Why am i allergic to cats?

Allergy is caused by a defect in the immune system. It happens when your body is not able to properly identify proteins and has a case of mistaken identity. Cats (and rabbits) have a protein called Fel D 1 that your body is having a problem with. This protein is found in the saliva and urine of these animals. As they groom themselves and urinate, this protein gets spread on their skin and fur. Then it dries up and can flake off on its own or it can fall off with the fur or skin when it is shed. This particle becomes airborne and you inhale it. At that point your body does not say "Hey cat or rabbit protein. this is interesting but I really don't care" what it says is "Oh NO!!!!!! Help Help Help we are under attack from alien unidentifiable proteins that must be some kind of germ..tbis is serious get the immune system working NOW or we are all going to die!!!!" So, the human immunoglobulin E is produced, that calls up the immune system, and it swings into action making histamine. It is this histamine that caused your sneezes, itchy,watery eyes, and scratchy throat. So that is what is actually happening. If you want to continue to work around the cats, then wear a mask such as the Q-Mask or a N95 bird flu mask ( http://allergystore.com/dustcontrol.htm ) and as soon as you finish wash your hands then get home and shower and change your clothes. If you wanted to try to keep a cat for a pet, you could try immunotherapy to desensitize yourself to the protein, but that would take close to a year. PS Thanks for volunteering at the shelter..those animals need folk loving and caring for them

Cats clean themselves with their own saliva, which dries on their skin and then flakes off in tiny particles of dried spit. In all probability it is these tiny particles which you suffer an allergic reaction to when you inhale them or get them on you or in your eyes. Bunnies do the same thing. Since dogs don't wash themselves with spit, you don't suffer the same way around them. Dogs are nicer people anyway!

You just are. No one knows why. Also I have always heard that if you are allergic to cats you will be allergic to bunnies. My dad is as well and when I was a child my mom bought me a bunny. Needless to say we didn't have it but for 2 days.

It's the way you are. My friend had a cat then 2 years went by then she started sneezing uncontrollably so her parents had to sell the cat. Now she has a dog. P.S. one time she sneezed 8 times in a row.