Allergies – Allergy Relief for Pet Allergies
Strategies to control allergies to pet danderCat Allergies – Tips and Advice
1. Use a HEPA Air Purifier
To have an allergic reaction, the cat dander needs to be airborne and you need to breathe it in. Since cat allergen is so small and difficult to remove, a good high quality HEPA air filter is absolutely essential. Personally, I have found that the liberal use of a high grade HEPA air purifier running 24 hours a day is the key to success. I highly recommend the IQAir or Blueair air purifiers for the best results.
2. Get a HEPA Vacuum Cleaner
A true HEPA vacuum cleaner sucks up cat dander and keeps it from returning back into your environment. Vacuum your whole house weekly. Keep your pets off furniture, and remove carpet and area rugs. If possible, let your cat outside to reduce shedding in the house.
3. Try a Vapor Steam Cleaner
Steam Cleaners are proven by research to be extremely helpful in eliminating the cat proteins/dander which are embedded in your carpets and upholstery. It’s a great, chemical free way of killing dust mites, bacteria, mold and eliminating cat allergens.
4. Keep Cats Out of the Bedroom
This is where you spend most of your time at home. Keep the bedroom door closed at all times and make this a sanctuary away from your cat.
5. Wash Your Hands
Always wash your face, hands and arms after grooming or playing with your cat to remove its dander. Never touch your eyes afterwards.
6. Clean Your Cats
Cat shampoos thoroughly clean your pet and neutralize the allergy-provoking allergens found in their fur, dander and saliva. They can be found at your local veterinarian’s office. Alternatively, you can use a damp micro fiber cloth to rub down the cats’ coat daily to rid it of dander.
7. Wash Your Linens
Washing your bed and household linens in 140°F water will eliminate both dust mite and cat allergens. Remove clothing worn after grooming or playing with your pet. Keep the clothing, now full of animal dander, out of the bedroom.
8. Use a Nasal Irrigator
If you have sinus problems because of your cats, use a nasal irrigator and clean out the allergens in your nostrils on a daily basis. This alone will reduce your absorption of allergens by at least fifty percent. We recommend the Grossan Nasal Irrigation System.
9. Over-Pressurize a Room
Over pressurizing a room will keep out the air with any biological contaminants such as mold, pollen, viruses, bacteria and cat allergens. In order to positively pressurize a room, air needs to be drawn into the room from the outside (exterior or nearby room) through an exceptionally high grade HEPA filter, so only pure air reaches the interior of the room. This is also a good way for people suffering from environmental allergies to get fresh air in the home. You can buy kit to over-pressurize a room from IQAir at Allergybuyersclub.com
10. Get a Siberian Cat
There is a protein in the feline saliva called Fel D1. The Siberian is apparently free from the Fel D1 protein, and therefore has no dander. Many people find they have no allergic reaction to this type of breed. They are also beautiful long haired cats!
The best method of controlling animal allergies is avoidance. If a family member has a really severe reaction to a family pet, the best solution is to find the pet another home.
Posted in: Allergies, Cat Allergies
