Cat allergy

The Cat allergy is the most common form of widespread animal hair allergy. Your symptoms include watery eyes, the urge to sneeze, and allergic skin reactions, but severe asthma attacks can also occur. The most important step in therapy is immediate relief for the patient. This consists in avoiding any contact with allergens, for example cats with a cat allergy.

What is a cat allergy?

The Cat hair allergy and other animal hair allergies together form the third most common form of allergy in Germany, after pollen and house dust mite allergies.

About ten percent of the population are affected. Anyone who suffers from a cat allergy reacts to the animal proteins that are in the animals' hair. Allergens can also be found in the skin, saliva, sweat or faeces, and in cats also in the vomited hairballs.

It is important to know that animal hair itself does not trigger any allergies, only the proteins that settle in them. In principle, all saliva-producing animals can cause an allergy, which is why those affected should not keep pets and avoid contact with wild animals. The exact cause of the frequency of cat allergies has not yet been found; it is suspected that cats have a comparatively strong urge to clean.

causes

The cause of the Cat allergy is a dysregulated immune system. As with all allergies, it initiates the so-called excessive defense reactions when the body comes into contact with animal hair or other substances.

The substances that trigger this reaction are called allergens. The cat allergy is an immediate allergy, which is initiated by immunoglobulin E and is directly related to contact with allergens. The immune system forms antibodies against the immunoglobulins, which bind to the mast cells and stimulate the body to release inflammatory messengers. These messenger substances, including histamines, trigger acute inflammatory reactions.

The question of the inheritance of allergy tendencies has not yet been clarified. What is certain is that some people with cat allergies suffer from a genetically anchored tendency to hypersensitivity reactions of this type of allergy.

Symptoms, ailments & signs

Symptoms of a cat allergy can appear on the airways, eyes, and skin. Since the allergens are inhaled through the air, the first signs of a cat allergy usually show through the airways. Here, lighter complaints are often mistaken for a cold.

The symptoms range from a slight itchy throat to a constant urge to cough to strong coughing fits. The throat and pharynx can also become inflamed. A blocked or runny nose and frequent sneezing can also be symptoms of a cat allergy. In extreme cases, asthma attacks and shortness of breath can occur.

The conjunctiva of the eyes is also irritated by the allergens. The result is watery, itchy or burning eyes. Often the eyes are reddened or swollen. The skin of those affected can also react to the cat allergens. In this case, slight reddening and swelling develop up to severely itchy rashes with large pustules.

The symptoms often appear on the hands and arms, i.e. the areas that have come into contact with the cat. The symptoms appear differently in each person. They depend on how severe the allergy is. The length and intensity of contact with the cat also play a role.

Diagnosis & course

A Cat allergy can be present from childhood, but can also only be noticed in later years of life. Without treatment, the cat hair allergy worsens to life-threatening asthma attacks.

This makes the diagnosis and subsequent treatment problematic, because many sufferers do not see their own pets as the cause or do not want to give them up. Precise observation of the symptoms and their time of occurrence is all the more important for the diagnosis of animal hair allergy. The treating allergy specialist must know when and where the allergic reactions are noticed, so those affected should keep an allergy diary.

These allergens can only be taken into account in a prick test if there is sufficient suspicion of a cat allergy. To confirm the result of the skin test, a detailed blood test for antibodies will be done before treating the cat allergy.

Complications

As a rule, a cat allergy does not lead to particular complications or discomfort as long as contact with cats is avoided. This may limit the affected person's everyday life. In the worst case, cat allergies can lead to asthma attacks or a strong urge to sneeze when they come into contact with cats.

Those affected then continue to suffer from watery eyes and shortness of breath. In addition, the skin can turn red and a strong cough occurs. In the further course, the cat allergy can also lead to various inflammations of the eye.In most cases, the diagnosis of a cat allergy is made by the patient himself. In many cases this allergy cannot be treated causally, so that the person concerned must avoid any contact with cats.

There are no further complications or complaints and the life expectancy of the patient is not reduced by this allergy. In some cases, the symptoms can be reduced with the help of spray and other allergy medicines. A so-called desensitization can also be carried out if contact with cats is desired or cannot be avoided.

When should you go to the doctor?

If the person concerned experiences sudden health problems in the presence of a cat, a doctor should be consulted. To clarify the cause, tests are required that are necessary to detect an allergic reaction. If you run your nose, sneeze hard or have sneezing attacks, it is advisable to see a doctor. If there is a blocked nose, redness of the eyes, skin changes, an itching of the face or a cough, these are signs of a cat allergy.

