerance and you have to get to the bottom of this by trial and error. My book also tells me that "grains, especially wheat and corn, are common culprits". Often cat food has grains in it to pad it out. They confirm that "cats may also develop an intolerance to a specific protein source such as chicken or fish".

The diarrhoea may be watery, mucus-like or even bloody.  Of course, you would be advised to see a veterinarian who might carry out some tests in the clinic to test for an allergic reaction in order to isolate the allergen.

Prompt action


Bearing in mind what I said about my mother's Siamese cat, if there are any signs of an allergic reaction to food or an environmental allergen, the owner should take prompt steps because these are very distressing to a cat. 

It's no good just looking at your cat and thinking what's going on. That's exactly what my mother and I did all those years ago. You've got to take your cat to a vet or at least immediately put your cat on a high quality hypoallergenic diet to see whether that improves things.

Environmental or food?


You may have to take into consideration whether the allergen is in the environment or in the food. This is why I think isolating the allergen can be difficult.
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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Friday, 9 December 2022

Should cats be allowed on aeroplanes when 10-20% of people are allergic?

I think that this is a good question raised by Jacqueline Swartz writing for CNN. It is against the domestic cat and therefore I am a bit reluctant to write the article but, as I said, it's a good point. I think it needs discussing at least briefly.

Reluctant feline flier
Reluctant feline flier. Image: Reddit.com.

Jacqueline is allergic to cats. In fact, she says that she is severely allergic and vulnerable to allergic asthma. Quick research indicates that 10-20% of people are allergic to domestic cats. That is up to one in five people.

If there are a hundred people on an aircraft, 20 of them will be allergic to cats at a maximum. That's quite a big number and if there are 200 people on the plane you can double it.

Of course, not everyone is going to feel the effects of a cat in the aircraft's cabin as you have to be quite near, I would suggest, to the cat in a carrier to get the effect and therefore perhaps only one or two people allergic to cats will suffer negative consequences.

But as you probably know the feline cat allergen is carried on cat dander which disperses throughout the environment in which the cat finds themselves. I would suspect, therefore, that some cat dander travels out of the cat carrier into the cabin.

That might be a good point because it means it rests on the seats and I wonder if over time it builds up or whether the cleaners vacuum the seats or wash them down regularly.

Apparently, more people are allergic to cats than dogs because in writing this article you have got to think that if you are considering banning cats from aircraft you got to consider banning dogs from aircraft too.

One person who supports Jacqueline's argument that there should be a discussion about allowing cats on aeroplanes is an allergy and asthma specialist Dr. Mark C Jacobson, a former president of the Illinois Society of Allergy and Immunology.

He said:

"There are no hypoallergenic breeds of cat or dog.....The confined space of a plane could definitely pose a hazard for patients with cat allergy sufferers."

He confirmed that the dander is small and sticky and attaches itself to aeroplane seats.

I think it has to be admitted right away that there is no possibility of banning cats from aircraft! The only solution is for people who are allergic to cats to do something to protect themselves.

With billions of Covid-19 masks available to us, wearing one wouldn't look out of place and it could help prevent the dander from getting into the person's airways.

Apparently, air circulating throughout aircraft cabins passes through a HEPA air filter. Most airlines have them which may also help. But it probably wouldn't help if you are sitting near a cat.

Jacqueline says that on her six-hour Air Canada trip from Bogota she asked the flight attendant where the cat was located as she'd learnt that a cat was sharing the cabin with her. She was told the cat was three rows behind her! She wasn't allowed to move seats as the flight was full. And she also learned from the attendant that there were other cats and dogs on the plane.

Pets must remain in their carriers under the seat during the flight when they travel in the cabin.

Jacquelin's research informed her that economy passengers can call the airline ahead and reserve a seat five rows from the nearest cat! That might not work but there again it might.

Jeff Lane who works for United Airlines said:

"We try to be sensitive and move you away from cats. We deal with this day in and day out."

You wouldn't realise that it was such a big issue. Sometimes airlines allow eight pets in the cabin on a flight. United Airlines allow six pet cases in the cabin of Boeing 787, 777 and 767 aircraft. Four pets are allowed in the cabin of Airbus 320s and 319s.

