Do cats cause asthma??
I've been taking care of a stray kitten (a much loved pet now) since last December. She's about 6 months old now and is an indoor/outdoor cat. I tend to keep her close to me all the time, although my parents have never approved since the begining. Even the fact that I bathe her every week and feed her good food doesn't seem to help change their minds. Recently, I found that she has a hairball problem. Each time she coughs, it just drives my parents nuts. They think she has some kind of disease or something, no matter how hard I try to explain. My dad on the other hand insists that cats shed a lot of fur, and that this can cause asthma. I've only heard that cat's can trigger asthma, but cause them....?? Everytime she coughs, they'd force me to send her out. I know coughing hairballs are painful to cats, and I really hate carrying and sending her outside each time they tell me to. I'm really helpless, and I need some good advice out there, something to help change my parents minds...??
Comments
They cause Hay fever
That's how I get hay fever myself!
I have had asthma for 10 years, I'm allergic to cats, and I have two, so that should tell your dad something. You're right, Asthma is not caused by cats, instead, a cat can trigger asthma symptoms. In most cases, people get allergy and asthma symptoms because of the dander on the fur. The dander is dried saliva, when the cat licks herself, the saliva dries onto her fur. To reduce shedding, you can wipe her down with pet wipes that you can find at any pet store. I do this with my cats and I can tell you that the shedding has lessened by a long shot. Also, if you brush her daily, the shedding is also reduced, and the hairball problem is lessened.
Do you have a large dog crate that you could use when your parents want her away? I think that would be a safer alternative than putting her outside, she could get hurt out there. There may be nothing you can do to change your parents minds, their house, their rules, but at least show them that you can lessen the cat shedding and dander.
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Cats And Asthma
If your 2 year old has asthma - having an animal (cat or dog) may trigger the asthma. It's not the cat's fur, but rather it's "dander" that would cause the allergy / asthma....if the condition exists. The dander is basically dried up skin that the cat's tongue has licked off / cleaned off. Anyways - the answer is: the cat does not cause asthma, but can be a trigger to the condition, if it exists.
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RE:
Do cats cause asthma??
I've been taking care of a stray kitten (a much loved pet now) since last December. She's about 6 months old now and is an indoor/outdoor cat. I tend to keep her close to me all the time, although my parents have never approved since the begining. Even the fact that I bathe her every week...
Cats can't cause asthma. Cats can't cause allergies. Cats can definitely exacerbate the symptoms of asthma and allergies in people who have them. Asthma is a condition involving the respiratory system in which the airway occasionally constricts, becomes inflamed, and is lined with excessive amounts of mucus. Actually, cats themselves can suffer from asthma. Although you can develop an allergy to cats, the cats are not the "cause". An allergy develops because of a disturbance in the immune system that causes an extreme inflammatory response. Sometimes the "trigger" can indeed be cat dander, but the cat isn't causing the problem, only aggravating it.
Asthma is a respiratory condition triggered by allergens. So, in answer to the question of whether cats cause asthma, no, they do not. However, if someone has been diagnosed with an allergy to cat dander (this can only be determined by a medical professional by administering a skin test; otherwise it is simply a speculation). It seems by what you have said here that your parents are jumping to conclusions about something they are not well educated on. It could be (you didn't indicate your age or whether you have a job so you can afford a cat) that they are concerned over who will actually be paying and caring for the cat? Knowledge IS power!
You indicate that you found a stray kitten which you decided to keep as your own. Owning a cat (or any pet) is a huge responsibility, both physically and finacially. Have you had your kitten seen by a veternarian yet? At 6 months old she should have started a series of vaccinations, been wormed, spayed, checked for fleas, and recieved a complete physcial to determine an pre-existing conditions (keep ALL vet records!). She will also need kitten food for the first year (please, purchase what is best for your kitten and not just something that you can 'afford'; your kittens health is primary and some of the less expensive foods can cause kidney problems, among other things!). A clean litter box is mandatory! (I clean mine at least twice a day and wash/sanatize it once a week). You will also need cat toys that will keep your kitten active and occupied when you are not around to play with her.
Cat toys do NOT need to be expensive. As a matter of fact, my two boys are happier with homemade toys I give them than they are with expensive store-bought products.
They have a ball of aluminum foil attatched to a cord that hangs from a door-knob, another ball of foil that they can bat around on the floor, a plethora of plastic rings off of milk bottles, empty toilet paper rolls (for some reason, they love these things!), an old baby sock sprinkled lightly with organic catnip. I also took a 3 foot string of hemp twine and made a series of slip-knots down it and tied a knot at the ends and they love carrying it around and chewing on it. Use your imagination when it coems to cat toys. They have no idea whether it came from Bloomingdales or out of the junk drawer!
I canNOT stress enough... PLEASE, DO NOT HAVE YOUR CAT DECLAWED! If you have considered doing so, I urge you to Google it before having this barbaric and tortorous procedure done! There are alternatives to mutilating your precious pet for 'conveniences sake'. I strongly recommend getting some feline soft claws (vinyl claw covers). They are safe, and come in a variety of colors so your little girl can always be in fashion!
Declawing is illegal in many countries and the United States is trying desperately to get it legally banned. Read up on it and make an informed and humane decision!
Now, back to the dilemma with your parents not wanting the kitten (soon to be a cat) in their home...
While it would have been wise to get their permission first, that is water over the dam. Do your research. Talk with your vet. Talk with a medical doctor. Do research. Become well informed with facts. Then educate your parents! With hope, once they learn about asthma and allergies, not to mention the wonderful benefits of having a cat in their lives, they will come around to accepting your kitten.
Should you have to re-home your little fur ball, I ask that you do your research again. If you cannot find a new home with someone you know, be comfortable with whomever you allow to adopt her. Ask them questions about their previous experience and knowledge of owning a cat. Do they currently have other pets? Be SURE they agree to NEVER have her declawed! Observe their interaction with her when they come to meetv her. Give them copies of all her vet records, the type of food she is on, her feeding schedule, her toys and accessories.
I hope this has been helpful and all works out well for you and your kitten!
When she coughs up hairballs (please show your parents http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hairball), it's wet. What can trigger asthma is the dust on cats, which can be prevented by daily brushing. I myself had this problem as a kid and was told by my doctor that I was to give away all my pets etc, and I refused, and I am fine.
Cats shed dander. That's not necessarily what causes asthma, as a doctor can tell your dad, just like my doctor explained it to me.
1) change cat food, there's special food that helps to eliminate hairballs from digestive system;
2) bringing cat out while she coughs is a smart idea cos cats may vomit;
3) cats and cat hair may cause allergy and allergy may cause asthma, itching skin and other nasty symptoms. if your family was allergic to cats, you would have seen symptoms already; so tell them not to worry;
4) show your parents a book or something that explains why cats coughs. however, you may want to bring her to vet, she might have some disease.
if somebody suffers from asthma and are allergic to cats then they will get asthma. I have never heard of a cat actually making a non allergic non asthmatic person have asthma