in article , Todd H. at wrote on
11/13/04 7:22 PM:

"Mary" writes:
"Todd H." wrote in message
...

I'd like some shared experience from allergy or asthma sufferers with
pets.

My question to cat owners is: can you test negative to cat allergies,
yet still find yourself in a situation where the cat is causing you
allergy or asthma problems?

[...]

After reading your post, I wonder about a few things.

1. How recently was the allergy test done? It is really common
for someone who is allergic to one thing to become allergic to
several more over time. Did he test the person for dust and mold?
Some allergists don't.

The allergy skin test was done about 3 weeks ago. Negative to molds,
dust mit, grass, cat, house dust, dog, trees, feathers. Positive skin
test only to weeds.

2. What do you feed your cat?

We're about 1 bag into Purina Cat chow, a recent switched from Science
Diet Kitten food now that he's putting on some fat and is essentially
full grown.

I've seen low allergen type foods but am skeptical as to whether it's
just marketing or if it actually does something?

And now that you mention it, I'm pondering whether there's a timing
correlation to the food switch at all, or if it's just perhaps
coincidence.

3. What do you do for a living, and what does the allergy sufferer
do?

We both work at home doing computer stuff.

4. Where do you live and what is the vegetation like around your
house?

Single family home, Chicagoland, suburbs. Leaves have almost all
fallen here.

6. How old is the house and what sort of ventilation system do you
have?
Central air, gas heat, etc? (Depending on how long you had the hay
products in the house and how often you clean, the stuff might still
be around. Old houses have more cracks and crannies where things can
lurk, too.)

It's a 30 year old 2-story with forced air gas heat, and regular
filter changes. Ducts have never been cleaned or sanitized, but I've
also read that that sort of thing may not help allergies as much as
those providing the service would make you think? Or is there actual
value to that?

The carpet that's left in the house in the basement and the master
bedroom is in need of replacement, but none of it's ever been wet or
anything. Hardwood everywhere else.

Unfortunatley though, after all that, several days later the
problems remains for her, and still occurs only inside the house.
Even with HEPA filters going in the bedroom and a fresh filter on
the furnace, and the cat hasn't been in the bedroom for weeks (and
rabbits/hay on a completely separate floor of the house)...her
symtoms still go away while away from the house, and reemerge
shortly after coming home.

This is the part that gets me. Could he/she be parking near some
vegetation she is allergic to, or walking through it on the way to
the house?

Yeah, it gets me too. :-) About 15 feet of concrete sidewalk lined by
grass and a flower bed of some perennial bushes, and now dead annuals
separate the driveway from the front door. If you go in through the
garage door, it's nothing but concrete.

Clarinex isn't helping completely on the sniffles (but is helping
some), and asthma/wheezing symtpoms and use of the asthma inhaler
are becoming increasingly common.

Our next step is to get rid of the kitty for a few days and see if
things improve in the house.

I'm hoping there's some allergy/asthma sufferer who can lend a
datapoint to this ongoing mystery. I'm primarily curious if a cat can
be the culprit here despite the negative skintest for cat allery.

No, the cat is not the source of the allergy if your friend had a skin
test that tested negative for cat and the cat does not go outside.
Incidentally I AM allergic to cats--my strongest allergy, as far
as the skin test indicated--and I live with two. Like your
friend, I use Clarinex (actually in my case Claritin) and like
your friend I have developed asthma and use Advair twice a
day. I do not suffer at all as long as I take my medicine, though
I know everyone is different. It really sounds like your friend may
be allergic to dust or mold.

The mystery continues as she's been tested for those as well, so I
guess the cat is equal game for blame as the dust and mold. The
finished basement (which features the cats quarters, the bunnies, the
hay, and is carpeted) is where she is most sensitive.

Laurie's mention of sensitization currently makes the most sense
here--perhaps her sensitization due to the now-past ragweed season is
lingering on. Hrmm.

And more interesting is today's experiment whereby young kitty has
been confined to one room downstairs for the day. Oddly, this seems
to have helped a great deal, even without medicine. Neither of us
wanna give him up, but it looks like a test of having him stay with a
friend for a few days might be in the cards, and I've got a suspicion
we might need to find a new home for him. :-\ Which of course stinks
as he's quite cute (though no longer this small/cute):
http://toddh.net/photo/tigger.jpg

Thanks to all who've shared their experiences, and all who might
still. It's a head scratcher.

Best Regards,
--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

Gosh what a cute pic. Did you give him a bath? In case some of the ragweed
is stuck in his fur and triggering it?