Allergic to Cats? Strategies to Keep Your Cat With You

Posted on October 30, 2022 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Some folks view Sphynx cats as Hypoallergenic cats.

Did you know that 10-20% of the world’s human population is allergic to cats (1)? Symptoms range from itchy eyes, stuffy nose, and sneezing to skin rashes and hives. More serious reactions may include asthma and difficulty breathing. Over the counter medications can relieve some but not all of the discomfort and these medications are not without side-effects. Are there other ways to manage these allergies?

This post is an update of one published about 1 year ago. I felt it was worthwhile to bring people’s attention to the subject again.

Allergies and the cat-human bond

Allergies can come between you and your cat. You are miserable around your cat when your allergies flare up.

You start to avoid your cat.
He is outlawed from the bedroom.
His needs, particularly consistent human interaction and interactive play, are not being met.
Not only are you feeling bad, but your cat can become stressed.
Stress can lead to medical problems such as diarrhea, and resurgence of viruses such as herpes.
It is not unheard of for people allergic to cats to re-home their beloved pets.

The Culprit

A protein called Fel d1 is the primary allergen in cats.
Fel d1 causes 95% of the allergy responses in adults allergic to cats.
Fel d1 is produced in the cat’s salivary and sebaceous glands.
Your cat spreads Fel d1 through his fur as he grooms.
As he sheds fur and skin (dander), Fel d1 is distributed throughout your home.
Breathing in dander or having contact with it can trigger an allergic reaction.

Fel d1 is light, easily airborne and can be found just about everywhere, even in pet-free homes and institutions such as schools. Usually these levels are low and do not impact people in general. Fel d1 may be spread by the clothing of people who keep cats (1).

Managing Cat Allergies

REDUCING FEL D1 IN YOUR HOME

Here are some things you can do:

Fur tends to “stick” more to fabrics – vacuum upholstery and carpets frequently.
Consider switching out carpet for hardwood or vinyl floors.
Use covers that you can launder on sofas and upholstered chairs.
HEPA air filters and HEPA vacuum filters can also help.
Clean regularly and frequently.

REDUCING FEL D1 ON YOUR CAT

Not all cats shed Fel D-1 at the same rate. Even an individual cat does not always shed the same amount of this protein at any given time – instead it varies throughout the year.

NO HYPOALLERGENIC CATS

Some folks think that certain breeds of cat don’t produce much Fel d1. These cats typically do not shed much. It is thought that the reduction in the amount of hair reduces the amount of Fel d1 in the environment.

However, Fel d1 is mainly produced in the sebaceous glands in the skin and in the cat’s saliva, not in the hair. So even a “bald” Sphynx will still groom and spread dander that has sebaceous secretions containing Fel d1 (1)

BATHING YOUR CAT

Bathing your cat does reduce the amount of Fel d1 but levels return to pre-bath amounts within 2 days (2). Of course, many cats do not tolerate being bathed. There is a mousse shampoo designed to reduce Fel d1 – this may be better accepted by cats than a traditional soap and water bath.

“NEUTRALIZING” FEL D1

Fel d1 like most allergens, has a chemical “key” that locks into receptors on cells in our bodies. What if you “lock up” Fel d1 before it gets to us?

Chickens produce antibodies against environmental antigens that they can transfer into their eggs and give their chicks immunity against these antigens. Researchers at Nestle-Purina developed an “anti-Fel d1” antibody by exposing hens to Fel d1. This antibody is incorporated into the dry cat food, Purina “Live Clear” .

How it works:

A cat eats food containing eggs from these hens.
The “anti-Fel d1” antibody “locks up” active Fel d1 in the cat’s saliva.
When the cat grooms himself, he spreads the “locked up” or neutralized Fel d1 on his fur. He probably also spreads some of the “anti-Fel d1” antibody, which further neutralizes some of the allergen produced by the sebaceous glands of the skin.
Studies show that active Fel d1 is reduced by an average of 47% after 3 weeks of feeding.

Although not a perfect solution, feeding this diet may just help reduce the allergen burden enough to make you, and consequently your cat, more comfortable.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR THOSE OF US ALLERGIC TO CATS?

