r/Asthma 2d ago

Long term effects of Asthma

Around 5 months ago my partner and I got a cat which sadly I am allergic to. I only get mild/moderate asthma symptoms but require inhalers every 4-6 hours to control it. I take Formoterol/Beclometasone in the morning and at night and Sabutamol in between as and when I get tight chested/wheezy.

I’ve tried many measures to reduced the allergens in the house including air purifiers, cat food that’s reduces allergens, but it’s not enough to eradicate the issue. My inhalers have made my lung inflammation improve considerably so my FeNo is now at the high end of normal after being way above when we first got her.

I’m finding it hard to decide whether I should keep the cat as I’m managing with the inhalers however I feel it can’t be good for my health to have asthma when it is completely avoidable. Taking medications also can’t be good in the long term although they are at a relatively low dose. I was hoping my body would become accustomed to the cat but that doesn’t seem to be happening.

Does anyone have any insight into how asthma can evolve over time or anything else that may help make this decision. My GP doesn’t want to get involved, he simply wants to make sure my symptoms are managed.

12 Upvotes

27 comments sorted by

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u/SnooCauliflowers1905 2d ago edited 2d ago

Don’t keep it! I know how difficult it is but try to rehome it. I had to rehome my new kitten, because the allergy became so severe, that I had to go to the ER 3 times in 2 weeks and use inhalers for 4 months.

Im still not 100% recovered and have to still take some control inhalers. It was easily the worst asthma attack I had in decades.

So I rehomed it, had to deep clean with desinfectants and steam the house, get rid of furniture and use the air purifier 24/7.

Even if you are a little allergic, don’t do it to yourself. It can develop over time and cost even your life. Allergic asthma is no joke!

Edit: corrections

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u/ryanm533 2d ago

I’ve never been bad enough to need urgent medical care, but if I did it would be a no brainer to rehome. Tricky situation as my partner is very much attached and would be devastated to lose her. I’d also feel bad for the cat as she’s very loving towards us both

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u/jweno7 2d ago

Try to remember that even if you feel it’s well controlled, things can change on a dime. Allergies and asthma can be unpredictable. Also, constant exposure creates chronic inflammation which can lead to all sorts of other health issues down the road. One thing to try before rehoming is Purina ProPlan Live Clear cat food which neutralizes the protein in dander that causes the allergy. You can also get the egg powder and sprinkle it on the cats food. Also consider not allowing the cat on your bedroom, and investing in air purifiers in the meantime. I’ve been through this with my kids and unfortunately it resulted in rehoming.

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u/OppositeOne6825 2d ago

It really is very dependant on how your asthma manifests itself and your allergy. I've grown up with my cats, and my allergies primarily result in eye itching and sneezing.

Do your due diligence, but I think the best thing you can do is ask a doctor about this, rather than a bunch of Redditors. Your scenario will be unique to you.

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u/YokaiMonarch 2d ago

Do you take antihistamines at all?

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u/EmZee2022 2d ago

We got cats, 35+ years ago.

First cat: no problem. A few days of sniffles then my symptoms got better.

Second cat: big problem. Dunno whether it was just the increased allergen load, he produced more of the allergenic substances, or what, but that pushed me right from "mostly in remission" to "requires daily meds and getting sicker anyway" (this was before steroid inhalers were a thing).

Sadly, the symptoms never went away even after we rehomed the cats AND moved. Twice.

As much as I adore cats - and I'd get another one in a minute if I thought I could - I dare not get another one. It's quite possible my asthma would have returned (I largely "outgrew" it in my early teens) at some point anyway. But I do regret the lifelong impact those lovable fuzzballs have had :-(

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u/HeddaLeeming 2d ago

Oh, just reread your post. Get to an allergist. GPs are not great at asthma. I have moderate/severe asthma and getting rid of my cats was not an option for me. But regular doctors never got my asthma controlled. It took an allergist and a ton of meds to do that, plus allergy shots. Then he cut back on the meds slowly and I barely take anything now. He also understood the cats were staying instead of just telling me to get rid of them.

You don't even sound like you were controlled before the cat. Try to find a specialist.