This seems to be a pet problem (forgive the pun) of cat allergy sufferers. Tonya Winders, president of the Virginia-based Global Allergy Airways Patient Platform said: "We have been trying to raise awareness of cat allergy in cabins since 1985".

The Federal Aviation Administration's Air Carrier Access Act is meant to protect people with disabilities including severe allergies in aircraft cabins. The advice apparently is to select airlines that don't allow cat in cabins. If they do call ahead and try and sit as far as you can away from a cat and have a conversation with your doctor before flying!

Sunday, 4 July 2021

Picture of bumps and scabs on a cat's ear caused by an allergic reaction

This picture of the external part of the ear of a domestic cat, called the pinna (ear flap), might be instructive to somebody. It shows bumps and some bloody areas. You might be able to guess what happened. The cat has scratched his ears because they were itching. This sort of condition is often caused by an allergy to something. 

Allergies are caused by allergens and there are a wide range of allergens in very many areas of the life of a domestic cat including in the air and environment generally, in their food, and household items, in chemicals around the house which you don't necessarily know exist and so on. It can be difficult for a veterinarian to work out which allergen is causing an allergic reaction in a domestic cat. They have to run a lot of tests.

I have a particular interest in this sort of ear flap damage as my late mother's Siamese cat, Suki, suffered from the same problem. She did not deal with it properly and promptly which irks me to this day knowing that it caused her cat so much distress.

Picture of bumps and scabs on a cat's ear caused by an allergic reaction
Picture of bumps and scabs on a cat's ear caused by an allergic reaction. Photo: the cat's owner who remained anonymous.



The symptoms are distressing for a domestic cat because of intense itching. The cat scratches which breaks the skin. This may lead to a secondary bacterial infection and more problems. It's a case of self-mutilation. It's why cat owners need to act promptly to deal with allergies like this. It is called otitis externa: the external part of the air is inflamed in the form of bumps. It is not the whole area but just small parts of it.

A veterinarian diagnosed this condition online through the photograph. As this cat developed the problem during the summer months when he was outside in Atlanta, USA the veterinarian decided that it was a seasonal allergy caused by allergens such as pollen and grasses. She was able to discount other allergens such as those in food and around the house because of its seasonal nature.

But it might have been caused by a flea bite as some cats are allergic to flea bites. Or it might be caused by food and so on. It is just that it was possible to pin this one down more accurately because of its seasonal nature.

A secondary possibility was that the cat had been bitten by flies because he also had bumps on his nose. Fly bites are going to be seasonal as well for obvious reasons.

The picture is quite instructive because I think allergies which manifest themselves on a domestic cat's ear flaps are quite common. They look rather benign and not particularly important but they are. They cause itchiness which is very distressing if that itchiness is present all the time 24/7. Think about it and how it might feel if you had a persistent and powerful itch on your ear all the time.

Please deal with these sorts of illnesses quickly and see a veterinarian because it can be very difficult to self-diagnose domestic cat illnesses and conditions accurately. This condition is dealt with through a topical steroid cream which your veterinarian can provide recommend. 

But of course, the best treatment is proactive, namely to prevent your cat coming into contact with the allergen or allergens which cause the condition. In this instance it would probably be wise for the owner to keep her cat inside during the summer months which would be very difficult because he's got used to being outside enjoying the sun.

Sunday, 21 February 2021

Allergy to your cat versus viral infection (common cold)

These days I get itchy eyes sometimes. I have a sniffle. The symptoms are like a very low level cold. But it happens almost all the time, on and off. It is not confined to the winter or the summer or any other season for that matter. How do I know if my sniffles are due to an allergy to my cat or because I have a mild cold that my immune system is managing to deal with?

Allergy to cats versus common cold
Allergy to cats versus common cold. Image: PoC.

I think it is very difficult to tell the difference between "the sniffles" (a low level viral infection which your body deals with and eliminates) and a low level allergy to your cat. The only way to find out is to remove your cat from your life for a while and see what happens. I'm not prepared to do that so I'm not going to find out!

Different cats produce different allergic responses. It depends upon the concentration of the allergen in their saliva which is called Fel d1 as you might know. Male cats who have not been neutered tend to produce more of the allergen and therefore are more likely to generate an allergic response in people predisposed to the feline allergen.

