We’ve all seen jokes on social media where you have to choose between your Significant Other and your cat. The reality is that living with pets and someone who is allergic to them under the same roof seems to be quite a feat. Choosing between the love of our pet and our partner being able to breathe seems like quite a dilemma. However, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) and veterinary experts have recently published updated guidelines that can make living together much more bearable.
To do this, we must understand the root cause of the allergen, control its spread in the environment, and… neutralize it at its source.
How do cat allergies work?
The most common myth is that allergies are caused by cat hair. However, hair is actually only the vehicle for the problem. The real culprit behind allergies is a microscopic protein called Fel d 1 (Felis domesticus 1). This protein is produced in your cat’s salivary glands. Every time your cat grooms itself, this protein is deposited on its fur and on the flakes of dead skin that it sheds—what we know as dander.
Fel d 1 is incredibly light, sticky, and microscopic, so it can remain suspended in the air for hours, coating any surface (including walls and ceilings), which makes surface cleaning difficult.
Exclusion zones
We know that keeping our cat out of a certain place is quite a feat. After all, they are the lords and masters of the house, but this is very important: we must establish the bedroom of the allergic person as a 100% cat-free zone. Since we spend about eight hours a day sleeping, keeping that space completely clean allows the allergic person’s immune system to rest and recover.
To do this, we must be like Nicole Kidman in the movie The Others; the door must remain closed at all times. It should not even be opened to create a draft to ventilate the whole house. The room should only be ventilated by opening the window to the outside. To do this, we must start with a thorough initial cleaning of the bedroom to remove any previous traces of the allergen.
There are allergen-resistant mattress and pillow covers that prevent dander from settling in the filling. There are also fabric disinfectants that can be used in the fabric softener compartment every time you wash clothes in the washing machine. It is a small investment, but it ensures that this person’s sheets and towels are completely free of allergens.
Interior design for people with allergies
Cat owners have to make many sacrifices: most plants are poisonous to cats, so we have to get rid of them or leave them in places that are inaccessible to our feline friends. In addition, the Fel d 1 allergen has a special affinity for fibrous materials, turning them into vast “reservoirs” of dander.
That’s why, even though we love rugs and carpets, we have to get rid of them if we have people with allergies in our home. After all, they are a magnet for hair and allergens, which will remain dirty even if we vacuum them religiously every day. Carpets can retain up to 13 times more allergens than smooth surfaces. Instead, we recommend hard surfaces such as wood, tiles, or vinyl. If you still want warmth, opt for small rugs that can be put in the washing machine regularly to wash and disinfect.
This also applies to furniture. We recommend choosing leather, vinyl, or wood furniture, as their surfaces can be cleaned with a simple wipe of a damp cloth.
We also have to be very careful with our window curtains. While blinds can be cleaned with a damp cloth, it is better to choose light cotton curtains that can be washed regularly in hot water.
How to keep allergies at bay
Although cleaning should be constant and methodical, it is best to trap the allergen rather than scatter it. That is why we recommend investing in a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter, such as a Dyson, as these are the only filters capable of trapping microparticles as small as 0.3 microns, offering 99.97% effectiveness.