Supermodel, television personality, and entrepreneur Tyra Banks has been reported to have a significant allergy to cats. Interestingly, a cat allergy was even incorporated into her novel Modelland, whose main character, Tookie, is allergic to cats.
Banks has also spoken publicly about struggling with allergies and keeping several allergy medications on hand to control sneezing.
Her experience highlights just how troublesome pet allergies can be—even for people who do not own a cat.
What Actually Causes a Cat Allergy?
People with cat allergies usually are not allergic to the cat’s hair itself. Cats produce several allergenic proteins found in their saliva, skin and dander.
The best-known major cat allergen is Fel d 1. Cat allergens can become airborne and settle on clothing, carpeting, bedding and furniture, which is why sensitive people may react even when a cat is not directly beside them.
Common symptoms include sneezing, nasal congestion, runny nose, itchy or watery eyes, coughing, wheezing and occasionally hives after contact.
Can Cat Allergies Be Treated?
Treatment depends on the severity of the allergy. Options may include reducing exposure, HEPA filtration, antihistamines, nasal allergy medications and, for appropriate patients, allergen immunotherapy or allergy shots.
Allergy shots gradually expose the immune system to controlled amounts of allergen with the goal of decreasing sensitivity over time.
For patients who love cats but suffer every time they are around one, an evaluation by a board-certified allergist can help determine whether cat allergy is truly responsible and whether immunotherapy may be appropriate.
Tyra Banks’ reported cat allergy is a useful reminder that even famous catwalk veterans can have trouble with an entirely different kind of cat.
What Are the Symptoms of Cat Allergy?
People with cat allergy can develop symptoms shortly after exposure or after spending prolonged periods in an environment where a cat lives.
Typical symptoms include:
- Sneezing
- Runny nose
- Nasal congestion
- Itchy nose
- Itchy, watery or red eyes
- Throat irritation
- Coughing
- Wheezing or chest tightness in patients with allergic asthma
- Itching or hives after direct contact in some individuals
The severity varies considerably. One person may experience only mild nasal symptoms, while another may develop significant asthma symptoms after exposure.
What Are Allergy Shots?
Unlike an antihistamine, which primarily helps control symptoms after the allergic response occurs, allergy shots are intended to gradually change the immune system’s response to an allergen.
During immunotherapy, carefully measured amounts of the relevant allergen are administered by injection. Treatment generally begins with small doses that are gradually increased.
After the patient reaches an effective maintenance dose, injections are typically spaced farther apart.
This process can reduce allergic sensitivity over time.
Can Allergy Shots Actually Help Cat Allergy?
Yes. Cat allergen immunotherapy can be considered for appropriately selected patients with clinically significant cat allergy.
It is particularly relevant when a person has substantial exposure that is difficult or undesirable to avoid and symptoms are not adequately controlled through environmental measures and medication alone.
However, allergy shots should not be interpreted as a guarantee that someone will eventually be able to live completely symptom-free with a cat.
Response to immunotherapy varies from person to person.
Some patients experience a major reduction in symptoms and medication requirements, while others experience more modest improvement.
How Long Do Cat Allergy Shots Take to Work?
Allergy immunotherapy is a long-term treatment rather than an immediate solution.
Treatment usually includes two stages:
Build-Up Phase
The allergen dose is gradually increased with repeated injections until the maintenance dose is reached.
Maintenance Phase
Once the maintenance dose is achieved, injections are given less frequently.
Improvement may begin during the first several months, although the full benefit can take considerably longer. A typical course of allergen immunotherapy often continues for three to five years.
That means getting several allergy shots does not suddenly eliminate a cat allergy.
The immune changes associated with allergen immunotherapy develop gradually.
Are Allergy Shots Safe?
Allergy shots are generally administered in a medical setting because allergic reactions can occur.
A common reaction is temporary:
- Swelling
- Redness
- Itching
at the injection site.
Less commonly, a patient can experience a systemic allergic reaction involving symptoms such as hives, coughing, wheezing, throat symptoms or anaphylaxis.
For this reason, patients are typically observed in the medical office after receiving an allergy injection.
Can Someone With Cat Allergy Still Own a Cat?
This depends heavily on the individual.
For someone with severe uncontrolled asthma triggered by cats, deliberately increasing cat exposure may create considerably more risk than it would for someone whose primary symptoms are mild allergic rhinitis.
For patients who decide to live with a cat despite their allergy, treatment may involve several strategies simultaneously, including:
- Allergen immunotherapy
- Antihistamines when appropriate
- Nasal allergy medications when appropriate
- HEPA filtration
- High-efficiency vacuuming
- Keeping the cat out of the bedroom
- Washing hands after handling the cat
- Reducing upholstered surfaces that accumulate allergen
An allergist can determine which combination makes sense based on symptoms, asthma history and allergy testing.
Are Some Cats Hypoallergenic?
Unfortunately, the idea of a truly hypoallergenic cat is largely misleading.
All cats produce allergenic proteins.
Hair length alone does not determine whether a cat will cause an allergic reaction. A short-haired or hairless cat can therefore still trigger substantial symptoms in someone who is allergic.
Individual cats may produce different quantities of allergen, so a person might notice different symptoms around different animals, but there is no breed that can reliably be considered allergy-free.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cat Allergy Shots
Can allergy shots cure cat allergy?
Allergy shots can substantially reduce allergic sensitivity in some patients, but they should not be viewed as a guaranteed cure.
How quickly do cat allergy shots work?
Some patients notice improvement within months, but immunotherapy works gradually and treatment commonly continues for several years.
Can you get allergy shots specifically for cats?
Yes. Cat allergen can be included in subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy when testing and clinical history support cat allergy and the treatment is appropriate for the patient.
Can I get a hypoallergenic cat instead?
There is no reliably allergy-free cat breed. All cats produce allergens, including Fel d 1.
Should I see an allergist before getting a cat if I am allergic?
Yes, particularly if you have asthma, significant respiratory symptoms or a history of substantial reactions around cats. An allergist can evaluate the severity of the allergy and discuss medication, environmental measures and immunotherapy.