HUMAN-DIRECTED THERAPIES

“Anti–Fel d 1” monoclonal antibodies are being developed that can be given by injection under the skin to humans allergic to cats. Preliminary studies showed a 60% reduction in symptoms in half of the patients. (2)

CAT-DIRECTED THERAPIES

Saiba Animal Health is developing a vaccine that triggers an immune response in the cat’s own body to develop antibodies to Fel d1. “Hypo-Cat” showed a 50% reduction in Fel d 1 levels detected in cat tear extracts, decreasing symptoms in nine allergic patients by about 30%. (2)

Other research is using CRISPR (gene-editing) technology to delete the genes responsible for producing Fel d1, with the aim of producing a truly hypo-allergenic cat. (2)

closing thoughts

The function of Fel d1 is unknown – this protein is only found in the cat family. Some experts feel it is a pheromone (3)– a chemical used to communicate between members of the same species.

This raises some questions:

What message does Fel d1 carry between cats?

Is it ethical to modify the feline genome to breed cats that don’t produce Fel d1?

How will we be changing our cats when we do this?

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Sources

Bonnet, B., Messaoudi, K., Jacomet, F. et al. An update on molecular cat allergens: Fel d 1 and what else? Chapter 1: Fel d 1, the major cat allergen. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol 14, 14 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13223-018-0239-8
Nicole F. Brackett, Brian W. Davis, Mazhar Adli, Anna Pomés, and Martin D. Chapman.Evolutionary Biology and Gene Editing of Cat Allergen, Fel d 1.The CRISPR Journal.Apr 2022.213-223.
Bienboire-Frosini, C.; Durairaj, R.; Pelosi, P.; Pageat, P. The Major Cat Allergen Fel d 1 Binds Steroid and Fatty Acid Semiochemicals: A Combined In Silico and In Vitro Study. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21, 1365. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21041365

Strategies for Counter-Surfing Cats

Posted on October 23, 2022October 23, 2022 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

After adopting a feral cat 3 years ago, I am still struggling with cats on the counter. Gus spent most of his wild life dumpster diving, and hunting mice and bugs for food. He certainly would have availed himself of any food a good samaritan left out for the community cats. Understandably, the kitchen counter is a cornucopia of food as far as he is concerned.

Counter-surfing cats – Why do they do it?

Cats are looking for food.
Cats are curious and keen observers of other species and their activities.
Cats like high places and may feel safer on the counter, out of reach of the family dog and children.

Strategies for Counter-Surfing Cats

The Foodie Cat

Have food on the counters only when you are preparing it.
If you need to leave during food prep, be sure and secure the food in a cabinet or unused oven.
Train your cat to a mat.

The Curious Cat

Offer your cat a place where she can monitor counter activities.
Train her to stay at that place while you are at the counter.

The Trapped Cat

Offer your cat a place where he can get away from the children and/or dog.
If he still prefers the counter, train him to stay in the place you offered.

Mat Training

Mat (aka station) training is popular with dog trainers. Ideally, when you tell your dog to go to the mat, he goes there and waits on the mat until you tell him he can leave. Mat training can be very handy because the “place” the dog must go to can move around – it is wherever the mat is.

Cats can also be mat trained. Here is how it works.

Choose a mat for your cat to sit on.

Encourage the cat to go to the mat by, say, throwing a treat on it.

Reward the cat once she interacts with the mat.

If she gets off the mat before you tell her to, encourage her to return to the mat.

“Shape” the behavior by having her stay on the mat for increasingly longer periods of time.

Establish a cue to let her know she can leave the mat.

Counter Control – Other Aids

Aversives – things cats don’t like

A non-toxic citrus spray on the counter (cats don’t like citrus)
An upside-down carpet runner (with the “spikes” facing up)

Punishment

Water guns are a traditional solution to deter counter-surfing cats…for these to really work you must spray the cat as she is jumping on the counter.
Motion-activated spray systems (SSSCAT) may discourage counter-surfing cats as long as the device works…but these devices can startle and frighten some cats.
See “How Does Clicker Training Your Cat Work?”

