Cat Allergy: Symptoms and Treatment Options

A cat allergy manifests itself through similar symptoms as a cold. We explain how to recognise the allergy and which treatment helps.

What is a Cat Allergy?

Although cats are among the most popular pets in Germany, velvet paws can also be the trigger of an allergy. After the house dust allergy, the cat allergy is even the second most common allergy in Germany. It triggers symptoms that are very similar to those of a cold. The symptoms can be treated with medication, but hyposensitisation can also help.

Cat Allergy or Cat Hair Allergy?

One often speaks of a cat hair allergy, but actually it is not a direct animal hair allergy. Although the hair plays a major role in the spread of allergens, they are mainly caused by the skin flakes, saliva and tear fluid of cats. A particularly common allergen is Fel d 1, which is found in saliva and skin cells, but also in the urine, sebaceous glands and blood serum of cats.

Opponents of The Immune System: Which Cat Allergy Symptoms are There?

The following symptoms can occur with a cat allergy:

• Irritation of the throat and sneezing
• Sniffles
• Itching
• Burning and tearing eyes
• Rashes
• Skin rashes (e.g. hives)
• Asthma attacks

Basics of The Diagnosis: Cold or Cat Allergy?

As already described, the cat allergy symptoms also fit with a cold or other infectious diseases. To distinguish them, it helps to look at the duration of the complaints: If the symptoms persist for a longer period of time, if they come back again and again or if they also often occur in the warm season, a cat allergy is more likely than an infection.

Eye Drops and Nasal Spray: What Helps with Reactions to Cat Allergens?

Medication such as antihistamines can help to reduce the allergy symptoms. Ointments containing cortisone can also relieve symptoms, while eye drops and a nasal spray can help allergy sufferers with burning eyes and a cold. Like many other allergies (e.g. insect venom allergy), cat allergy can also be treated by hyposensitisation.

However, it is difficult to avoid the triggering allergens in general: Similar to pollen, which causes hay fever, cat allergens are very common. They are often still in an apartment even when no cat has lived there for years. They can also be present in public buildings such as cinemas for years. It is therefore advisable to clean all textiles (both clothing and carpets and upholstered furniture) regularly. By the way: cat allergy sufferers often have a cross-allergy – they react sensitively to pork.