Baby's Allergic to my kitties

Hi everyone, I have 2 cats, one male Bengal, purebread about 4 years old and one female muted torti about 2 years old. We found out that my daughter is allergic to cats and we have to keep them in the basement in the laundry room... it's pretty big in there, but I feel bad to leave them locked up in there... I've been trying to find someone that will take them but no luck. I dont want to give them to a pound because I think it's cruel to keep them locked up in a cage. They are both "fixed" and cant be seperated. Anyone have any idea what I can do? I feel so bad for them, they are used to having the run of the house and they are starting to look depressed.... Any ideas? If anyone wants them I will be glad to drop them off or email pics... HELP! Gia

Try posting an ad on petfinder the classified section. Good Luck! Jeanine

there is a product called allerpet-C and can be found at pet stores and veterinary clinics. It is applied to the dry coat of the cat and drastically cuts down on dander...use it every day. Also, I noticed that wal-mart carries those really nice air ionizers for only about $150.00 dollars consider a couple of those around the house. I have read that exposing children to allergens and pets can actually help them outgrow these allergies as they get older...could be wrong but I as a child was very very allergic to kitties and still have slight problems every now and then but happily live with five. Just some tried and true suggestions. Kirsten Certified Veterinary Technician Mom of five spayed/neutered felines

Kristen I also read that being exposed to allergens could be a benifit in younger years and help them outgrow allergies.Kit KAT You might want to Look into it a bit more before departing. Debbie R.

Hi Gia, Assuming you haven't already figured something else out... I am so sorry to hear you are struggling with allergies in your home! When I was a child I had very severe allergies (constant skin rashes, in fections, congestion, etc.). I can't tell you how many stinky ointments and awful medicines I had to try as a small child and how many holidays I was dragged home early with hives. I was finally diagnosed and treated properly when I was a teen... at which point my dog had to stop sleeping in my room. I was allergic to over 90 of the 110 allergens they tested me for... even ****roaches--as if I wanted to pet them! Anyhow, cats and dogs were both on the no-list. I went through a partial series of allergy shots, but I quit about half-way through. I was still allergic to both cats and dogs at that point. Here's the interesting part. I was tested for allergies again last year--10 plus years later. I have had cats for about 2 1/2 years (never had tem before). I am no longer allergic to them. I think my system may have adjusted as some of the people here have suggested can happen. I remain allergic to dogs, though, and I had dogs growing up. This may be the sort of thing that is individual. Still, if I followed all of the advice my allergist gives me to this day, I might as well live naked in a glass bubble. If you decide you can't keep the cats, I would also strongly advise using pet-finder. It is your best bet, but don't put too much stock in it working out. Summer is a very difficult time of year to place cats -- shelters and rescue organizations are bursting at the seams with kittens. In fact, I witnessed a rescue organization turn away a tiny black kitten two weeks ago... they already had over 1000 cats in their system and had no place to put one more. I would be surprised if you could get a rescue organization to take your animals at all. That is an excellent reason NOT to take them to the pound now -- they are much more likely to be euthanized. If you keep them, there are things you can do in the long-term to make your home more allergy-friendly. Next time you replace your flooring or find another place to rent, look for a home with wood, laminate or tile floors. Carpets contribute immensely to allergy problems. See if you can keep your baby out of your freshly-vaccuumed house for two hours. All of the dander and dust kicked up by the process can settle back down in that time, causing fewer problems. Wash linens frequently in fragrance-free mild detergent, and keep the animals out of your baby's sleeping area. There is a lot more you can do... hopefully you can find a solution that will work well for the whole family. Best, Nikki Johnson

Hey Gia, I am so sorry to hear that your baby is allergic to your furbabies. Everyone in our family is allergic to cats.......so we stopped feeding the cat (Egypt) with any thing with fish in it. I cured everyone in our house...seems we were allergic to the fish in her food. Now she just gets chicken and rice it seem to work for my girlfriend who is allergic as well. She swears our cat is hypoallergenic. ZZ