Cat allergies are a common form of allergy in the United States. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), nearly 10 million pet owners are allergic to their animals.

Cats can cause allergic reactions in people with allergies specific to cats and in people with allergic asthma, a condition in which the airways become blocked or narrowed due to an allergic reaction. Symptoms of cat allergies include sneezing, itchy and watery eyes, coughing and wheezing. In rare circumstances, cat allergies cause the severe and possibly life-threatening allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis.

Allergic reactions may be triggered by proteins in the cat’s dander (dried flakes of shed skin) as well as proteins in dried saliva, blood and urine. These proteins are very light and sticky and can adhere to places where the cat is not present, such as walls and air ducts. Cats groom themselves continually, which produces a regular supply of dried saliva proteins that can then become airborne and be transported throughout a cat’s environment and beyond.

The most effective method to prevent allergy symptoms is avoidance – completely avoiding contact with the allergen to prevent an allergic reaction from occurring. Although medications (e.g., antihistamines, decongestants) and allergy shots (immunotherapy) can be used to relieve or lessen allergy symptoms, cat owners with significant cat allergies must remove the animal from their home. Cats must also be removed from the homes of people with cat induced asthma.