Pages

Jump to bottom

37 comments

1 FemNaziBitch  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 3:05:13pm

Benedryl.

You could be allergic to all the stuff he is picked-up from the shelter environment. Give him a bath in non-allergenic shampoo and go from there.

Usually we desentize to our own cats after a few weeks. My experience anyway.

My cat only bothers me during peak allergy times of the year.

2 Stanley Sea  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 3:06:48pm

re: #1 FemNaziBitch

Benedryl.

You could be allergic to all the stuff he is picked-up from the shelter environment. Give him a bath in non-allergenic shampoo and go from there.

Usually we desentize to our own cats after a few weeks. My experience anyway.

My cat only bothers me during peak allergy times of the year.

Good to hear.

3 b_sharp  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 3:07:42pm

Give up on the cats and rent a badger.

If you have an allergy, don’t take the chance you may have to give the cat up later. It’s not fair to the cat and it’s not fair to you.

4 PhillyPretzel  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 3:09:42pm

Good Luck in your search for a cat. I am allergic to them and do not have one.

5 Stanley Sea  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 3:10:24pm

re: #3 b_sharp

Give up on the cats and rent a badger.

If you have an allergy, don’t take the chance you may have to give the cat up later. It’s not fair to the cat and it’s not fair to you.

re: #4 PhillyPretzel

Good Luck in your search for a cat. I am allergic to them and do not have one.

Wah. I just uploaded Monkey’s photo.

SHIT.

6 klys  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 3:11:12pm

When I met my husband, I hadn’t lived with cats ever (always wanted to). The first night I went over to his place, I had a full blown allergy attack (stuffy, red eyes, etc.). He had a Burmese kitty (short hair).

I took allergy meds when things got really bad and made sure to wash my hands after petting the cat and before touching my eyes and within a year it stopped being an issue. There’s definitely a bit of time to get acclimated but if you weren’t allergic before I wouldn’t see it being a long term issue.

Because it’s a cat thread, I feel ok posting these:

Lionel is huge and likes to sleep curled up under the quilt next to me.

Esther is a diva.

William is my baby. I do wonder if he is a permanently stoned cat though.

7 klys  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 3:13:18pm

re: #6 klys

I took allergy meds when things got really bad and made sure to wash my hands after petting the cat and before touching my eyes and within a year it stopped being an issue. There’s definitely a bit of time to get acclimated but if you weren’t allergic before I wouldn’t see it being a long term issue.

Bah, I misread. I still think you might desensitize, but maybe think some more?

8 Stanley Sea  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 3:13:43pm

re: #6 klys

When I met my husband, I hadn’t lived with cats ever (always wanted to). The first night I went over to his place, I had a full blown allergy attack (stuffy, red eyes, etc.). He had a Burmese kitty (short hair).

I took allergy meds when things got really bad and made sure to wash my hands after petting the cat and before touching my eyes and within a year it stopped being an issue. There’s definitely a bit of time to get acclimated but if you weren’t allergic before I wouldn’t see it being a long term issue.

Because it’s a cat thread, I feel ok posting these:

Lionel is huge and likes to sleep curled up under the quilt next to me.

Esther is a diva.

William is my baby. I do wonder if he is a permanently stoned cat though.

Aw they are beautiful.

OK, any advice about the grumpy one I like?

9 Dancing along the light of day  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 3:16:16pm

I would go to the doctor, Monday & ask a medical professional.
I always just “borrowed” my neighbors cats, because of allergies.

10 wrenchwench  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 3:17:23pm

I definitely had an allergy to a cat one time, but my two cats have never bothered me a bit, and we had cats when I was a kid and I had no allergies then. That one time I reacted I petted a Siamese cat on my lap at a friends house for about a half an hour, and sneezed a lot and had watery, itchy eyes. I’ve heard that what triggers allergies is cat saliva, and for some reason Siameses are more likely to trigger a reaction.

I bathe my cats every few months, but they always re-bathe themselves afterward. One of them is part Siamese, and I haven’t had any reactions.

