Cat allergies can really be a nuisance to enjoying a life devoted to worshipping and loving these furry felines. The true culprit of all this agony most probably lies on cat dander, also known as your cat’s dried skin. Picture it like what dandruff is to humans.
The Fel D1 allergen, present in the cat’s saliva and skin glands, is to blame for the dander’s reputation. Every time a cat grooms itself, the allergen compounds in the skin. As the cat sheds off its dry skin, these allergens are present and dispersed in the air as dander, capable of irritating people’s nasal passages and skin.
The easiest thing to consider in getting rid of cat dander would be to give up the cat. If your heart can’t bear with that option, then follow this guide on removing most of the cat dander your cat sheds regularly.
How to Get Rid of Cat Dander:
1. Restrict pets from some areas at home. If someone is allergic to cats, make his/her room a No Cats Allowed Zone. Opt to make cats stay in uncarpeted areas of the home. You can also opt to make the cat stay outdoors.
2. Groom and brush your cat’s fur regularly to remove loose hair and dander. Do this outdoors to keep the allergens from your home. Choose the proper feline brush and use hypoallergenic wipes on the cat’s fur while you stroke it.
3. Schedule a weekly bath for your cat. Take note that cats may hate baths and could guarantee you a scratch or
two wherever it can claw you.
4. Give it a good supplement of fatty acids and feed your cat high-quality pet food to keep the cat’s skin supple and healthy.
5. Avoid using cloth or carpeting in any of your furniture and rooms, as much as possible. Remove draperies and curtains where dander might get stuck in. Choose to have bare wood floors or tile flooring. For furniture, dander would not likely attach on faux leather coverings and similar cloths.
6. If it can’t be helped, have a weekly wash for cloth and carpeting in rooms where your cats usually frequent. Hot water is most recommended to get rid of the allergen from them.
7. Vacuum and clean your house weekly, using a High-Efficiency Particulate Absorption (HEPA) vacuum, to effectively remove most allergens at home.
8. Cover furniture with furniture throws to hinder contact with pets.
9. Scrub all flooring and mop it with soapy water. Dust out dander in all corners of the home with a wet rag, which immediately gets them all out. Do not dry dust the rooms for it only spreads the allergens further.
10. Install a good air purifier with functional HEPA filters in many areas of your home if possible, to have cleaner and breathable air for cat allergy sufferers. Replace these filters at least once a month if you intend to keep your cat and live well too.
11. One can also do this easy trick in effectively filtering out the cat dander in the air – using cheesecloth. Simply place a firm piece in all air vents, thus allowing air to flow through while trapping cat dander on it.
12. For those days when your cat gets away with the No Cats Allowed Zone on your bedroom, have a mattress cover and allergy-reducing slips handy on your bed for a sneeze-free and rash-free sleep.
13. Never forget to wash your hands before and after handling your pet and all stuff related to it, like his litter box, toys, munchies and the like.
14. Regularly see your doctor and consult about possible treatments and medications so you can be immune to your little fur ball of love in the long run.