Counter-Surfing Cats – a Hard Case

Having been a feral cat, food is Gus’s major priority in life. He inevitably jumps on the counter if there is any suggestion of food preparation. He is always willing to get down from the counter when I point my finger to the floor but he returns to the countertop in a few minutes. He is undeterred by water guns, citrus sprays, and upside down carpet runners.

Gus easily mastered the idea of station training – sitting and staying on the mat is not problem until you start food preparation. He is fine as long as the treats keep coming. However, if I fall behind dispensing treats (when breading cutlets or some other involved culinary task), he returns to the counter again. I feel he cannot “dial back” his emotions enough to recall his training.

Solutions

If the cooking is so complicated that I can’t pay attention to Gus, I will put him in his “safe place” (the master bedroom) with his resources and some food.
If things are not too hectic, I will give him a lickimat with some baby food on it. This seems to keep him happy and contented for 15- 20 minutes.

Counter-surfing cats are often looking for food, a good place to monitor activity in the house, or a way to escape the family dog or a busy toddler. Decide where you want your cat to be and see if you can train her to go to a mat in this place. If all else fails, put your cat in her “safe place” while you fix meals, work on projects, or entertain guests.

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The Bond Between Cats and Humans

Posted on October 16, 2022October 16, 2022 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Cat under the bed — Myrddin, my sister’s cat, stayed with her as she passed away.

From ancient Egypt where cats were mummified and sometimes buried with their owners, to the Salem Witch trials, cats have long been associated with death. A quick search of the Internet will turn up all sorts of superstitions linking cats with the afterlife, the sick and dying. The bond between cats and humans is more than just providing food and shelter – this bond can persist even as one or the other is dying.

Cats in nursing homes are not uncommon these days. Oscar, a cat who lived in a Rhode Island nursing home from 2005-2022, is credited with accurately predicting 100 deaths. Oscar would choose to nap with people a few hours before they died. He was the subject of the book, Making Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat, authored by geriatrician Dr. David Dosa.

My eldest sister was suffering from cancer and entered the hospital in the end of September this year. She was too weak for chemotherapy and chose to spend her final days in her home. During her hospital stay, her Siamese cat, Myrddin, was cared for by family nearby. He seemed somewhat shy with people when he arrived at his interim home and was gradually starting to come out from his refuge under the bed in a guest bedroom when I visited a week later.

My sister was released from the hospital a few days after my visit and asked for her cat when arriving home from the hospital. He was brought to the house and after a short acclimation period in the guest bedroom, was brought to my sister’s bedroom. I worried that he would hide but he seemed to know just what to do – he jumped up on the bed, sitting on her and kneading her stomach.

She passed away early in the morning a few days later – Myrrdin woke family staying at the house who found that my sister was no longer alive. He went back to stay lie next to her until hospice arrived.

The bond between cats and humans is more than just providing food and a warm place to sleep. We don’t know why cats like Oscar choose to nap with the dying. As for me, I am so glad my sister had the comfort of her cat at the very end of her life.

Cats and Scratching 3: First Aid for Unwanted Scratching

Posted on October 2, 2022 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Cat scratching near stairs — A scratcher redirects this cat from scratching the stairs.

Sometimes, even after you have invested in several scratching posts, your cat will scratch somewhere you don’t want her to. What is going on?

Earlier we learned that cats scratch to maintain their claws, to stretch and to communicate with other cats by leaving a scent mark. Scratchers need to be “deployed” where they will best satisfy these needs.

How to deal with unwanted scratching

Redirect the cat to scratch on an “appropriate” surface.
Respond to any scent messages.
Use “aversives” to discourage “unwanted scratching”.
Offer alternate marking options for your cat.
Trim nails to minimize damage.

Redirecting unwanted scratching

This basically means we place a scratcher close to or at the place your cat is scratching. We will “sweeten” the deal by applying an “attractant” to the scratcher – catnip, silvervine, honeysuckle. We can also add some treats and reward kitty for using this scratching alternative.

