Every year, cats are returned to shelters because a new owner turned out to be more allergic than they hoped. It is hard on the person and harder on the cat. If you love cats but sneeze around them, it is worth testing your reaction properly before you adopt.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. If you have asthma, or have ever had a severe allergic reaction, talk to a doctor before spending time with cats.
What you're actually allergic to
People with cat allergies mostly react to proteins, the best known being Fel d 1, that cats produce in their skin and saliva. When a cat grooms, the protein spreads over its fur and then on to everything the cat touches. It is tiny and sticky, floats in the air for a long time and can stay in a home for months after a cat has left.
That's why there is no truly hypoallergenic cat. Some individual cats produce less allergen than others, and some people react to one cat more than another, but breed labels are not a guarantee.
Step 1: talk to a doctor
An allergist or your doctor can confirm whether you are allergic to cats and how strongly, usually with a skin-prick or blood test. They can also tell you whether treatments such as antihistamines, nasal sprays or longer-term immunotherapy might help, and whether you should avoid cats altogether.
Step 2: short visits in different places
Spend an hour with a cat at a friend's home, a rescue or a short pet visit. Notice how you feel during the visit and for the rest of the day. Allergy symptoms don't always appear straight away, and some people react hours later.
Step 3: longer and repeated visits
An hour on a sofa is very different from living with a cat. Gradually build up to visits of several hours, and repeat them over a few weeks. Spend time with more than one cat if you can: if you react strongly to one but barely to another, that is useful to know.
Step 4: keep a symptom diary
For each visit, write down:
- How long you were with the cat and whether you touched them.
- Whether the cat had been in that room for a long time (more allergen in the air).
- Any symptoms: sneezing, itchy eyes, runny nose, rash, cough, tight chest.
- When symptoms started and how long they lasted.
- Any medicine you took.
After a few weeks you'll have a much clearer picture than "I think I'm a bit allergic". Take the diary to your doctor.
Step 5: a longer trial, if it's going well
If short visits are manageable, some rescues offer foster-to-adopt or short fostering, which lets you see how you feel with a cat living in your space. Check your lease first, and agree with the rescue what happens if it doesn't work out, so the cat isn't caught in the middle.
How people reduce exposure at home
Allergic cat owners often combine several habits:
- Keeping the bedroom cat-free, and washing bedding often.
- Using an air purifier with a HEPA filter, and vacuuming with a HEPA vacuum.
- Choosing hard floors and washable covers over thick carpets and heavy curtains.
- Washing hands after stroking the cat, and before touching your face.
- Asking a non-allergic person to brush the cat and clean the litter tray.
These help many people, but they reduce symptoms rather than remove them. Your doctor's advice comes first.
Be honest about the long term
A cat can live fifteen to twenty years. Allergies can change over time, and moving, a new partner or a baby can change your situation too. If after testing you're still unsure, that is a valid answer. You can keep cats in your life without owning one: regular visits with a neighbour's cat, volunteering at a cat rescue or fostering occasionally.
And if your tests go well, you'll adopt knowing what to expect, which is the best start a cat and a person can have.
Spend time with pets near you
Tomopaw connects verified members with neighbours' pets for visits of one to four hours. Owners lend for free.