11 klys  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 3:18:01pm

re: #8 Skeetghazi

Aw they are beautiful.

OK, any advice about the grumpy one I like?

The grumpy ones can be full of love. And personality. Lionel will definitely make it clear when he is done but he can be a real sweetheart when he wants to be. You just are definitely dealing with a sovereign beast at that point, where the interactions will be on *her* terms, not yours.

12 Stanley Sea  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 3:19:57pm

re: #11 klys

The grumpy ones can be full of love. And personality. Lionel will definitely make it clear when he is done but he can be a real sweetheart when he wants to be. You just are definitely dealing with a sovereign beast at that point, where the interactions will be on *her* terms, not yours.

That’s kinda cool.

13 klys  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 3:27:28pm

re: #12 Skeetghazi

That’s kinda cool.

(I am totally avoiding work.)

It’s really a wonderful feeling when the cat chooses to come and love on you.

When we got William, he was really skittish. (William and Esther are littermates, but we adopted them one year apart. She was not happy to see him again. They both like to snuggle on Lionel.) I’d sit with him for a half an hour every day the first few weeks after we got him, after pulling him out from under the bed where he was hiding, and pet him and brush him.

These days, if I work from home, he’ll come and climb into my lap once a day, generally around 4pm or so, wanting some petting. He’ll jump out again after about 3 minutes, but I always feel very much like his human when he does that. (He does it much less frequently to my husband.)

14 Stanley Sea  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 3:32:54pm

Thanks all. I’m smitten and think that with benadryl and a cat that needs a home but wont be all over me might be the perfect fit.

I’ll keep thinking.

15 Stanley Sea  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 3:33:13pm

re: #13 klys

Oh, and welcome to LGF!!!

16 klys  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 3:35:55pm

re: #15 Skeetghazi

Oh, and welcome to LGF!!!

Thanks!

I love my kitties and wouldn’t trade them for the world, and I know rescue groups have a much harder time placing the older kitties.

17 wrenchwench  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 3:43:06pm

re: #14 Skeetghazi

Thanks all. I’m smitten and think that with benadryl and a cat that needs a home but wont be all over me might be the perfect fit.

I’ll keep thinking.

I thought about it for at least a year.

18 LWNJ  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 3:45:54pm

To what everyone else has said about allergies, I will add that desensitizing treatments work well.

Also, cat dander can be kept under control with regular bathing, but a four-year-old grumpy cat isn’t a good candidate for bathing.

If you feed the cat and don’t push, she’ll probably warm up to you, but might never be a lap cat. Very cute, I can see why you’re smitten.

19 Stanley Sea  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 3:53:52pm

re: #18 LWNJ

To what everyone else has said about allergies, I will add that desensitizing treatments work well.

Also, cat dander can be kept under control with regular bathing, but a four-year-old grumpy cat isn’t a good candidate for bathing.

If you feed the cat and don’t push, she’ll probably warm up to you, but might never be a lap cat. Very cute, I can see why you’re smitten.

Is that a good existence? For Monkey, probably, anything better than a cage. But I’m living alone, I’m thinking the less neediness might be a better fit, as I’m not used to caring for anyone but myself.

Appreciate the comments!!!

20 Feline Fearless Leader  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 3:57:10pm

The allergy issue is something you need to check up on. It might vary cat to cat, and possibly be mild enough to not require heavy medication. Otherwise, it might be that the allergy reaction constantly affects your interactions and relationship with the cat.

Beyond that bringing in new cats is a on-going process. (I have two new adoptees if have been in the apartment less than three weeks.) They take time to get used to a new environment, a new routines, and new staff. “Enough is enough” is a good way to describe it - give them a “safe haven” and they will start interacting with you and establish a social rapport as their comfort level grows.

And make sure the cat gets social time when it wants it, and things to interact with otherwise (window sills, toys, etc.) Playing with them is interaction time as well. And they are good at telling you when they want to quit.