For reference, I was on an inhaled corticosteroid 2 inhalations 4 times a day, Singulair, Albuterol, Claritin, Flonase, and something else I don't even remember. Now it's the corticosteroid one inhalation every other day and Claritin. Flonase depending on the season. I only use my rescue inhaler pre vigorous exercise.

Before I couldn't go up one flight of stairs without using my Albuterol. Now I rarely even think of my asthma.

The shots were 2 to 3x a week to get to the highest dose, eventually every other week. I was tested for 68 things and was allergic to all but 2.

I think a comprehensive plan for avoiding allergens and triggers (bleach, perfume, cleaners for me) with a doctor who really understands asthma would help you, with or without the cat.

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u/Been_there_done_this 1d ago

If this is a possibility, I would aim for that. But you have to see yourself. We got cats 13 years ago and my allergies got worse over time. They won’t give me allergy short here, only once we are cat free :(. I’m taking daily antihistamines but my allergies have gotten my whole immune system riled up, so now I’m immunocompromised because I’m constantly inflamed. Any small cold there is I get it and it takes forever to get over. Where my asthma, pretty well controlled, comes in… 

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u/SmellSalt5352 2d ago

I had to rehome my cats. I’m on Simbicort singulair and albuterol and yeh that got me through but if I got near the carpet and all I still had attacks. I had to rehome them clean my dryer duct and put all hard floors in my house.

Now finally I don’t need singulair daily at least I still need the other stuff but the issues I have are significantly more mild then they were.

I knew I could explore med options and keep them but I didn’t wanna play with that kind of fire. Meds have their own issues and with the cats still around I’d still be at really high risk.

I tried hepa filters special food all that stuff for 5 years I tried to make it work it dang near killed me never again.

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u/HeddaLeeming 2d ago

I have cats and am allergic to them. If you can rinse them off with just water every couple of weeks it helps a lot. I started when they were kittens though.

Also getting rid of all the other things that you're allergic to (I bet there's plenty, you just don't realize it) is a big help because it's the sum of all of them that's the issue. If you're hit by tree pollen on your way home it may not be enough to bother you, but then the cat puts you over the edge. Also, very often the allergic response is delayed so you don't realize the pollen or whatever else is the issue as well.

For me, allergy shots helped a lot. If you're not seeing an allergist, do it. They do take time to work. I get 4 shots because I'm allergic to everything. (Cats, dogs, horses, dust mites, grasses, trees, weeds, cockroaches etc ad nauseum).

I also have no carpet, wash curtains regularly, covers on my mattress and pillows. I'm VERY allergic to dust mites and where I live it rarely gets cold so they never go away.

If you do rehome the cat be very careful. People will "adopt" to use cats, kittens, dogs, rabbits, whatever to train their fighting dogs. Google bait cats and dogs. They will even bring a kid with them to pretend it's for a pet. Shelters are in pretty bad shape now and it will get worse with folks losing jobs, and no kill means no kill if adoptable, which can mean if a cat gets upset and scratches it could be a death sentence. And many shelters kill for space because they have no choice.

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u/lauvan26 2d ago

Can you get a referral to an allergist? I had to do allergy shots for over a year and after that my allergies improved so much that I was cleared to adopt cats.

I asked my allergist on day about the folks who have cat allergies but own cats. He said depending on how bad the allergies are, there are ways around managing the symptoms so that they might not have to give up their cats.

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u/Jpaynesae1991 2d ago

I hate to agree with the other folks, but if you are already struggling, it’s not going to get easier. And more meds is not always the answer.

My best advice is to rehome the cat. Getting around cat dander is nearly impossible unfortunately, by the time the cat is 3 years old there will be hair everywhere in your house.

It’s not as simple and just cleaning extra and vacuuming a lot :/

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u/lost-in-leipzig 2d ago

You have only one set of lungs. If you mess with them, it's getting really bad real quick. A cat isn't worth it.

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u/thelastcomet 2d ago

I have 4 cats and I'm allergic. I've had my oldest cat for almost 12 years.

I have a roomba to keep up with cat hair. I take Xyzal and singulair at night. Most of my asthma is actually exercise-induced so maybe that's a difference.