My cat is, of course, neutered but he is a male and it is conceivable that I might be is just slightly allergic to him. It's unlikely because I've not had problems with an allergy to cats, except I did once have a minor reaction to a stray cat who used to come into my home many years ago. I noticed the difference. He was not neutered.

I was also slightly allergic to a cat I adopted from my mother who had, at that time, just recently passed away. So I can be allergic to cats albeit to a very low level. I'm just wondering aloud. I am chewing the cud on this one because it is irritating to have these low level sniffles which I have to deal with using paracetamol.

I also have some antihistamine pills which I will take today.

Allergy to your cat VS cold symptoms

Apparently, there is a slight difference in the symptoms between those caused by an allergy to your cat and those caused by the presence of viral infection i.e. a cold. An allergic reaction causes itching, sneezing and a runny nose with clear drainage. A cold produces a runny nose, sore throat, body aches and sometimes a mild fever. The difference would seem to be that you can have a sore throat with a cold but you don't have a sore throat with an allergic reaction to your cat. On that basis I'm allergic to my cat!

The is also be a difference in the onset of the symptoms and their duration. Cat allergies start immediately, as soon as you are exposed to the allergen whereas colds require an incubation period. That doesn't really help me. An important difference is that common colds normally last to a maximum of about fourteen days whereas allergy symptoms can persist for months as you are constantly exposed to the allergen. That's a telling difference.

Two things that you can do now and/or in the future

Purina make a cat food which reduces the strength of the feline allergen. It is called Pro Plan LiveClear Allergen Reducing Cat Food. You might consider trying it if you are allergic to your cat. Another possible for the future (2 years?) is a single injection given to a cat which makes them hypoallergenic.

Thursday, 12 June 2014

Dust Mite Extract Immunotherapy - Cure for Cat Allergy

Cat made a person allergicIt seems likely that science will be able to reduce the large number of people who are allergic to the domestic cat through dust mite extract immunotherapy administered orally in a pill perhaps.

Researchers at University Hospital Southampton lead by Hasan Arshad have discovered that it is possible to dramatically reduce a baby's allergic reaction to allergens causing allergies by exposing the babies to dust mites. As a result they are less likely to develop allergies to food, pets and dust, which points to a future cure for a sizeable percentage of the population of allergy sufferers.

In the trials a quarter (25%) of those in the control group (those given a placebo) developed allergies to:
  • dust
  • grass
  • cats
  • eggs or
  • peanuts.
This is similar to the general population. Yet only 9.4% of those on the dust mite extract oral treatment did so. The tests were carried out using skin pricks.

These are early days - it will be several years before something is available at your doctor's -  and for many these trials have come too late but they indicate that sensitising children to allergens when very young could help them avoid allergies when they are adults.

There are an estimated 10% of the population who are allergic to domestic cats. This is approximately 30m in the USA. If, in the future, a reduction of about 63% can be achieved, it would dramatically improve the lives of about 20 million Americans who care for a pet.

There are many cat allergy sufferers who wish to look after a cat. In the future there appears to be hope for these people. That would help rehome unwanted cats too.

The cat in the photo caused an allergic reaction in her owner. She was relinquished. Photo by Jennifer McGinn

Tuesday, 18 February 2014

Injections to calm down your allergic reaction to cats

Yes, injections to calm down your allergic reaction to cats! This is the holy grail of the cat world. An injection which allows you to live with your cat when you are allergic without sniffling, sneezing and scratching.

But does it work? Well, it is too early to know. And how healthy is it? There are lots of unknowns. At the moment we know that for this new product four injections are required compared to the usual 40 which is obviously a huge advancement.

The product is called CATPAD. It is not yet approved by the FDA. However, it has been studied before and at the moment more work is being carried out on the product to make it more effective and safer.

At the moment the researchers into this product are looking for people who have a cat allergy to participate in this new study.

Apparently, about 10% of the population are allergic to cats. It is a terrible twist of nature that many people who love cats are unable to live with their cats without some discomfort.

The best known method of tackling an allergy to cats is to buy a cat that does not produce the cat allergen. That cat is meant to be an Allerca cat.

