So do grass pollen, mold, and dead dust mites.
And apparently, according to the allergist, so does this:
No, seriously. I tested positive for this, too:
I just laughed at the allergist. I have never in my life entered a house with cats and sneezed or teared up or shown any other allergic reaction. In fact, I have never had any major reactions until I moved to Virginia, where I am apparently allergic to cedar tree pollen, ragweed, and one other pollen that I forgot.
My two little allergens are both inside at the moment. Gracie is playing on the sofa in her nest, yowling for me to come wave the ribbon toy at her. We’ve just started playing a new game that she and I both thoroughly enjoy. She plays and looks goofy, I wave the ribbon toy and laugh and try to take pictures.
I told the allergist there was no way I would ever be without cats. I’ve had cats most of my life, and I intend to have cats as close as possible to the day I die. (I figure if I’m in my nineties and my then-cat dies, I may not replace him/her, so as not to have to worry about who’d take care of my cat.)
Besides, I’m pretty sure that if I took away all the other allergens, I’d have few or no symptoms of my cat allergy. I get cat hair in my eyes on a regular basis. Tig sleeps next to me more often than not, and sleeps in my lap as often as he likes. Gracie has had a dander problem her entire life, which I notice especially when I brush her. I can spend half an hour brushing Tig with zero allergic symptoms during or after. I sneeze when I dust the furniture, however.
I had my cats for eight years before Virginia’s excessive pollen and mold made my latent allergies symptomatic. I’m thinking my cat allergies are the least of my problems.
But now I have a new nickname for my cats. They’re my little allergens. Or my big allergen, in Tig’s case.
