Cats or Mites? Or both?

[Robbin Mann]

I have a question...we have two cats, one long haired the other short haired. The thing is, every time that I hold them I end up getting the itchies!!! I notice it much more when I hold the longer haired cat. If he touches my face or my arms I itch like crazy! I have never had an allergy to cats before, I had them off and on as a kid. Do you think that I should see an allergy specialists to see if I am allergic or do you think that this is a definite by product of those little buggers?

[SteveInAustin]

I have a question...we have two cats, one long haired the other short haired. The thing is, every time that I hold them I end up getting the itchies!!! I notice it much more when I hold the longer haired cat. If he touches my face or my arms I itch like crazy! I have never had an allergy to cats before, I had them off and on as a kid. Do you think that I should see an allergy specialists to see if I am allergic or do you think that this is a definite by product of those little buggers?

Sounds like an allergy to me. But I could be wrong. They have medications for that sort of thing. Yes, see an allergist.

The thing about allergies is that people often get allergies as adults when they didn't have those allergies as kids. Not many people are aware of that fact.

And demodex mites don't move that fast. They don't bite you, either. I think they live on oil secretion. So if this is a parasite that you're getting, it could be another type of mite, fleas, lice, or something else I'm not aware of. But I think this is an allergy you have.

Steve
Austin, Texas USA

[Walter]

I agree with Steve that this is probable an allergy from the cats,
do you have any other symptoms?
facial skin problems?

Walter

[Robbin Mann]

Facial skin problems? Other than the itching when the cats touch my face? Not any that I can think of. Other than the Rosacea I don't really have any skin issues. I get a little bit of acne but not much to speak of, it's mostly inflamation of the chin, forehead and occasionally a small spot on the cheek.

[georgee]

First let me say, I love the Demodex Solution products. They work great for me. My Rosacea/Acne is finally under control. Although it very well could be an allergy to the cats dander that you are experiencing, in my opinion, it could be demodex mites. CATS DO CARRY THE MITES TOO! If I were you I would ask your local pharmacist for a good over the counter allergy medication for possible animal allergies.And in the meantime, it sure wouldnt hurt for you to bath those cats in some Pine Tar Shampoo, or take them to a vet and get them dipped. (I bath my cat every other month, and dry with hair dryer) Also, are you changing your pillow cases daily?And sheets frequently? This can be a great help in keeping these little buggers under control. And for the sake of your skin, keep animals away from it and if you can, vacuum your pets daily with a dust buster or small hand vacuum. They are dirtier than you think. I hope you dont sleep with them, do you? By the way, the Pine Tar Shampoo has done wonders for my scalp and hair. It used to itch and drive me nuts! I wash my hair everyday with it. I buy it on line. Grandpas Pine Tar Shampoo. Good stuff for people and pets, all natural. Good Luck with your skin!

[Janmes]

Yes, we know well that the animals will easier to have demodex problem than human. People will be infected by those animals if he make a closely touch with them.

I think you need to take some solutions to get rid of the vermins on the cats. Wash them well everday with functional soap , shampoo or body wash can be helpful.

[katwalker]

If your reaction after touching the cats is almost immediate (i.e., within an hour), then you have an allergy. I don't think demodec mites would be causing you to itch that badly that soon, particularly on the arms.

I had a guinea pig once. For months, I had no problems, but then I noticed that whenever I held her, my arms would be red and itchy within 30 minutes. If she scratched me (even a surface scratch, no blood drawn), it would swell and itch even worse. This was before any skin problems. This is what an allergy to an animal looks like. If your allergy worsens, you may develop respiratory allergies, meaning just being around cats, even without touching them (cat dander is very insidious), you'll be all sniffly and sneezing.

Also, if after touching the cats, does touching your eyes make them watery and itchy? That's a sure sign of an allergy.

Your best solution is 1) get on anti-allergy medication, 2) bathe your cats (if they don't try to kill you in the process) weekly to minimize cat dander. I don't know that the type of shampoo matters, so I gues using anti-demodex shampoo would have the double benefit of getting rid of mites, 3) get a HEPA filter to minimize cat dander in air, 4) wash hands and other areas of contact immediately after touching the cats. An OTC steroid cream, like hydrocortizone, will help immediately with the itching and redness, but do not use it on your face EVER (topical steroids are very bad for rosacea). Your other option is to get rid of the cats, but as a cat parent myself, I know I would have to be dying before that's a viable option.

One last thing - just because this just started doesn't mean it's not an allergy. Each person has a set tolerance to things (in this case, cat dander). Before you reach that limit, you won't have symptoms. After that limit, BAM!, symptoms. That's why I had my guinea pig for months before developing symptoms. It's also why I was able to use a bath gel that contained pine extract for years before developing a rash (even though I had been allergic to all things pine since a baby). Unfortunately, allergies just get worse as you age. Fortunately, you live in a time of science when lots of people are working on cures or treatments for allergies. I do know a series of allergy shots to cure allergies to cats has been in the works for the past several years, though I believe it is still not yet on the market.

Good luck!