There was at one time a lot of discussion about that cat. I think we can say that the business was discredited. Their top branded cat (Ashera GD) was in fact a Savannah cat, first generation. As it happens, there is some anecdotal evidence to suggest that first generation Savannah cats are to a certain extent hypo-allergenic.

Anyway, if you are allergic to cats and you want to take part in the study I would suggest that you Google CATPAD STUDY and take it from there. Click on this link to get started:

http://www.breatheamerica.com/albuquerque

Good luck.

This video explains how the cat allergy happens. I expect Catpad works in the way described in the video:




Saturday, 21 January 2012

Desensitising the baby to the cat allergen!

You'll enjoy this picture of a baby using the family cat as a pillow.


The cat is a brown/gray mackerel tabby and the child is Caucasian! I read somewhere that it is healthy for a child to be exposed to allergens as it helps to desensitize the person. It provides some protection in later life. And there is no doubt that when this child grows up he or she will like to keep a cat. Which brings me to the next point. It is during childhood that we can learn to love cats or be frightened of them. A bad experience or bad teaching from parents can leave the child with a fear of cats. A lot of people are frightened of cats to varying degrees. This is usually due to a lack of understanding or knowledge about the domestic cat. Once the person gets to know and relate to a cat the perceptions change for the better.

The fear of cats can result in an abuse of cats.

Friday, 6 January 2012

How to reduce cat allergies

How to reduce cat allergies? Here are ten tips:
  1. Male cats should be neutered. Male and female cats that are neutered/spayed have similar levels of Fel D1 allergen but unneutered males are the worst.
  2. Thinking long term, if a child is exposed to a domestic cat he or she has a lesser chance of being allergic to cats when older. There are resistant to it. Conversely adult people who are first time cat caretakers are less resistant (half as resistant) especially people with allergies to other substances1.
  3. Cat avoidance measures should be taken. This is rather self-defeating though. Keeping your cat out of the bedroom at night helps.
  4. You can more or less ignore stories of certain cat breeds being hypoallergenic. There are a lot of claims on the internet all of which are scientifically unsubstantiated.
  5. Use a HEPA filered air purifier.
  6. Use the best type of vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter.
  7. Wash your cat's coat once a week. I think this is not that practical to be honest.
  8. Wash your hands after handing your cat. Once again somewhat self-defeating.
  9. If you have a large enough home, keep one room for your cat where he can go so that you can gain some respite from the Fel D1 allergen.
  10. Continual close exposure to Fel D1 can sensitise the person even though there was no sensitivity previously. Points 8 and 9 help to reduce the speed of this process.
Note: (1) Study.

Tuesday, 4 October 2011

Living with a cat when allergic

Living with a cat when allergic to the cat takes a bit of courage really. It depends on how badly allergic you are but if it is bad and if you are living in a small home I would suggest that it is not a viable situation. I would have thought that a person who is allergic to the cat's Fel D1 allergen should seriously consider not keeping a cat. People who are mad about cats will disregard that. In fact only 20% of people do give up their cat or dog.

People who are allergic adopt another cat when the one they were allergic to passes away. The benefits of keeping a cat outweigh the irritation of being allergic it seems.

I know what it is like to be allergic to a cat even though I am not allergic to cats generally. I was allergic to a stray cat, Timmy, who came in for food. He came regularly for several years. He was an unneutered tom. They are the worst. He only had to be in the room I was in for me to start itching. I used to pick him up and soon thereafter my hands itched. I had to wash them afterward, every time. That provided immediate relief. The allergen must have been deposited on my skin.

As the allergen is dispersed into the air from the fur one idea is to install a high quality HEPA air purifier. That must help. And as the allergen, a protein called Fel D1 in the cat's saliva, is licked onto the cat's coat, shampooing your cat regularly say once or twice a week might provide some relief temporarily until the cat licks it back on as he will immediately after the shampooing. Note: if shampooing your cat please use very mild shampoo designed for babies or cats.

I don't know of any wonder fix for a person who is allergic to cats. You'll have to put up with it to a degree. Females and neutered cats are less likely to provide an allergic reaction. If your tom cat is "whole" (not neutered) get him altered asap.