At this point with my adoptees the younger cat comes and hangs out with me a lot. The older one (who the shelter described as a bit of a trouble cat) comes around for pets now and then, hangs out in the room, but doesn’t do laps or climb up on the couch to get pets (yet).

21 klys  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 3:59:30pm

re: #20 Feline Fearless Leader

The allergy issue is something you need to check up on. It might vary cat to cat, and possibly be mild enough to not require heavy medication. Otherwise, it might be that the allergy reaction constantly affects your interactions and relationship with the cat.

Beyond that bringing in new cats is a on-going process. (I have two new adoptees if have been in the apartment less than three weeks.) They take time to get used to a new environment, a new routines, and new staff. “Enough is enough” is a good way to describe it - give them a “safe haven” and they will start interacting with you and establish a social rapport as their comfort level grows.

And make sure the cat gets social time when it wants it, and things to interact with otherwise (window sills, toys, etc.) Playing with them is interaction time as well. And they are good at telling you when they want to quit.

At this point with my adoptees the younger cat comes and hangs out with me a lot. The older one (who the shelter described as a bit of a trouble cat) comes around for pets now and then, hangs out in the room, but doesn’t do laps or climb up on the couch to get pets (yet).

Agreed. When I was pushing William, it was mostly because he was blocked off in one room of the house (because we already had the two, and separate was the name of the game for a while) and I wanted to be sure he had a little bit of interaction with us each day. So some petting and brushing, feeding, and playing.

I’m trying very hard to convince my husband that it is time for a 4th cat but I haven’t won yet.

22 Feline Fearless Leader  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 4:00:06pm

re: #14 Skeetghazi

Thanks all. I’m smitten and think that with benadryl and a cat that needs a home but wont be all over me might be the perfect fit.

I’ll keep thinking.

Oh - and getting good vacuum filters and vacuuming more often might help with the dander as well.

23 Stanley Sea  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 4:05:25pm

re: #22 Feline Fearless Leader

Thanks much!

24 Stanley Sea  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 4:35:37pm

OK, they are adopting again tomorrow night……

25 Kaessa  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 4:39:19pm

Some cats are more “allergy affecting” than others. We have four cats, and I’m mildly allergic to cats. Two of them, I have to wash my hands after petting them; if I touch my face before I do, I itch like crazy. One of the cats (mine) happens to be hypo-allergenic. I can rub him all over my face and it doesn’t bother me. YMMV.

26 ninja cat  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 4:45:34pm

My rescue Bailey was very grumpy at first. The first few days I kept thinking maybe I’ve made a huge mistake. He just sat on the back of a chair, really didn’t want to be petted or approached. Then maybe he just realized that he wasn’t going to be passed around by a lot of strange people, he wasn’t going to be moved and he was a heck of a lot bigger than my other cats.

I don’t know about the allergies but maybe try spending more time with monkey one on one and see how it goes?

27 klys  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 4:46:54pm

re: #26 ninja cat

My rescue Bailey was very grumpy at first. The first few days I kept thinking maybe I’ve made a huge mistake. He just sat on the back of a chair, really didn’t want to be petted or approached. Then maybe he just realized that he wasn’t going to be passed around by a lot of strange people, he wasn’t going to be moved and he was a heck of a lot bigger than my other cats.

I don’t know about the allergies but maybe try spending more time with monkey one on one and see how it goes?

!!!!

It’s like William’s twin!

28 Stanley Sea  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 4:53:52pm

re: #26 ninja cat

My rescue Bailey was very grumpy at first. The first few days I kept thinking maybe I’ve made a huge mistake. He just sat on the back of a chair, really didn’t want to be petted or approached. Then maybe he just realized that he wasn’t going to be passed around by a lot of strange people, he wasn’t going to be moved and he was a heck of a lot bigger than my other cats.

I don’t know about the allergies but maybe try spending more time with monkey one on one and see how it goes?

Thanks Ninja! I think I will be able to handle the stand offish-ness. We will figure it out together.

