Reducing Cat Allergies:

If you’re among the millions of Americans with cat allergies, you’re not alone. As for the good news, this doesn’t mean you need to stay away from your neighbor’s feline or give away your own cat if you’ve recently developed allergies. Rather, there are ways to keep your cat while reducing cat allergy symptoms. With a little discipline and a lot of ingenuity you can live in harmony with your cat.

Keep in mind the first rule of thumb: cat allergens need to be airborne in order to thrive. Next, you need to inhale them in order to have an allergic reaction to them. Since allergens are tiny, they tend to remain suspended in the air for longer amount of time. Here are ten ways to reduce cat allergies:

Ensure your cat does not sleep on your bed. This is a no-brainer; keep your cat in its sleeping area and keep yourself in yours.
Better yet, keep your cat out of the bedroom. One way is to simply close your bedroom door. In order to have zero cat allergens in your bedroom you’ll need to have zero cat in your bedroom. Lure your cat to sleep elsewhere during the day – anywhere except your bed.
Next, wash your bedding frequently. Experts recommend washing all bedding in 140-degree hot water at least two times each month. Not only will it eliminate cat allergens, it will eliminate dust mites as well! (Also wash your cat's bed - The Dog Bowl offers washable pet beds click here.)
Use air filters in rooms where your cat frequently roams. Cat allergens are very difficult to remove so a good high efficiency particulate air purifier is paramount to effectively clean the air in your house.
Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum. Experts also recommend vacuuming two times each week. This isn’t exclusive to floors as they recommend vacuuming walls, flooring, chairs, and furniture in addition to carpeting. Essentially, vacuum everywhere. Remember, allergens are small and invasive.
Use a vapor steamer. In addition to the extensive vacuuming, vapor steam cleaners are very effective in killing cat dander which easily get entrenched into carpets, draperies, etc. Steam cleaners are chemical free so they also kill dust mites, bacteria, and mold spores.
Wash those hands! Immediately after you pet your cat, be sure to wash your hands. Plus, avoid rubbing your eyes. Strong anti-bacterial soap is highly recommended.
Brush and clean your cat frequently. This will help keep the floating dander to a minimum. In addition, similarly to how vacuuming often will also help deplete dust mites, keeping your cat clean will simply help with the hygiene factor.
Confine your cat to specific areas of the house. Such as pointed out above in the case of eliminating contact in your bedroom, this will control the allergens to a specific area of the house instead of dealing with cat allergens in the entire house.
Lastly, you don’t need to get rid of your cat. If you’re diligent and vigilant about keeping a very clean home and following the abovementioned steps, cat allergies should be decreased. Your allergies won’t suddenly disappear altogether but they should decrease significantly.