You've probably heard of the movie, "The Perfect Storm", and maybe you've even seen it. I often tell my patients that if there were a perfect allergen, it would be cat dander. Cat dander is produced in enormous amounts by our feline friends, sticks to just about everything, is a small particle that can be inhaled deep into the lungs (whereas pollens, molds and other animal dander are larger and get stuck in the nose or larger airways), and can last for months to years even after a cat is removed from a home.

A recent study looked at the likelihood of an adult developing allergic antibodies (termed sensitization) to cat as a result of becoming a cat owner. The study found that over a nine year period of time, adults who became new cat owners were nearly twice as likely to develop a positive allergy test to cat when compared to people who didn't own a cat. This was especially true for cat owners who allowed the cat in their bedrooms.

So, cat dander does appear to truly be the "perfect allergen". For those people who suffer from allergies and asthma -- and are allergic to their cats, consider this: Allergy symptoms are likely to continue (or get worse) as long as the cat is in the home, particularly in the bedroom. Avoidance measures may help some (such as bathing the cat weekly, frequently vacuuming and using a HEPA filter), but allergy medications and possibly allergy shots will be required to control allergy symptoms as long as the cat is in the home.

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