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Cat allergies can be extremely heartbreaking to a cat lover. Wheezing, tearing eyes, runny nose, sinus headache, hives, and other symptoms can be somewhat mild and annoying or severe and life threatening. In actuality, if the symptoms are very severe and the cause is researched and found to be cats, locating the cat a new place to live could turn out to be the only resolution. However if the symptoms are mild, there is cause for hope. There are processes to at least minimize the pain of cat allergies and live with a cat, and immunotherapy offers desensitization from an allergen.

Symptoms of allergies can take on many forms. There are many common nose symptoms including itching, sneezing and congestion. Eye symptoms can include redness, itching, swelling and watering. Throat symptoms include post-nasal drip, itching or hoarseness and the need to clear the throat often. Skin symptoms can involve an itchy rash or hives. Ear symptoms can include itching, plugging or popping in the ear. There can be more serious symptoms which involve the lungs. Symptoms with the lungs can include coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, bouts with bronchitis and a shortness of breath.

Cat allergen, the allergy causing material from cats, is not cat hair, but rather a protein present in the cat dander and saliva. These allergens become airborne as minute particles, which when breathed into the nose or lungs can produce allergic symptoms.

The reason why folks can get a new pet and not develop any of these symptoms until much later is because of the amount of time needed to make these antibodies. It can take from three weeks to three years for the body to build up enough of the specific antibody so that an allergen can cross-link two identical antigens. This cross-linkage is the signal to mast cells to spill their contents, resulting in typical allergy symptoms.

An allergy desensitization regimen is the usual and very specific method to work around a cat allergy. Immunotherapy will gradually make a person more resistant to the allergens. The goal of immunotherapy is to increase the tolerance ten-fold. This is one of the most effective remedies as it treats the root cause and doesn't just hide the symptoms.

It is unsafe and cruel for any indoor cat to be turned out. In addition to the diseases and illnesses that can be caught out of doors, the indoor cat has no experience fending for itself outdoors and so many times it is unable to defend against cars, animals, and other hazards or to effectively search for food. Hence rescue groups have been formed to take care of cats if someone suffering from allergy has to turn it out of his house.