The Story Behind Cat Dander
If you yourself don’t have allergies to cats, you probably know someone who does. Cat allergies is a problem that affects quite a few people in the U.S. Some sufferers just can’t have cats in their home, and they are fine—others have allergies so severe that when they walk into a home with cats or are even around cat owners, they are affected. What causes these symptoms, however, remains largely a mystery to many people: cat dander is the substance behind these allergies, not cat hair. It turns out that small particles of cats’ skin, smaller than 1/10 the size of a dust mite, are what really cause itchy swelling eyes, hives, and more uncomfortable effects in cat allergy sufferers.
Since cat dander is microscopic, it can hide in a lot of places. When a cat’s skin becomes dry, it flakes off in these tiny particles and makes its way into the air. From there it can end up on human clothes, hair, and skin. Most people don’t even notice the difference, and the dander wears off eventually without them knowing. Cat dander only poses a problem to those with a sensitivity to a substance called Fel D1, a protein found in the dander.
Fel D1 can be found in the glands beneath the surface of a cat’s skin, as well as in their bodily fluids, especially urine or saliva. The Fel D1 present in the cat’s skin can be potent enough, but when combined with the added amount from a cat’s saliva as they groom themselves causes the effect to double. Also, as a cat moves about and grooms, it can loosen the dander from the skin and cause it to become airborne, causing more of a problem.
Here’s What No One Tells You About Allergic Reactions to Cats
Some people may swear they have worse reactions to some cats than others. It’s not just in their heads—the Fel D1 protein in cat dander is present in varying amounts depending on a few factors. Male cats are known to have more of the protein present in their bodies than females. In either males or females, sterilization tends to lessen Fel D1 potency. Certain types or breeds of cats have more Fel D1 present than others. All of these, among other factors, affect how strongly someone’s allergic reaction to the cat will be.
As mentioned before, not everyone exposed to cat dander starts sneezing and coughing. To be affected, an individual has to have a sensitivity to Fel D1. This happens when their immune systems recognize it to be a harmful substance and begins an attack. In response to the perceived threat, those individuals produce a specific antibody called immunoglobin E, and when they come in contact with the dander, they release histamines, which produce an inflammatory effect. This is what causes the swelling and rashes common with allergic reactions of all types.
Learn How Cat Hair Gets into Our System
Dander can get in in a number of ways. The method through which it enters your body can determine what type and the severity of the reaction you have if you are a sufferer of cat allergies. Nasal inhalation, common since dander is often airborne, can cause excessive sneezing, congestion, and runny nose. If the dander is inhaled through both the nose and the mouth simultaneously, it could cause these symptoms but can also trigger an asthma attack. Asthma sufferers have a greater chance of being sensitive to cat dander, and therefore should be extra careful when around cats to avoid this potentially life-threatening immune response. Another way dander can enter our systems is through our skin—if a cat licks you or spends a lot of time cuddling with you, the dander can hang onto your skin and cause hives.
Removing Feline Fur From Your Home
For some people who are allergic to cats, their symptoms may seem so extreme that even if they love cats, they can’t bear to suffer the symptoms that come on when they are near their pet. Although cat dander can be a nuisance to those with Fel D1 sensitivity, it doesn’t have to be a deal breaker. Mild allergy sufferers can remove some of the dander present in their home through a variety of methods.
It is obviously important to keep a generally clean home—regular dusting, vacuuming, and washing laundry are some good practices to follow in order to lessen the amount of dander present. If seasonal outdoor allergies are not an issue, opening windows for ventilation and dilution are a good additional measure to take. Even following these guidelines, however, won’t be able to remove all of the cat dander.
The Most Effective Solution for Cat Dander Removal
Airborne cat dander is one of the biggest culprits to triggering uncomfortable allergy symptoms. Therefore, the best thing to do to alleviate those symptoms is to remove the pet dander from the air. Although many standard filters and HVAC systems are designed to trap allergy-causing substances like pollen and pet dander, they don’t effectively remove the risk—those particles are unfortunately often just recycled back into the air. The best solution for removing cat dander in your home is the OdorKlenz Mobile Air System, a portable odor eliminating air purification system that not only traps particles in the air like dander or other irritants but also breaks down and neutralizes the odors that they produce as well. OdorKlenz’s unique technology breaks down these substances in a way that other filters do not—dander is not only trapped but pet odors are also removed from the source.
The OdorKlenz Mobile is convenient for use in the home because it comes with wheels that make it easy to move from room to room. With three different settings, users can customize the filtration process depending on their need. This system is unlike any other air purifying system. Users with cat allergies are able to notice a difference within only days. It is by far the best solution for those who suffer from dander allergies, but who don’t want to have to give up their pet because of it.
Read What Others Say About The OdorKlenz Mobile Air Purifier
We rent a space where one of our roommates is highly allergic to cats and we happen to own three!! We were worried we would have to move because of the issue that the cat dander was causing to our roommate friend, we purchased this air purifier and leave it in the living room where the cats spend the most time in. I can honestly say that since we have turned on the system our air is a lot cleaner and there is literally no hair to be found anywhere and best of all our roommate can bow actually tolerate being around our cats. I would highly recommend using this unit for those who have allergies or need to control odors and dander
Barb H. – Jan. 2017
We use this unit to control odors from our 4 cats litter box, although we do our best to keep it cleaned and changed that can be very tough when having to work and manage 4 young children. Our OdorKlenz machine helps keep the odors down and from spreading throughout our home and for that I give it 5 stars!!
Karen H. – Jan 2017
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