You love your cat, but you don't love the way that your skin breaks out. Yes, pet dander is one of the most frequent causes of allergic reactions, but you're not giving up your pet. What can you do to solve the problem? Here are four ways to banish allergy beauty nightmares (and keep your cat).
Brush and Bathe Your Cat
Cats love grooming. That's why they lick their bodies. In fact, cats spend up to 30 minutes a day on personal hygiene. They may not have makeup and a mirror, but they care about appearance just as much as you. You can take advantage of this basic cat trait to lower the pet dander in the air.
Put on a mask and brush your cat each day. It's a bonding exercise that will foster trust with your kitty. It will also get rid of dead fur before these hairs wind up in your HVAC vents. You should use the mask so that you're not inhaling any fur. If you're extremely allergic, just pay a pet grooming service to bathe your furry friend.
Clean the Vents
Even if you start to brush your cat, some dander is already in the air. The previous fur has gotten into the vents. It flows into other rooms each time your HVAC unit runs. One of the best ways to lessen your allergic reactions is to service your HVAC system.
You should hire a professional to do maintenance. This person will check your vents to see if you have a build-up of cat fur and pet dander. If you do, the worker will clean your vents, preventing the dander from spreading into other rooms. With these pollutants removed from your vents, you'll have much better indoor air quality (IAQ) and fewer allergic reactions.
Change Air Filters
You don't need to know a lot about your HVAC unit to keep it running well. All you need to know is that your kitty's fur clogs the vents. The filter in your HVAC system stops some of this fur from getting into the vents. A clean filter means a cleaner vent and higher IAQ.
Rather than take a lot of steps to keep yourself free of cat dander, you can do something simple instead. Change your HVAC filter regularly! You'll breathe better, even if a cat is on top of you.
Just Say No!
The last way to keep your skin free of allergic reactions requires a bit of discipline. You have to keep your cats off the furniture and the bed. No, cats don't like listening to things that they aren't supposed to do. You must take a stand on this one, though.
Otherwise, your furry pal will shed everywhere, and then you'll roll around in the cat dander. Your skin will break out, and you'll resent your purring pal. You should research ways to stop cats from getting on sofas and beds. Something as simple as a spray of vinegar could do the trick.
Your cat is your playmate and confidante. You don't want to spend less time with your friend. You simply need to use the advice here to reduce the amount of fur that flies around your home.
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