Say your cat starts scratching your sofa. You notice a big orange cat outside the picture window where your sofa sits. Some things you may consider:

Put a cat tree over by the window to give your cat a vantage point and a place to mark by scratching.
You may want to move the sofa away from the window.
Reduce visual contact with the intruder – cling film on windows or prevent cats from coming into the yard to the window (fence rollers, motion-activated sprinkler)

Reply to any scent messages

You just bought a new sofa. Your cat may feel that the new sofa needs to be “broken in”. A little scratching leaves a purrsonalized “greeting”. And then once Kitty scratches there, of course, he better “top off” that message regularly so that it is up-to-date.

Start with providing an acceptable scratching surface at or near the area of “unwanted” scratching. Use attractants as needed for your cat.

We need to let your cat know that this sofa is “safe” and “already marked”. We have a few options to achieve this.

Use a synthetic pheromone spray such as “Feliway” Classic or Comfort Zone Calming. These are synthetic versions of the secretions cats deposit by rubbing their cheeks against things. To avoid staining your sofa, we can spray a throw or blanket that we drape over the sofa. Initially, you will need to spray this daily.
Or – relocate the sofa close to an electrical outlet and use the “Feliway” Optimum diffuser. This novel blend of feline pheromones has been shown to reduce feline stress and unwanted scratching.
Or – you may use the blanket your cat sleeps on and drape that over the sofa. You will want to have a second blanket that he sleeps on so that you can swap them out daily at first.

“Aversives” – things most cats don’t like

Upside-down carpet runner: the spikes face up and are not comfortable to walk on! Place the upside-down runner where your cat may stand to scratch, say under the sofa that is getting scratched. Place a scratching post nearby on a “comfortable” surface.
Double-sided sticky tape (Sticky Paws is one brand). This works well on fabric and carpeted surfaces. It is applied to where your cat is scratching.
Aluminum foil can be wrapped around the furniture or placed on the floor.
Carpet runner or office chair mats (right-side up) may work if your cat is scratching at the carpets around doorways. There are also anti-scratch mats made for this purpose.
PLEASE avoid using things like garlic and essential oils to discourage scratching – these can be toxic to cats.

A Word about Punishment:

Spray bottles, SSScat spray deterrents, shock mats – these may seem effective but all run the risk of making your cat fearful and anxious. You are punishing the cat for an instinctual behavior – she is not doing anything wrong; she is just using a surface you don’t want her to. It would be better to restrict her from the area than use punishment.

Alternative Marking Options for your Cat

Cats scent mark using glands in their cheeks, lips and base of the tail. We think that these pheromones give cats a message of safety and security – this place is “marked”. There are self-grooming arches that cats can brush under and grooming combs that attach to wall corners, table legs and cabinet corners. Your cat can mark these objects by rubbing her face, head and base of her tail in these areas.

In multi-cat homes, cats may scratch to establish their right-of-ways inside the home. Strategic placement of a few self-grooming stations may help reduce scratching by providing another way of marking. ( see T. DePorter and A. Elzerman, Common Feline Problem Behaviors: Destructive Scratching Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery (2019) 21, 235–243)

Minimize damage with nail trims

Train your cat to have her claws trimmed using positive reinforcement. You may need to trim claws every 4-6 weeks. Trimmed claws should not damage surfaces as much as untrimmed claws.

cats just want to have fun!

Cats will sometimes scratch to work out the “zoomies” or to get your attention. Scratching carpeted stairs often falls into this category!

If your cat enjoys scooting along stair risers:

Sisal pole at botton of stairs — Sisal pole at the bottom of stairs

Consider blocking the stairway with a tall pet gate or DIY barricade.
Turn a replacement sisal post on its side and put some ends on it heavy enough to keep it in place but low enough to give the “stair scratching experience”. Push it up against that bottom step, and let the fun begin. Don’t forget the catnip and treats!

Claws come with your cat. He will scratch to maintain his claws, stretch, and leave scent messages. To deal with unwanted scratching:

direct him to an appropriate scratcher using catnip/silvervine and treats
use pheromones
use aversives as needed
provide other ways to scent mark
trim his claws regularly.

Avoid punishment – instead be a cat whisperer and try to communicate with your cat.

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