The allergy, I will probably medicate it.

I want that KAT.

29 klys  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 5:00:15pm

re: #28 Skeetghazi

Thanks Ninja! I think I will be able to handle the stand offish-ness. We will figure it out together.

The allergy, I will probably medicate it.

I want that KAT.

Go for it. Kitties are love. I don’t think you will ever regret it.

(Disclaimer: total cat person here.)

30 ninja cat  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 5:32:29pm

re: #27 klys

May I compliment on your excellent taste in kittez!

31 FemNaziBitch  Sun, Feb 10, 2013 5:58:06pm

Washing your bedding more often in HOT water to kill everything, I keep covers on all the upholstered furniture —wash those weekly. Mostly it’s just a matter of thinking before you touch anything.

A good vacuum and no carpet if you can. Wash curtains alot too.

32 Jimmah  Mon, Feb 11, 2013 2:16:45am

re: #28 Skeetghazi

Thanks Ninja! I think I will be able to handle the stand offish-ness. We will figure it out together.

The allergy, I will probably medicate it.

I want that KAT.

I am allergic to some cats, but not others. The cat I have now doesn’t cause any symptoms in me at all. Maybe my allergy has gone away, I don’t really know.

BTW monkey looks a lot like my sister’s cat ‘pip’, who is also very stand offish - but has a crazy weakness for bagpipe music. Reacts to it exactly like it’s catnip - she loves everyone and everything while it’s playing.

33 Three Chord Monty  Mon, Feb 11, 2013 2:55:08am

I can’t live without a cat.

34 darkagegirl  Mon, Feb 11, 2013 4:23:37am

Don’t get disheartened re: the allergies. I was quite allergic as a child; we got a cat in my late teens, and then another, and I had no issues with them until I moved away for grad school. (I was fairly miserable whenever I came back, to be fair.) Then I lived with a roommate with a cat, and after some initial discomfort for a few weeks, had no trouble at all. Now I have a sweet boy of my own, and as long as I’m attentive to housecleaning and avoid the impulse to bury my face in his fur, I have very minimal problems, even with moderate asthma.

35 CuriousLurker  Tue, Feb 12, 2013 2:33:03am

I have two cats and have never been allergic, but my b&w shorthair makes me itch whereas the tabby with the super-soft fluffy fur doesn’t. Go figure.

36 Political Atheist  Tue, Feb 12, 2013 1:04:39pm

Whoa you guys got this so well covered already. All I have to add is good luck, cats are worth the effort. And yeah, even the stubborn grumpy ones come around to ya given patience.

37 JEA62  Tue, Feb 12, 2013 6:04:19pm

If a cat reacts to you negatively, don’t adopt them. If they come up and want to be near you, sniff you and react positively when you try to touch them, then you know they’ll be friendly.


This page has been archived.
Comments are closed.

Jump to top

Create a PageThis is the LGF Pages posting bookmarklet. To use it, drag this button to your browser's bookmark bar, and title it 'LGF Pages' (or whatever you like). Then browse to a site you want to post, select some text on the page to use for a quote, click the bookmarklet, and the Pages posting window will appear with the title, text, and any embedded video or audio files already filled in, ready to go.
Or... you can just click this button to open the Pages posting window right away.
Last updated: 2023-04-04 11:11 am PDT
LGF User's Guide RSS Feeds

Help support Little Green Footballs!

Subscribe now for ad-free access!Register and sign in to a free LGF account before subscribing, and your ad-free access will be automatically enabled.

Donate with
PayPal
Cash.app
Recent PagesClick to refresh
Detroit Local Powers First EV Charging Road in North America The road, about a mile from Local 58's hall, uses rubber-coated copper inductive-charging coils buried under the asphalt that transfer power to a receiver pad attached to a car's underbelly, much like how a phone can be charged wirelessly. ...
Backwoods Sleuth
3 days ago
Views: 187 • Comments: 1 • Rating: 4