Asthma, Allergies & Bengals

Asthma, Allergies & Bengals

Q. Does anyone know any information on how Bengals would affect someone that has asthma?

A1. My son in law is VERY allergic to the cats.   He has  chronic asthma and even coming into my home makes his eyes water and he breathes heavier... But his son, my grandson also with asthma (on daily meds for it) can play with them and isn't affected like his father.

On the other hand... I have placed 4 kittens over the course of my breeding in Asthmatic homes.  Three got settled in nicely.   But the fourth kitten was returned.  The woman's Doctor just had a fit....basically told her she's signed her daughter's death warrant. (it was a gift for the womans
daughter).  I really believe given the other kittens and their outcome.... that if the Doctor, hadn't scared the woman and allowed the kitten and the child to get use to each other... that this kitten wouldn't have needed to be returned.    With the others there was a noticable change in the breathing and reaction after about four weeks. Depends on what the person feels is a reasonable and workable reaction. Hope this helps..

A2, Yes, I have thoughts on this matter, but mostly in the area of children. Having two small children and 12 cats and one dog living in my house, I was naturally afraid of asthma and allergies. So I decided to breastfeed for a really long time to build up the immune system of my children with my own immune system's knowledge of what is good and what is bad and should be
attacked. Also, I let my son play in the dirt and even put it in his mouth in the phase that babies put everything in their mouths to explore it. Of course, only 'clean' dirt ;-), no cat litter or stuff like that. And I have no allergies until now. I do not clean with chlorine or other disinfectants, and I live in a closely populated area, both with humans but also with outside cats, who are not always inoculated properly (the cats).

I think there are several influences to prime the immune system when very young: the knowledge of the mother's immune system transferred by mother's milk. A little 'clean' dirt for the young to come into contact with, preferably from outside. And small illnesses, in children, to let the immune system learn the difference between good and bad bacteria and between their own and that from outside. Like the small viral infections we have been bothered by every month since my son goes to playschool. Maybe this can be replaced by parasites in cats? I don't think I'd let my cats suffer from parasites to keep them healthy. But I do not de-worm them every two weeks either. Do breeders in the States practice early weaning? That could be a factor because it diminishes the knowledge the kittens' immune system gets.

And our cats can go in an outdoor run with a grass/dirt floor to have some access to good bacteria and dirt. And since we started weaning our kittens on thawed raw chicken instead of canned food, we have not had any problems with weaning diarrhea (or giardia) either, maybe because of the enzymes in the raw meat.

I must admit I had never heard of asthma and allergies (except food allergies) in pets, but as we keep our houses cleaner and cleaner and have more and more cures for harmless diseases, and wean younger and younger, maybe it was bound to happen. 

A3. In my honest opinion if someone has asthma and an allergy to cats, or Bengals... they SHOULD NOT expose themselves.  This is not something to fool around with...  A very dear friend of mine died at 26 from an asthma attack... it needs to be taken very seriously. 

A4. It really depends on what triggers their asthma attacks-what they are allergic to.

I am asthmatic and have no problem at all with cats, even when they sleep next to my pillow. However, mold & mildew, cold air, exercise and some tree pollens will cause me to have an acute exacerbation or at least start wheezing. 

On the other hand, I have some friends with asthma who cannot come to my house because they are so allergic to my cats. They start wheezing and coughing the minute they walk through the door.   It just depends...

A5. For the longest time only long-haired cats, not pelted bengals, triggered my oldest daughter's asthma.  At least exacerbations of it-- she needed to take an allergy medication regardless due to other allergies, e.g dust pollen, etc. But gradually her condition deteriorated. None of us wanted to admit it, or at least my daughter and I didn't want to admit it.  But as we took an emergency lifeline helicopter flight into Boston's Mass General PICU with an EMT pumping her lungs for her-- it was a little more serious to say the least. The denial obviously stopped at that point and we now have no furred animals what-so-ever.  

Just visiting his paternal grandmother for a short visit (while on allergy medication) put my youngest son in the hosptial for his asthma twice, once this past June and again in Oct.  He was triggered in this fashion by DSH cats-- he didn't react like this with Bengals.  I have to agree-- it does depend from person to person how you will react.  But don't hide yourself in denial, your health comes first... and it will only additionally crush you when you have to adopt your bengal baby out to another family who can meet the physical demands of their care.......Out of 2 adults and 5 children in my household- both adults are asthmatic- 2 children seriously asthmatic and the baby has already been triggered and nebulized by just a common cold. So yes, I think I have tread this ground well.  God bless and take care, and most of all--think carefully before jumping in.

A6. I think for some people they would rather die than be without their "babies."  My husband has pretty bad allergies and asthma due to our two Bengals (one is long-haired and one is short-haired).  I have allergies but I got used to the cats within two weeks and have NO symptoms whatsoever (and they sleep with us).  My husband had to increase his allergy medication and now uses an inhaler.  BUT, there's no way he would ever give up the cats.

The doctor told us we should keep them out of the bedroom but again, my husband refuses to do so (I don't want to either but I'm not the one suffering from allergies like him).  So, the best that I can do is put in the best filter for the AC/Heating Unit changed once a month (specifically for allergy occupants) and we have a Hepa Filter in our bedroom. 

So, I think it really depends on the individual.  Just like other cats, Bengals, can cause allergies in some people and not in others.

Allergies to People too!

A Bengal cat can be allergic to a person, too. a potential kitten customer came over. She sat on the sofa and just observed and wanted to see which kitten picked her. She had a girl picked out, but wouldn't you know the little marbled boy quickly decided her lap was the best seat in the house. he lay there purring and purring and
sneezing--WHAT?! oh yes and he purred and sneezed all through the visit. She asked me why he was sneezing. I told her I didn't have a clue. 

This was the first time I ever heard him sneeze before. so the conversation went on, and the boy purred and sneezed. the woman kept asking me why he was sneezing, in a accusatory tone, and I kept answering in an agitated tone that I had no idea why the kitten was sneezing. then her lunch hour was over and she was finally leaving. she said she would call when she had made a decision. 

I already made the decision that hell was going to freeze over before she was going to get one of my kittens. then I noticed something. the kitten wasn't sneezing. In fact I never heard another sneeze come out of that kitten again.  Pearl,