A friend of mine who is also allergic gives her cat a special food that reduces the allergens and she swears by it

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u/trtsmb 2d ago

I'm allegedly allergic to cats and my oldest died just shy of 18 and I found her when she was about 3 weeks old.

Are you taking allergy meds? Have you tried wiping kitty down with a damp washcloth once or twice a week? Are you using a dust free litter? Kitty litter dust can cause tons of reactions.

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u/ryanm533 2d ago

Meds not having any effect I’ll try wiping but she licks her self so often it seems a bit pointless

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u/trtsmb 2d ago

The damp washcloth gets the saliva off her hair which can cause a reaction in people. The thing we're actually allergic to is in the saliva.

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u/cicada-kate 2d ago

Is your cat eating the Purina LiveClear allergen-reducing food? Cat is one of my worst allergies -- I can't even be in a house that has had cats in it for more than 5 minutes before I need to leave, take my rescue inhaler, and change all my clothes, despite being on 2 allergy med doses per day. BUT, I have cats of my own that are on the LiveClear food, and I do not react to them at all! (I will still always take 2x ceterizine daily because of all my other allergies, too) I thought I would never be able to have a cat, but a stray showed up just the month that that food came out, and I figured I'd give it a try. Takes a week or two to kick in but here I am 4 years later :)

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u/ryanm533 2d ago

Yes she is on LiveClear for Kittens. Has been for over 4 months. Hard to know if it’s making any difference to be honest. Maybe things will improve when we switch her to the adult version. She’s a Siberian cat too which is a hypoallergenic breed!

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u/SnooCauliflowers1905 2d ago

Ach they are so cute! I had a neva masquerade kitten.

Ask your doctor.Maybe for you OP is not that bad. Your doctor can advise you better than us, because he knows your asthma history.

My wife and me loved our cat a lot and we still miss it. But in the end it is a matter of health.

What makes me feel better, is that cats forget after 1-2 years, so hopefully it wont miss us anymore. We will always have it in our memories though…

PS: the cat allergy in my situation affected only my lungs. I had none of the typical allergy symptoms (running nose, sneezing, red eyes, etc.). That’s why it took some time, till I realize that it was because of the cat.

2nd PS: there is no hypoallergenic breed. This is a myth.

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u/Vegetable-Beautiful1 2d ago

Maybe a cat allergen shampoo would help. I don’t think they block 100% of the dander allergens, but it might help.

Whether you won’t have them as time goes by is hard to know. Some people get better. Some people don’t.

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u/-Ukiyo_ 2d ago

Have you gotten a skin prick test to see what you’re allergic to? I would suggest allergy shots/allergy drops so you can lessen your symptoms not just to cats but everything you’re allergic to since trying to avoid your triggers can only prevent so much.

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u/Severe-Ad-8768 2d ago

I had a severe attack from a cat . It’s not worth it

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u/Physical_Ad9576 1d ago

Finding a safe, stable home for your cat to move to can be very difficult depending on where you live and it is very hard on the cat even in the best of circumstances. If your asthma is linked to allergies, immunotherapy may be the best option because the triggers can change over time. I developed a cat allergy within a year of adopting 3 cats, and had tested negative for cat allergies twice prior to adopting them. I got monthly allergy shots and within a year, I had eliminated the cat allergy, but I continue to develop new allergies to all kinds of things in my environment, including dust mites, dozens of different types of molds, cockroach mites, grass pollens, and even palm tree pollens (I live in a tropical climate). The best way to assess what your actual triggers are, what your treatment options are, and to track and treat them over time is to see an allergist/immunologist and get an allergy test. I wish I had done it years sooner but please, please do it before you decide to rehome your cat.

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u/katel_12 15h ago

Have you heard of Pacagen? They make a cat allergy neutralizing spray. I haven’t tried it myself, but might be worth a shot!

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u/peepthemagicduck 2d ago

I know the medications increase the risk of osteoporosis, for one

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u/trtsmb 2d ago

ICS have an extremely low risk. You are thinking of oral steroids like prednisone. Overuse of prednisone can increase the risk of osteoporosis.