Other suggestions for making it easier when living with a cat when allergic are:
  1. Keep one room in the home which is out of bounds to your cat. When entering and leaving the room the door must be closed. The room should be carpet free. Removing carpet helps remove the airborne allergen. Try and ensure ventilation to this room by leaving the window open slightly (provided the outside air is clean!).
  2. Use impermeable covers for bedclothes (pillow cases and mattress covers) as these can harbor the allergen.
  3. Some vacuum cleaners are more efficient in removing the allergen. You might look into that.
  4. Reducing the intake of sugar-rich foods apparently reduces the allergic response (source: Low Cost Natural Cures for Your Dog & Cat Your Vet Doesn't Want You to Know).
If anyone has some fancy ideas please leave a comment - thanks. One last point, the Siberian cat is said to be hypoallergenic. Other breeds are said to be as well. I don't believe it however. Some individual cats are less likely to cause an allergic reaction.

This should be checked out by the person who is allergic by having direct contact with cats of these breeds. Doing that first before adopting a cat may save lots of discomfort.

See what cats are hypoallergenic?

Michael Avatar

What cats are hypoallergenic?

No cats are hypoallergenic although some individual cats might cause less of an allergic reaction that other cats. Also some cat breeds might cause a reduced allergic reaction than other cat breeds. But all the claims are anecdotal. There is no science on this.

Also we should remember that most people are not allergic to cats. The allergen that causes the allergic reaction is a protein in the cat's saliva called Fel D1. It is deposited on the fur when the cat grooms. It dries and flies off into the atmosphere as cat dander. If you are allergic to cats you need not touch a cat but just be in the same area and feel itchy.

Unneutered male cats are more likely to cause an allergic reaction. Incidentally, the word "hypoallergenic" means less likely to cause an allergic reaction.

Cat breeders like to mark out their cat breed as special. It is a marketing method. One Siberian cat breeder claims the Siberian cat is hypoallergenic. I cannot confirm or refute that. The Savannah cat is said, by a respected person who knows, to be hypoallergenic but this is not confirmed with science. The Life Style Pets (Allerca) Ashera GD is an F1 Savannah and claimed to be hypoallergenic. That is why they are sold.

Answering the question, "what cats are hypoallergenic?" we get the answer, "None, except that some will be less likely to cause an allergic reaction in people who are allergic to the Fel D1 allergen." The key is to find the individual cat or go to a Siberian or Savannah cat breeder and see if you start to itch!

Michael Avatar

Thursday, 20 January 2011

Amino acid sequence of cat allergen Fel d1

This is an addendum to a page on the main website on cat allergen Fel D1. The amino acid sequence of Fel D1 has been ascertained.

Maltese kitten rescued by Martha Kane in Malta
Maltese rescue cat - photo by Michael at PoC
Yes you have the Fel D1 too.

The allergen is composed "of two polypeptide chains"1.

Polypeptide means: short polymers of amino acids linked by peptide bonds.

Polymers are large molecules (macromolecule) composed of repeating structural units.

Amino acids are molecules containing an amine group, a carboxylic acid group and a side chain that varies between different amino acids.

Peptide bond is a covalent chemical bond formed between two molecules when the carboxyl group of one molecule reacts with the amino group of the other molecule, thereby releasing a molecule of water (H2O)



The two chains referred to above are encoded by different genes. Chain 1 of Fel dI shares amino acid homology with rabbit uteroglobin, while chain 2 is a glycoprotein with N-linked oligosaccharides.

Definitions for the above:

"Homology" refers to an homologous trait. Homologous means any characteristic of organisms that is derived from a common ancestor.

Uteroglobin also known as secretoglobin family 1A member 1 (SCGB1A1) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SCGB1A1 gene.

Glycoproteins are proteins that contain oligosaccharide chains (glycans) covalently attached to polypeptide side-chains.

Oligosaccharides: a saccharide polymer containing a small number (typically three to ten) of component sugars, also known as simple sugars (monosaccharides)

Source:

Amino acid sequence of Fel dI, the major allergen of the domestic cat: protein sequence analysis and cDNA cloning published by PNAS and authored by

1. J P Morgenstern,
2. I J Griffith,
3. A W Brauer,
4. B L Rogers,
5. J F Bond,
6. M D Chapman, and
7. M C Kuo

Definitions:

Wikipedia authors

Michael Avatar

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