Can you have a cat if you're allergic?

Can you show us a pic of the cat :D?

Also, you should go to the doctor/vet, maybe there's some substance on its body that causes you the allergic reaction.

There are hairless cats. :|

Here's your answers ->>> Shaven pussy

OMGWTFBBQ - Mods ban this guy now!

A better question is: can you live a normal life if you were born without a brain? Find out in the next Steamgifts thread!

I think it really depends on how bad your allergies are to them. I'm allergic to cats as well and my reactions manifests as chemosis, which could eventually lead to my eyeballs exploding if untreated. Obviously, I couldn't keep a cat around the house with my allergies, but if all you get are a few sniffles or something manageable, then by all means go for it. Just don't keep it around if it's a major danger to your health.

Siberian cats are the most allergic friendly of all cats, they're almost alergen free unlike other cats

You'll die.

dont know if it was mentioned already, but there are hypergenic cats that are suitable for people with allergies.

My cat is allergic to humans. Well at least he never wants to be around me. :(

Well, I'm alergic as hell but I'm not specifically alergic to cats. The problem is: i'm allergic to almost everything that cats carry in their bodies.

I have 2 cats now, had cats in the past 20 years and I live really well with them. Sometimes I do some vaccine treatments to relieve a bit the symptoms and I always do new allergic tests to see if something changed: allergy is acquired and some of them can disappear.

My suggestion: keep your cat. It's a GREAT company for all times. =]

Aggro Berlin.

It's a shame they are no longer active.

Back on topic, I'm also allergic to cats. I'd like to have one but whenever I pet one I just end up with teary eyes and I'm sneezing all the time. So I don't think it's a good idea.

If you were to give him a bath every week or two, that should help a lot. It tends to work for my brother who is allergic.

I am allergic to cats and dogs but I still own them. I just take my inhaler and/or medication that is needed regularly.

I don't know why you would put an animal's safety before your own. Get rid of the cat. Give it in adoption.

Wear gloves and nuclear suits :3

my friends mom has like 4 cats and hes allergic, he has to stay in his room with the door locked and there cant be any cats in there or he feels really crappy... you can, its just not fun

Sure you can, talk to your doc about getting some pills to stop the allergic reaction.

Buy stock in Benadryl and Sudafed.

The allergic reaction is due to cat hair or cat saliva, usually the hair.

There are hairless cats. They're just as affectionate as the normal shorthair or longhair varieties. Longhair seem to produce less intense allergic reactions due to the hair not breaking into tiny airborne particles quite as readily as shorthair varieties.

Get an allergy test and see what happens

Both my mom and I are allergic to cats and my mom still has two around, had two when I was growing up as well. What was worse was that my mom had allergy induced asthma as well, but that just shows that it is something that a person can work with if they love cats.

A big thing that will help a lot is to ensure your bedroom is a cat free zone. Keep the door closed at all times to it. Having a cat sleep on my bed drives my allergies from being just watery, itchy eyes to asthma real fast. That also gives you a place to escape to if your allergies get bad. If they do act up, it can help to take a shower to get all the dander off of you.

Outside of that, it helps a lot to keep your house clean and the cat well groomed. While cats groom themselves, it is good for them to be brushed at least weekly, especially if it's a long haired cat, and especially if it's a persian or persian mix. The longer the hair on the cat, the more likely it is to get some nasty tangles even with its grooming. The himalayan my parents had would get some very nasty knots on her belly and some of those even had to be cut off. Bathing isn't necessary unless they have fleas and you need to give a flea bath, and it's just safer to avoid bathing a cat because the majority of cats hate it and will claw you up for trying. If you cannot brush the cat yourself, get someone else to do it whether it is someone else who lives with you or take it to a pro to be groomed (or maybe see if you can pay a kid in the neighborhood to do it for a few bucks, only takes a half an hour at most to do and that mostly depends on how skittish the cat is about it).

Then you'll want to be sure to vacuum at least weekly. Also vacuum any upholstered furniture the cat sits or sleeps on. Even hardwood floors should be vacuumed (you have to use a different setting for it though) since dander isn't visible and can linger anywhere the cat goes. It's also good to make sure to dust everything before you vacuum as well. In the spring you may have to increase this as the cat will shed more and while the hair isn't what you are allergic to, the hair isn't exactly dander free.

If you are now allergic to cat dander and hair, there are allergy shots, pills, liquids. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Good luck raising that cat =)

In short:

Can? - yes.
Advised? - no.

Aggro Berlin.

i'm allergic for a cat (v little), my wife too (much more).

We have a cat for a few years and we leave and it is superb. You have to stay with him for a week, and if you don't have any big symptoms u r good to go

If your allergies are really minor you could get medication for it and live with the cat, but I wouldn't recommend it. Allergies can get worse in time too. You should take that particular cat to the shelter or find it a home. Instead you could try getting a hypoallergenic cat that won't trigger your allergies at all. They can be expensive though as they have to be specially bred.