Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Calling All Cat Owners


Lisa

Recommended Posts

Lisa Mentor

I'm housing my daughter's cat for, umm...five weeks now, with two to go.

My eyes are scratchy, blood shot and watery. Contacts are a no go.

My question is: We have had cats for many years. But in their later years we were in less direct contact. The last of three passed a year ago. All of which were in their twenties.

Could I be allergic to a particular cat. :unsure:


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



jerseyangel Proficient

Yes-- you can definitely be allergic to only certain cats.

Have you tried Claritin?

Lisa Mentor

Yes-- you can definitely be allergic to only certain cats.

Have you tried Claritin?

Interesting! Thank you. I will try the Claritin.

psawyer Proficient

It may also involve sensitization. That is similar to the concept with the allergy injections.

Repeated exposure over time may reduce your sensitivity. The shots seek to do this by building up your tolerance with repeated exposure once a week, then every two weeks, then once a month.

I tested as a teenager as being allergic to cats. In the summer of 1995, a cat adopted us. Over time, I got used to him being around, and did not react. We have had cats ever since, with the peak population being four from 2005 to 2008. I traveled a lot for business, and found that I would have a reaction when I came home from a trip of about a week (or longer). It would take a day or so, and my sensitivities would subside. I learned to take an antihistamine before boarding my flight home.

Your experience may differ.

genieb Newbie

Could be. Breeds and even individual cats differ in hair length, texture and dander. You might also want to look at anything that came with the cat like scented kitty litter. I used to have a lot of trouble cleaning the box until I figured that one out.

rosetapper23 Explorer

It also might be that the cats' food contains gluten, which is common. Even if you wash your hands after feeding them, they lick their fur....and then you pet them.

If you'd prefer a more homeopathic, natural remedy for allergies, Sabadin by Boiron is quite good. My mother and several of my most allergic friends all swear by it--and they'd tried everything previously. I don't tend to have many allergies that require medication, but I've become a lot more careful with feeding my cats.

Adalaide Mentor

I have a specific problem with long haired cats. My husband's cat makes me break out in hives. It used to sleep in his bed, that was an automatic no go for me when we got married. (It had nothing to do with my hives or allergies either!) His is the only cat I've ever had contact with that has caused me to have a rash or hives since I was a teenager.


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Juliebove Rising Star

Sorry, I just now saw this. I test allergic to cats. I had two as a child. No problems. Have had roommates with cats. Taken in strays. No problems. Have owned three as an adult. No problem. Can go to cat shows, cat shelters, etc. Usually no problems.

Visited my nephew who had a mom cat and babies. Sneezed my head off. Broke out head to toe in hives. Eyes got itchy. Daughter reacted the same way. She used to test as allergic but does not now.

It might also be the food. I am highly intolerant to eggs. I won a free can of some kind of cat food when we first got our current cats. I didn't know then that all they like is tuna. I bought a can of stuff with eggs in it. The baby cat ate a little then licked my arm. I broke out in hives.

beachbirdie Contributor

I'm housing my daughter's cat for, umm...five weeks now, with two to go.

My eyes are scratchy, blood shot and watery. Contacts are a no go.

My question is: We have had cats for many years. But in their later years we were in less direct contact. The last of three passed a year ago. All of which were in their twenties.

Could I be allergic to a particular cat. :unsure:

Have you tried those disposable moist wipes you can wipe down a cat with? Takes some of the allergen off the fur. Sorry you're suffering...I know how it feels, I'm allergic to two of the most common substances around my place (dust and mold) and have allergies most of the time. It's miserable!

heathenly Apprentice

Your visit is probably over, but: Zyrtec. The only one that ever worked for my cat allergy. Hope you survived!

Lisa Mentor

Thank you all for your input! This MOM insisted that the cat follow her owner. Said cat left today. Holding ground on NO never felt so good! :D

heathenly Apprentice

Hahahaha! I bet!

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,215
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    toni tay
    Newest Member
    toni tay
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online
  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      This is a very common question, and the most important thing to know is that no, Guinness is not considered safe for individuals with coeliac disease. While it's fascinating to hear anecdotes from other coeliacs who can drink it without immediate issues, this is a risky exception rather than the rule. The core issue is that Guinness is brewed from barley, which contains gluten, and the standard brewing process does not remove the gluten protein to a level safe for coeliacs (below 20ppm). For someone like you who experiences dermatitis herpetiformis, the reaction is particularly significant. DH is triggered by gluten ingestion, even without immediate gastrointestinal symptoms. So, while you may not feel an instant stomach upset, drinking a gluten-containing beer like Guinness could very well provoke a flare-up of your skin condition days later. It would be a gamble with a potentially uncomfortable and long-lasting consequence. Fortunately, there are excellent, certified gluten-free stouts available now that can provide a safe and satisfying alternative without the risk.
    • MogwaiStripe
      Interestingly, this thought occurred to me last night. I did find that there are studies investigating whether vitamin D deficiency can actually trigger celiac disease.  Source: National Institutes of Health https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7231074/ 
    • Butch68
      Before being diagnosed coeliac I used to love Guinness. Being made from barley it should be something a coeliac shouldn’t drink. But taking to another coeliac and they can drink it with no ill effects and have heard of others who can drink it too.  is this everyone’s experience?  Can I drink it?  I get dermatitis herpetiformis and don’t get instant reactions to gluten so can’t try it to see for myself. 
    • trents
      NCGS does not cause damage to the small bowel villi so, if indeed you were not skimping on gluten when you had the antibody blood testing done, it is likely you have celiac disease.
    • Scott Adams
      I will assume you did the gluten challenge properly and were eating a lot of gluten daily for 6-8 weeks before your test, but if not, that could be the issue. You can still have celiac disease with negative blood test results, although it's not as common:  Clinical and genetic profile of patients with seronegative coeliac disease: the natural history and response to gluten-free diet: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5606118/  Seronegative Celiac Disease - A Challenging Case: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9441776/  Enteropathies with villous atrophy but negative coeliac serology in adults: current issues: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34764141/  Approximately 10x more people have non-celiac gluten sensitivity than have celiac disease, but there isn’t yet a test for NCGS. If your symptoms go away on a gluten-free diet it would likely signal NCGS.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.