dd possibly asthmatic and we have a cat!

chocdonuty

At the moment we are going through some tests to see if dd is asthmatic, all through the doctor ect so that side of it is ok, but she did say that cats are the top trigger for asthma.
We only homed him in july after finding him as a stray and despite efforts could not find his original owner so am guessing he was dumped
What I'd like to know is, is there any way of telling if morris (the cat!)is the trigger for dd's asthma? and if so what is the best thing to do? Her room is a morris free zone but we live in a flat so morris is everywhere lol, he's also a long haired male, which I am lead to believe is the worst type!
I really don't want to get rid of him as he is an amazing cat so soft and loving but dd's health is more important so if it comes down to it I will be looking for a new lovely home for him
any tips would be great before we get down that sad road, chocdonuty

Person_one

According to some on here you must be making it up as an excuse to get rid of the cat or to get out of cleaning

I'm asthmatic, and cats are one of my worst triggers, unfortunately there are very few asthmatics who aren't triggered by cats.

You could try to minimise the amount of allergen in the atmosphere and see if your DD's chest improves. Some ways to do this are to have wooden floors, leather sofas, wooden or plastic blinds etc. instead of carpets and fabric sofas and curtains as with a wipe clean surface its easier to get rid of the trapped hairs and dander.

Get a hoover with a HEPA filter and try to keep the flat as clean and dust/hair free as possible. Keep windows open as much as you can and you or your DH should groom the cat every day (outside the flat and away from your daughter) to get rid of loose hairs. You can also buy 'Petal Cleanse' wipes for the cat that are supposed to reduce the amount of allergen that comes off them.

At the end of the day though, asthma is very very serious. People die of attacks every day and it can be really limiting and unpleasant for a child to live with if the symptoms aren't well controlled. I personally know that I couldn't live with a cat no matter how many precautions or medications I took. It might not be a bad idea to start mentally preparing for the worst while hoping for the best.

Dillence

I am asthmatic and my cat is curled up asleep next to me. We have always had pets and never had any problems. Nothing in particular sets me off, in fact I seem to have been better in the last few years since we have had the cats.

I remember when I was younger having a test at the hospital to see if I had any allergies to anything - which I didn't, not sure if it something that would help you before you do something about the cat.

*Robin*

Person_one wrote: »

According to some on here you must be making it up as an excuse to get rid of the cat or to get out of cleaning

I'm asthmatic, and cats are one of my worst triggers, unfortunately there are very few asthmatics who aren't triggered by cats.

As a mild asthmatic with a son who has much worse asthma, I was told the same thing by the GP - "it's probably your cats and dogs making it worse" - but I wasn't willing to get rid of our beloved pets without proof so went private (sorry, not very MSE) and we were both skin-patch tested for around sixty different possible allergens.
The result: we are both intolerant to cows milk, wheat, a number of grass pollens, and my son also reacted to pine pollens and [badly] to house dust.

It was a few years ago, and cost about £300 plus a Dyson - well worth it as now we both know what to avoid.
And the pets are still happily in residence.

chris_n_tj

Both myself and DD are asthmatic and we had a ktty. We solved the problem by regular brushing and regular grooming parlour. She (tabbycat) had a bath every 3 months'ish. We found it worked well.

A nono was beds, she wasnt allowed at all.

I hope your DD gets her Asthma under control soon, its a nasty thing for anyone to have let alone a child. xxx

PS we both now have Bichon Frise, these are meant to be good for people with arlergies. I can honestly say we havnt had a problem, but they are bathed regular and brushed most days.

tomjonesrules

I was also told to get rid of my cat when I developed asthma. I was definitely reacting to his allergens. However, with the aid of an inhaler (and antihistamines - he also gave me a rash!) I have increased my tolerance to the stage that I no longer need medication. I do still have them in the house, but only need them after I have been away from the house for several days.

Person_one

chris_n_tj wrote: »

PS we both now have Bichon Frise, these are meant to be good for people with arlergies. I can honestly say we havnt had a problem, but they are bathed regular and brushed most days.

Bichons are great for people with allergies and asthma, I had them growing up and have one now. Their fur doesn't shed like most dogs instead it grows more like human hair and needs to be trimmed regularly, also they have no undercoat so as long as they are brushed daily they don't carry around much dust and dirt.

I believe that the Rex breeds of cat (and of course the hairless) are the best for people with allergies and asthma, but generally cats provoke a much stronger reaction than dogs in most people.

Person_one

*Robin* wrote: »

As a mild asthmatic with a son who has much worse asthma, I was told the same thing by the GP - "it's probably your cats and dogs making it worse" - but I wasn't willing to get rid of our beloved pets without proof so went private (sorry, not very MSE) and we were both skin-patch tested for around sixty different possible allergens.
The result: we are both intolerant to cows milk, wheat, a number of grass pollens, and my son also reacted to pine pollens and [badly] to house dust.

It was a few years ago, and cost about £300 plus a Dyson - well worth it as now we both know what to avoid.
And the pets are still happily in residence.

I'm really glad you were one of the lucky minority and I hope the OP's daughter is too.

Skin testing is a good idea if the OP can afford it, I don't think many NHS GPs can offer it sadly.

I have however known parents who stubbornly refuse to get rid of the cats and let their children suffer. Having known people who've died of asthma attacks, and knowing myself how horrible it can feel at times I hated seeing that. I think the OP has the right idea, try every option to see if the cats can stay, but if her daughter's health suffers then rehome.

tomjonesrules

Person_one wrote: »

I'm really glad you were one of the lucky minority and I hope the OP's daughter is too.

Skin testing is a good idea if the OP can afford it, I don't think many NHS GPs can offer it sadly.

I have however known parents who stubbornly refuse to get rid of the cats and let their children suffer. Having known people who've died of asthma attacks, and knowing myself how horrible it can feel at times I hated seeing that. I think the OP has the right idea, try every option to see if the cats can stay, but if her daughter's health suffers then rehome.

Even if the child does react to the cat, there is no reason why either should 'suffer'. Mild asthma can usually be easily managed through meds and cleanliness.

chocdonuty

wow, so many replies unfortunatly im not the tidiest person about so this will have to change! ,we do have carpets in the flat as laminate is not allowed unfortunatly. I hoover daily with a good hoover bought especially for the cat and it is brill for picking up the hair but there are always little clumps of fluff on the carpet, oh the joys of a big fluffy cat lol. not sure about grooming as he is an indoor moggy so we have nowhere to do it, although he gets a brush by me now and again before I hoover.
I'm presuming it is the cat plus the cold weather that is causing the symptoms as the is the only different thing in her life.
The thing that makes me think is that we did have a cat before but she was an outdoor cat who was a short haired female and during the time we had her, dd used to cough at night, at the time I thought it may have been due to the mould in the old house but now im not so sure. (we moved 2yrs ago) we should know for certain next week when she goes back to the asthma nurse with her peak flow readings, which are quite low but again not knowing much about asthma, im not sure whether to worry or not:o

Person_one

tomjonesrules wrote: »

Even if the child does react to the cat, there is no reason why either should 'suffer'. Mild asthma can usually be easily managed through meds and cleanliness.

It really depends on how 'mild' we're talking. Even people who are ok most of the time can have a serious life threatening attack with little warning. Asthma really really really shouldn't be underestimated. I don't want to scare the OP with mortality statistics, but its a lot more than just a cough and it needs to be taken seriously.