Reader question: I suddenly became allergic to my cat. It’s no worse than I can manage if I take over-the-counter allergy medications and avoid scratching my eyes after touching the cat.
But is it dangerous to live with an animal that you interact with in the long run? I really want to keep my cat, I live on my own so it’s great company.
The doctor replies: “It is not dangerous and there is no danger to health.”
How unfortunate it turned out like this! Good thing you found a strategy where you avoid rubbing the cat’s protein from the fur into your eyes.
If the antihistamine tablets are enough, you can take them continuously, if it is a domestic cat. Perhaps you also use eye drops and nasal spray occasionally to avoid itching or a runny nose?
What can become a problem is if you develop asthma, which can be difficult to manage, if your asthma is triggered all the time. There is no telling if that will happen.
There are more than you who come or are in the same dilemma, but as I see it, it is not dangerous or a health hazard if it is at your level in terms of symptoms. It is always individual where you set the cap, and you have to set it yourself, or in consultation with a doctor.
So it’s not a given that the allergy will get worse if you keep your friend around. But if you’ve reached a point where it’s hard to handle just breathing, it’s time to keep the cat at a short distance. Maybe with someone you know, so the breakup won’t be so dramatic.
Ask a doctor
Gunilla Hasselgren is a specialist in general medicine and Honorary Doctor of Medicine at Uppsala University.
Send your questions to: [email protected]
Read more: Aren’t there more children with flat feet?
Read more: Can the home test for cell changes be trusted?
Read more: Should I get vaccinated again against COVID-19?
More Stories
The contribution of virtual reality to research in medicine and health
The sun could hit the Internet on Earth
In memory of Jens Jørgen Jørgensen