If the voice is hoarse, the breathing is disturbed or the breathing is difficult, the person concerned needs help. The mucous membranes swell and block the windpipe. In severe cases, the person concerned is threatened with anaphylactic shock. If there is acute shortness of breath or loss of consciousness, an emergency doctor must be alerted. Before he arrives, first aid measures must be initiated and breathing must be ensured. For some people, contact with people who keep cats in private households is sufficient.

Even the first contact with these people or physical closeness can trigger the symptoms. A doctor must be consulted in good time so that no life-threatening situation arises. If open wounds develop due to the itching, sterile wound care should be initiated. If this cannot be guaranteed, a doctor's visit is necessary, as otherwise pathogens can penetrate the organism.

Treatment & Therapy

The main therapy of an animal hair and Cat allergy consists in avoiding allergen contact. For cat allergy sufferers, this usually means that they cannot keep cats and that they have to separate from their pets.

As a further step after the separation, all furniture and clothing must be thoroughly cleaned. This difficult step is the only insurance against the severe, life-threatening course of the allergy. If allergy sufferers rarely encounter the offending animals or if the allergy is very weak, the doctor will prescribe drug therapy for the symptoms of the cat allergy. Antihistamines, adrenaline sprays and glucocorticoids alleviate the acute allergy symptoms, which is why they are particularly recommended before visiting cat owners.

If skin irritation occurs, special antiallergic care products can provide relief. Some patients report successful desensitization to cat hair allergy. Attempting to desensitize is, however, associated with the risk of an increased allergy reaction.

Outlook & forecast

The prognosis of a cat allergy is poor. If a cat allergy has been diagnosed, it is usually a lifelong illness with an unchanged diagnosis. The symptoms remain constant over the life span or, in severe cases, can even have an increasing character. Spontaneous healing is not to be expected in a cat allergy. The previous possibilities of conventional medicine, alternative or natural healing methods have so far only led to a temporary and not a permanent recovery.

The patient experiences freedom from symptoms by taking measures independently. This includes completely avoiding being around cats. Environments in which cats have stayed and contact with people who have come into contact with cats must also be avoided. Even the transfer of cat hair into the immediate vicinity of the person concerned can trigger allergic reactions. If medical treatment is sought, the symptoms can be relieved for a limited period of time. Even with long-term therapy or the regular intake of medication, continuous, continuous relief of all symptoms is not achieved.

If the disease progresses poorly, the person affected experiences an anaphylactic shock. This represents a life-threatening situation and can be fatal without immediate intensive medical care. There is also the possibility that the organism will develop a chronic disease such as asthma.

prevention

Since the causes of the Cat allergy are not adequately clarified, the allergy cannot be prevented. With some measures, however, the development of symptoms can be counteracted preventively. These include avoiding contact with the animal, cleaning the home thoroughly and taking antihistamines before visiting pet owners.

Aftercare

Allergies, like cat allergies, usually last a lifetime. Follow-up care aims to ensure that patients cope with everyday life without problems and that complications do not occur. However, doctors cannot prevent a recurrence. A cat allergy is usually not cured and is permanent.

Knowledge of the triggers is imparted as part of the initial diagnosis. The patient learns that he must avoid contact with cats. Certain pieces of furniture are also susceptible to animal hair and trigger the typical symptoms. They are to be cleaned thoroughly. The person concerned is responsible for these preventive measures.

Scheduled follow-up checks in the medical sense do not exist. In addition, drugs can provide prevention and relief from acute problems. The attending physician can prescribe appropriate agents as part of long-term treatment or in the event of acute symptoms. This temporarily reduces the risks.

The only exception to the continued existence of a cat allergy is the desensitization approach. However, this therapy is extremely tedious and its success is not always satisfactory. If this treatment has been chosen, a final healing can result. Patients then do not need any follow-up care due to the freedom from symptoms. As is well known, there is no longer any clinical picture.

You can do that yourself

Cat owners who suffer from a cat allergy do not necessarily have to give up their four-legged friend. Depending on the severity of the allergy, it is often enough to pay more attention to hygiene and cleanliness in the household.

Cat hair and other residues should be removed regularly - daily vacuuming and weekly washing of pillow and duvet covers is mandatory. Cat owners should also set up a place of retreat that the pet is not allowed to enter. Ideally, the contact with the cat is reduced a little to lessen the allergic reactions. In the case of pronounced immune reactions, it may still be necessary to take medical measures such as desensitization. A proven alternative from naturopathy is intestinal rehabilitation, in which the defense against the intestinal flora is strengthened. A classic detox can also reduce the allergy. A widely used method is autologous blood therapy, which improves the general susceptibility to allergies in the body.

Sometimes a cat allergy also has psychosomatic causes. Discussions with the appropriate specialist doctors help to identify and remedy the trigger for the defense reaction. Appropriate measures should always be discussed with a doctor first in order to avoid complications.