OT: Advice requested regarding possible furbaby adoption

With all due respect, Dianne, I really don't think you can make a blanket statement like that. I am allergic to horses, dogs, and cats. I avoid horses like the plague, because having had little exposure to them, they cause me severe respiratory distress when I am near them. But I have had dogs all my life and didn't even know I was allergic until I had a horse episode when I was 11 and got generally tested. As long as I am around dogs on a regular basis, I am fine. When I would come home from college, I would have to avoid petting the family dog for the first day until I could adjust, and then I'd be fine.

I got a cat as a conscious choice to keep my dog company when I first started living alone and I had some reaction to her, but it was not bad. I woke up a couple of times at night to launch her off of my bed where she was sleeping near my face, and soon learned to simply lock her out of my room at night. As much as I would have loved her in my bed, it just wasn't to be. I also had issues once when I got a bad case of bronchitus. I had to make the dogs sleep downstairs until I recovered, but then I was fine again (I also had a doctor at this point tell me to get rid of my animals, but I think he never had a pet. There's no way I was turning out my 8-year old cocker that I'd had since he was 10 weeks old).

When I met my husband, he told me he was allergic to dogs and cats and I said that was too bad, because I had two dogs and a cat and they weren't negotiable. He decided to try to deal with his allergies and has been fine. We had a cocker and a sheltie. We currently have two Belgian Tervuren

(this is not my dog, but he's a fine example of the breed.)) and a domestic medium hair cat. Both of us are fine with these animals. So my experience is that allergies *can* get better with time and exposure. I'm not sure I'd recommend that an allergic person bring home two cats, but I also won't categorically state that she shouldn't. I would suggest that she spend more time with the litter to see if she can acclimate before bringing home a kitten. If it does get worse rather than better, you have your answer. Elizabeth

So call me foolish. I believe she turned 13 in May or so and I'm very happy to have her.

Actually, my issue would be with a *pair* of kittens. I know that with dogs, you run the risk of them bonding more to each other than to their humans. Is this not the case with cats?

Elizabeth

Actually it isn't far afield. The original poster's *children* first begged for the kittens. After going along with their request to take a look, then she also fell for them. From the sound of it, she didn't know she had an allergy until she went to see them. It is also possible she is allergic to something else in the neighbor's house--air freshener, some other pet, smoke, etc. Without medical testing or repeated exposure in a controlled environment, she will not know for certain that she is allergic to the kittens.

I based what I wrote on my experience with my cousin who is just starting high school. She has asthma and allergies (gets shots) but still has pets that she is allergic to. She is developmentally delayed and has had emotional problems ever since her father died almost five years ago and her mother has gone through three battles with cancer. Having the pets (she has a whole assortment) has taught her to become responsible and caring and helped her so much emotionally it is worth the allergy problems according to her doctor. She now wants to become a veterinary assistant which is the first real ambition she has ever stated in her life. There *are* times when the trade-off is worth it. I don't know the original poster's specifics, but perhaps one of her children really needs something like this. For that reason, I would not out-of-hand call her foolish for even considering a pet that causes allergy problems.

FWIW, I have terrible envir> Brenda Lewis wrote:

So that is what the problem with my sister's 5 cats is - too many cats, not enough people! All of hers are "dump" cats - literally dumped in the trash as newborn kittens. They adore her and BIL as "G*d", are scared of all other humans and think cardboard boxes are to be shredded as quickly as possible. I have never seen a large box destroyed quite so quickly.

Cheryl

While I appreciate your experiences on a personal level with your allergies, there's really no way to tell if you are going to "adjust" or get worse.

If I was allergic to cats, I wouldn't bring two of them home. What happens if you DON'T adjust? Throw them out on their ear?

Also, spending a little more time with the litter might not be the answer. I developed my allergies to cats over years of exposure. The degree to which it got worse was over several more years.

Dianne

Ahhh. I had forgotten that part! I accept the correction.

Well, she can hold them and see what happens!

As I mentioned, you can always have a terrarium, tarantulas, hamster, guinea pigs, rabbits, turtles, an aquarium . . . lots of things can teach responsibilities. Marine biology might be a career.

I think, in this country, we think dogs and cats are a *must have* in order to get children invested in life. I don't think so. I think dogs and cats have become an obsession in this country, to the detriment of other things. I know that by stating that, all hell will break loose. But I stand by it. Those that disagree will have to just accept that we disagree.

I don't think a child ever really *needs* a pet. And if so, there's plenty of substitutes.

Now that truly is tragic for you. Would some kind of mask be helpful? You can't live a very productive life if you're ill most of the time.

Dianne

Agreed.

Well, no. Find a good home for them. Limit your interaction with them. When DH and I got married we agreed that the animals would not be allowed in his office, so he had a room that was animal free. When the dogs got "ripe" enough, we'd bathe them. We got a good vacuum. We pulled up the carpet. We have leather furniture instead of cloth. There are lots of options between suffer and throw them out. Each person has to find her own balance.

Also agreed, except that it might convince Jenn that the answer is indeed "NO!"

Several years of exposure on a regular basis, as in living with them? Because I really think that's key, although your experience could tell me otherwise. I also have to say that there are certain breeds of cat and dog that set me off more than others.

