Cat dander has a protein that can trigger an allergic reaction in some people . Find out what causes cat allergies and how you could reduce cat hackles in your home .

Having cat allergic reaction is no fun . The itchy , weak eyes , fluid nose , sneezing , and wheezing can take all the joy out of being around cats . mass often point to cat dander ( shed skin cell ) or hair as the main culprits , but Lynn Paolillo , an teacher at theNational Cat Groomers Institute , say it ’s a little more complicated than that . Read on to learn more about computerized tomography dander and how to get rid of it and other qat allergens .

What is Cat Dander?

Dander is unseeable hide cells that cats by nature shed as a part of the normal growing cycle . It ’s dissimilar fromcat dandruff , which is when drop skin cells construct up , clump together , and become visible as they fall off .

Unlike hair , you ca n’t see cat dander — but itcan collect almost everywherein your menage . It can be on your walls , article of furniture , bedding , and even in the air .

How Does Cat Dander Affect Allergies?

If you have pet allergic reaction , you ’re not alone . Up to30 percent of Americans are supersensitive to catsor dogs , though cat allergies are more usual . People with cat allergic reaction can be sensible to proteins found in a cat ’s dander . But most of the meter , cat allergy are triggered by a protein found in a cat ’s saliva .

“ Cats are fastidious groomers — they lick themselves all the prison term , ” Paolillo say . “ A cat ’s saliva , with the protein in it , gets transferred onto their skin and coats . Over clip , it dries , builds up , and flakes off either on its own or with hair or dander . ”

All big cat have the protein ( call Fel d 1 ) in their saliva but at vary levels . “ That ’s why someone who ’s allergic to cat may be fine with one computed axial tomography , but then as presently as they touch another cat they have a big response , ” Paolillo explains .

cat getting a bath to reduce allergens

Photo: ollegN / Getty

It also explains why kitten may not touch off allergies , but grown cats do . kitten do n’t do a lot of self - grooming . So it ’s hard to recount if you ’ll have an hypersensitised reaction to a African tea until it gets Old and starts grooming itself .

Can You Get Rid of Cat Dander & Other Cat Allergens?

When your true cat sheds spit - cross hackles and hair , it clings to surface throughout your home . It can get sucked into a central HVAC system and further spread . To deoxidize computerized tomography allergens in your home , you have to do two thing : get down the phone number of allergens publish by your computerized tomography and eliminate the ones already there .

How to Lower Your Cat’s Dander

The good way to lower the amount of true cat dander and hair that ’s shed is togive your cat regular baths , Paolillo says . even bathing remove the saliva buildup from a cat ’s fur as well as stagnant haircloth , forbid it from falling off in your home .

mind of juiceless shampoo , Paolillo say . They wo n’t get disembarrass of loose fur , hackles , and spit build - up like a regular cat shampoo . You have to physically remove those allergens .

How to Reduce Your Home’s Allergens

kat dander and hair lollygag on surfaces . So unconstipated cleaning — include the walls , piece of furniture , and floor — can helplower your exposureto cat allergens . You might also see remove carpet and keeping floors bare , keeping your cat out of your sleeping room , changing your clothes after pet or playing with your African tea , and using an gentle wind purifier to remove airborne allergens .

If you or your loved unity have computed tomography allergy , taking these footmark may make a big difference in how you sense . The happy ( and less sneezy ) you are , the happier your cat will be too .