Can Cats Cause Asthma?

can cats cause AsthmaRead this Article before Buying a Cat

A lot of people want to buy a cat. However, they want to get the answer to one question first – can cats cause asthma? This is a valid question that needs to be answered before you go out to buy a cat especially if your family has a history of asthma. After all, the last thing that you need is for anyone in your family to suffer from an asthma attack which will leave you in quite a dilemma.

If you want to know the answer to the question, can cats cause asthma, you’re not alone. Pet allergy is very common all over the world, especially in the US. In fact, cat allergy cases are more common than dog allergy cases. Why should this matter? It’s because over 50% of cases of asthma in the US are linked to allergies. To add, 29% of these cases are due to the sufferers being sensitive to cats.

 

Cats and Asthma

One look at cats and you just know that they can cause an asthma attack. Skin testing confirmed that it’s one of the most common causes of an asthma attack. However, something important needs to be clarified. According to studies, the risk of asthma increases among people who already have an established cat allergy. This means that if you’re allergic to cats in the first place, you can get an asthma attack. So can cats cause asthma? It can, if you’re allergic to cats.

 

What if You’re Not Allergic to Cats?

According to the same study, being exposed to cats won’t make you allergic to them. Hence, the risk of getting an asthma attack because you developed allergies to cats after being exposed to them is very insignificant. The study concludes that you shouldn’t get rid of your cat if you’re not allergic to it in the first place. You can also buy one provided that you’ve already established that no one in your household is allergic to it.

 

Cats and Children

Now that you know the answer to the question, can cats cause asthma, you want to know if it’s safe for children to be around cats. The same thing applies. If your children are allergic to it, it’s not a good idea to expose them to cats. But if they’re not allergic, exposing them early to cats can actually stop the development of cat allergies.

 

Just make sure that you’ve already established that no one in your household, adults and children alike, are allergic to cats.

Believe it or not, cats can have asthma too

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