But my major point is that everyone experiences allergies differently and there are various ways to compromise if someone in a household has allergies and someone else really wants a pet. I respect your right to believe that it's ok not to have pets, but I emphatically disagree with extending that to everyone. I can't imagine being happy without a dog in my life. I'd go nuts. And that means that I'd make a lot of other adjustments were I suddenly to develop severe allergies to my current beasts.

Elizabeth

Well, my heart truly goes out to you. The medical management system today truly can be counter productive to a healthy life.

Dianne

Brenda Lewis wrote:

Or not get into the predicament to begin with. You had a set of circumstances and I understand that. You couldn't live your life without a pet and your husband had to accept that. I know there are people like that.

But if you're already pet free, then I wouldn't tempt fate.

Yes. You must have missed my original post. We got a kitten for my daughter. I developed minor symptoms that got progressively worse through the years until, 9 years later, we took the cat to the humane society. I discussed this with my doctor, for I truly didn't want to take the cat away from my daughter. But it was a matter of my health or her pet. I won.

I think this has to do with upbringing. I came up with two sides of the family being rather "matter of fact" about pets. My grandmother breeded siamese and they had a dachshound. But those were different times. If an animal got sick, it got put down. There were no such things as expensive vet bills. A pet was a pet. It was loved and cared for, but it was still a pet.

Hard to explain. Sounds cold. I truly don't understand today's obsession with pets. I understand why *some* people become enamoured with them. Heavens, there have always been dog and cat shows and owners who fauned over their pets. But it's much different today than it was

50 years ago.

When I think of all the billions of dollars that go into the pet industry, I get troubled by it all.

Dianne

I think I did miss your original post. I would have won under those circumstances as well.

That's partially because the technology has changed, but I think it's because people's attitudes have changed as well. I was horrified when we took our sheltie to be put out of her misery and the vet offered to put her on an IV for three days and run tests. She was thirteen, obviously in a great deal of pain, and the vet could feel a mass in her stomach (she'd had a tumor removed several years before). It made no sense to me that she would torture me by presenting me with that instead of simply doing what I asked: put my girl out of her pain. But I know people who want that option and who would have had the tests run.

Guilty as charged. Not of spending tons of money on vet care, but you'd probably be horrified at how much we spend on lessons and competition entries. But that's what I do in my free time: run agility and do competitive obedience with my dogs. I enjoy spending time working with my dogs. So it's actually not about spending money on them - they don't ask to go to classes (well, ok, maybe Cash does) - it's about spending money on an activity that *I* love.

Elizabeth

I think the question was just if she was allergic to cats!

Pat P

It`s a hell of a risk to take though - if she/they want them that badly, they should "test drive" some-one else`s cat first - surely a neighbour has one they could cuddle to see if it brought anyone out in allergies. They`ll soon find out without the trauma to both themselves and the kittens if they have to get rid of them at a later date.

Pat #P

"Dr. Brat" wrote in news:TtadnWJZAMGB_sDenZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

I put my 17.5 year-old cat to sleep last month, and being without a pet for the first time in about 20 years is driving me a little nuts. Just the act of petting that little furball while she slept on my lap helped cope with life's little annoyances...and the big ones. I know it's why I've felt a lot more stress in the last few weeks than I have in a long time.

It's been six weeks since I had to say good-bye to Spats, and I still have moments of slight shock when I realize she isn't there when I get home. Takes a long time break 17 years of habits.

K

Dr. Brat wrote: ...... Actually, my issue would be with a *pair* of kittens. I know that with

Not necessarily. Sometimes litter mates can be just as happy ignoring each other as not -- it all depends on the dynamics of the litter after they were born. Remember, Janet adopted two female litter mates after she lost her babies and her house in the fire last year. I think the kitties have bonded more with her than with each other. The two sisters kitties are close but certainly not closer than they are to Janet. CiaoMeow >^;;^<

That's exactly the protocol for desensitization shots. Small quantities of the allergen.

Not true. They can get better, they can get worse, they can change... luck of the draw and luck of the genes.

Also, there are some studies that seem to show young kids exposed to furry mammals have a lessened risk of developing various and sundry allergies. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2004 Feb;113(2):307-14 Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2005 May;94(5):561-5

Kay

K, Condolences on the loss of your furry friend. It's one of the most difficult things to do, losing our pets to end their suffering, but it is the final kindness in return for all the love and compassion they give us. Your furball is waiting with all our missed friends for us at the Rainbow Bridge. Purrs and kitty kisses, Carey in MA

I used to have terrible tree pollen allergies, with resulting sinus infections every spring.

At the time I read an article that suggested taking a Vitamin A supplement. It said that it helped keep the mucus from getting so thick that it wouldn't drain. Lack of drainage being what led to the infections.

I did take them, and it did seem to help.

I'm not sure what the current school of thought is on this, my allergies just disappeared on their own about 12-15 yrs ago.

But you might want to ask a doctor or nutritionist about it.

Caryn

As I said, there have always been people who have done that. But it used to be the exception. The amount of money we spend on pets, in general, in the U.S., gives me great pause.

Dianne