My partner is allergic to my cat. How can we reduce her symptoms?

Besides vacuuming, cleaning up, and using a HEPA air filter, I am not aware of anything you can do to help with her allergies. You should keep the cat separated from her when she comes over, too. If she is seriously allergic to cats then she should talk to her doctor about what she could take prior to visiting to help control her allergies.

Brushing more often (in an area that's easy to clean up any hair that flies away) can certainly help. Keeping carpets and furniture clean can also help reduce pet dander and allergens. If you do a search online, there are also special shampoo sprays that can be used on cats to help reduce excess dander without harm to your cat. Having an antihistamine on hand for your friend to use, and keeping bedding/cat towers/etc out of common areas your friend will frequent may also help.

Thanks for visiting Petcoach. It sounds like your vet would like to start allergy shots. In the past these have been utilized with some major challenges for pet owners. They can take anywhere from 6-12 months or longer to work in many cases, they can fail, and the pet will continue to have outbreaks that must be treated as you go along with the shots. Many owners today elect to go with an allergy pill (Temaril-P or steroids shots (Depomedrol) for cats) as needed to help reduce the symptoms of their pets allergies. Also trying Heppa filters in your home as well as minimizing dust by periodic cleanings can help remove the stimulus altogether. I would elect to treat as needed and since steroids are well tolerated in cats, it is not a bad start to helping maintain Apple's allergies. I even have some cats who can go 1-6 months in between steroid shots, so they can be few and far between. You did not mention a food allergy or having done a food trial as well. This can rule out concurrent food and environmental allergies. Here is a website link that can help you get started. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951526 This should be done too because if there is also a food allergy present, this will likely cause continued allergies despite your other treatments. My top hypoallergenic food to try is Royal Canin Rabbit and Potato or Royal Canin Ultamino. Discuss this option with your vet and see if you'll can come up with an agreement that is feasible and can produce the best results for Apple's ongoing allergies. Best wishes and take care.

Cats can be allergic to flea, food, or the environment (like human hay fever). I would recommend starting by talking with your vet to see if they have any guess to which of these Wookiee is allergic too. Generally, I recommend getting on a prescription diet for allergies, and then experimenting with different allergy medications if the symptoms are still present after 2-3 months on the food. You could also try the medications first if you need quickly relief, but then you won't know if the meds are really needed or if a food change could help. There are many different medication options, but your vet can tell you what they think will work best for Wookiee. Good luck!

Allergies definitely stink. I know a lot of veterinarians out there that end up developing allergies to dogs or cats throughout their careers and it makes their lives very difficult. In terms of things that you can do, the first thing I would recommend is speaking with your allergist or dermatologist about possibly getting allergy shots. Some people have a lot of luck with these. It makes owning a cat not only possible, but enjoyable. Secondly, just like there are hypoallergenic dogs, there are hypoallergenic cats. I am providing you with a link to a page that goes over many of them. It will also tell you what makes people allergic to cats. I hope you find a kitty that makes your home whole. Good luck!

You can try adding an omega-3 fatty acid supplement for pets to the diet. This can help improve skin health and act as a natural anti-inflammatory. Cats can take some over-the-counter antihistamines but online veterinarians are prohibited from discussing human medication usage in pets. I recommend to call your regular veterinarian who will be able to give you a recommendation. If this doesn’t help within two weeks, or if Roy gets worse, have him examined by his veterinarian. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to get rid of pet dander. If she has a lot of dandruff, you can try some fish oil over her food to help moisturize her skin. The dander though will likely still be there. If you have allergies, I would recommend to not let her sleep on your pillow and you can also get an air filter for your room which will help to decrease the amount of pet dander in the air. I hope this helps!