How to Build Up Immunity to Cat Allergy

How to Build Up Immunity to Cat Allergy

Cat allergy is often caused due to proteins present in cat’s saliva, urine, dander and dry skin flakes found in fur. Some people have intolerance to cats, and develop itchy nose, itchy eyes and excessive sneezing whenever around a cat. If you are also allergic to cats, that doesn’t mean that you should always stay away from a cat’s cuteness for your entire lifetime. In some instances, you may build up immunity to cat allergy over time, and become more tolerant to it. Read this oneHOWTO article to find out how to build up immunity to cat allergy.

How immunity can build up

Sometimes, you can build up immunity to a particular cat over time. An allergy occurs when your body treats the allergens as foreign invaders. With time, your body may become accustomed to the cat allergens of a particular cat and your reaction to them may diminish. According to experts, allergies to certain foods are also treated on a similar concept of exposing the patients to the allergens gradually over time. Most of the times, you build up immunity only to a particular cat, and your symptoms may trigger again around other cats.

How to stay safe during the process of building immunity

While you are trying to build up immunity to cat allergy, there are certain steps that you should take to minimize your exposure to the cat allergens. It is important to keep your home as clean as possible, avoid carpets as they gather most allergens, and avoid taking the cat inside your bedroom until you develop complete immunity to it. You can minimize the production of dander by brushing your cat regularly, using an anti-allergy shampoo to bathe your cat, and trying anti-allergy sprays.

Getting immunotherapy shots

While you are building up immunity to cat allergy, you can choose to get shots that will help you cope up with the cat allergy. These are immunotherapy shots that also work by exposing you to cat elements over time. These shots contain certain cat allergens that your doctor will start in small doses and increase gradually. These injections are given once or twice in a week for around 6 months, followed by boosters around every 3 years. In addition to shots, you can also take antihistamines, eye drops, decongestants and inhalers to minimize the symptoms of your allergy. Nettle tea contains quercetin which is a bioflavonoid helpful in minimizing allergy symptoms. Increased usage of vitamin E and C are proven to give anti-allergen effect as well.

Natural remedies

Apart from the methods mentioned above, it is said that there are certain herbs and natural remedies that can help you build up immunity too. Devil's Claw and Luffa leaf taken each as an infusion once a day can help you minimize the allergic reaction that the cat has on you.

Important tips to stay safe as you build up immunity

Keep your house ventilated so that any allergens do not stay trapped inside. Install an air cleaner with HEPA filter to remove all the allergens present in your house. There are cleansing wipes that you can use on your cat everyday to remove any danger and saliva from its hair, and minimize your allergy triggers. Anti-allergen sprays are very effective in deactivating allergens. Use the ones made out of non-toxic substances and those that are plant based. Building immunity to cat allergy can take a period of several months, and that too only for a particular cat. So, you need to be patient and stay safe during this time. Before bringing a cat to your home, it is best to consult a doctor first. If you have severe reaction to cats, such as asthmatic attacks, you should not try to build up immunity by taking risks.

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