sleeping with your cat if you have cat allergies

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I have cat allergies

I do, I’ve mentioned it in other posts, and here it is again, I’m allergic to cats. Yet I happily allow my cats to sleep with me. In fact, I’m happier when they do.  So, is sleeping with your cat if you have cat allergies a bad idea? Apparently, yes.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America claim that almost 10% of Americans are allergic to pets, and cats, unfortunately, are the main culprit. The reason for that isn’t due to cat fur, it’s about dander.

According to sprucepets.com

Cat dander consists of microscopic pieces of dry cat skin which become airborne, landing on bedding, curtains, carpeting, and other surfaces, including humans’ skin and clothing. Cat dander particles are tiny, about 1/10th the size of dust mites. Dry skin particles wouldn’t be particularly allergenic except for a factor known as Fel D1.

Fel D1 is a glycoprotein found in the cat’s sebaceous glands under the skin, and to a lesser degree in cats’ saliva, and urine. When a cat grooms his coat, the Fel D1 present in his saliva lands on the cats’ skin and hairs, and, combined with the Fel D1 from the sebaceous glands, creates a sort of “double whammy” to allergy sufferers.

Cat dander is small and lightweight, so it can be airborne for hours. Also, it’s a sticky protein, so it clings to clothes, skin, carpets, bed linens…
Here are some tips to help minimize dander, the source of our cat allergiessleeping with your cat if you have allergies

 

sleeping with your cat if you have allergies

 

  • Use allergy covers on your mattress and pillows.
  • Wash your sheets at least once a week
  • if you already have carpeting (wood flooring is preferable) vacuum often
  • use an allergen-proof vacuum cleaner bag or a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Arresting) filter.
  • steam cleaning your carpet periodically is especially helpful.
  • get an air cleaner with a HEPA filter for your bedroom
  • Open your windows: ventilation will air out dander in your bedroom
prime cat
Marnie says “good night,” by shari smith dunaif © 2016

our cats love sleeping with us, and by adhering to these suggestions, I love it too!

allergystore.com

should my cat sleep with me?

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Everyone likes to be cozy

That includes our cats. So should my cat sleep with me?
tuck.com says that in 2015,  Houzz, the home design site, surveyed 10,000 pet owners in 11 countries to find out where our pets sleep. The country that reported the most bed sharing with cats, is America,

  • 53% of American pet owners sleep with their cats
  • 30% in France and Germany sleep with their cats

should my cat sleep with me?

should your cat sleep with you?
photo by S.Dunaif © 2016

The American Pet Products Association conducted The National Pet Owners Survey

    • 62% of cats sleep with their adult pet owners.
    • 13% of cats sleep with children.

If you suffer from stress or insomnia, sleeping with your cat may calm you, because cats have a soothing effect on people. According to sleepeducation.org, how common is insomnia among adults?

• 30 to 35% have brief symptoms of insomnia.
• 15 to 20% have a short-term insomnia disorder, which lasts less than three months.
• 10% have a chronic insomnia disorder, which occurs at least three times per week   for at least three months.

Put your ear next to a sleeping cat: their breathing is rhythmic and relaxing. A cat has soft cozy fur and their bodies are warm. In fact, their body temperature is actually higher than humans, they average 101.5° – no wonder we love to snuggle with them.

note: Sleep experts suggest an ideal room temperature of mid sixties, so if your cat sleeps with you, perhaps adjusting a few degrees lower to compensate for the warmth from a cat, may make your sleep environment more comfortable.

Cats average 15 hours of sleep a day, but kittens and older cats usually sleep more, possibly up to 20 hours.

daytime sleeping cat

cat day sleeping
photo by shari smith dunaif 2017

Since cats are crepuscular (active during twilight and dusk) they often go to a spot where they feel safe and won’t be disturbed when they need to nap during the day. Otherwise, cats like hanging out with us, whether it’s watching TV, or having breakfast, they want to be with us. Which is great, because we want to hang out with them too. Bonding is another benefit to have your cat sleep with you. When our rescue cat Marnie slept with us, it was significant: I knew she finally felt secure and loved.

According to a small 2014 study (150 patients) by the Mayo Clinic’s Center for Sleep Medicine

  • 41% said they had no effect or even a positive effect on their sleep
  • 20% did say their pets disturbed their sleep, at least sometimes.

When you first bring your cat home, decide in advance if your cat is going to sleep in your bedroom. This is important because if you change your mind, it’ll be difficult for you and your cat. Cats are, after all, territorial, so it’s confusing for your cat. They may end up scratching and meowing at your door to reclaim their place with you. They may even howl. That’s bad for you. If your cats do sleep with you, but they wake you up in the middle of the night, don’t get in the habit of rewarding them with treats and play. Do that during the day. Cats respond well to routine, so be consistent: nighttime is for sleeping, everything else are daytime activities.

Sleep well, cat lovers!

 

why you should adopt two kittens: reason three

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Now that you have decided to adopt two kittens – YAY! Or at least maybe you are REALLY considering adopting two kittens, rather than only a single kitten.
Here’s a final word on
why you should adopt two kittens: reason three

As mentioned in previous “why you should adopt two kittens: reason one, and reason two” posts, kittens in a shelter are often orphaned. For those kittens without a mother, a sibling, or a substitute shelter pal, become very important to the development and growth of kittens. Those relationships between two kittens are a vital source for them to learn and experience life long skills.

  • Two kittens together learn how to communicate with each other
  • Two kittens together learn how to interpret signals from each other
  • Two kittens together learn about affection
  • Two kittens learn about bonding
    These are all behaviors applicable to our relationship with our cats, and are qualities we desire to share and experience with our cats.
why you should adopt two kittens
adopting two kittens, at ARF
photo by shari smith dunaif © 2017

Plus – a pair of kittens are twice the love!

Thank you Rita Del Rey, Operation Cat & Volunteer Coordinator at ARF
for the helpful information about adopting kittens.

why you should adopt two kittens: reason two

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That’s great that you want to adopt a kitten, but have you considered adopting two?

Here’s why you should adopt two kittens: reason two

Since it is not uncommon during kitten rescues for a kitten to have lost their mother, it is the siblings, if there are any, who become very important for how a kitten learns to be a cat. Or, once the kitten is in a shelter and either doesn’t have siblings, or their siblings have been adopted, they hopefully have developed a shelter pal. The significance of a shelter pal is that young kittens can form a relationship with each other that can be a substitute for a sibling.

why you should adopt two kittens: reason two
shelter pal
photo by shari smith dunaif © 2017

Sibling or shelter pal, they learn by playing together.

  • Kittens learn to gauge distance while jumping
  • Kittens learn to judge what spots are safe to land on
  • What spots are not safe
  • Develop balance while walking on anything narrow

They also learn by observing each other

  • Use of the kitty litter box
  • How to share their territory

Observation and play are both necessary ways for kittens to learn and develop skills.
And, a pair of kittens are twice the fun!

Why you should adopt two kittens: reason one

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It’s so much fun watching kittens play. And here’s

Why you should adopt two kittens:

They rassle, pounce, do all kinds of entertaining things. They also help each other learn. The mother cat is the primary teacher for the social and survival skills kittens need to learn,  in order to behave as adult cats. But it’s not unusual for kittens in a shelter to have lost their mother. So what happens if young kittens don’t have their mother? For siblings who don’t have a mom, at least they have each other.

reason one

let’s talk about biting
According to Rita Del Rey, Operations Cat and Volunteer Coordinator at ARF, kittens who are deprived of their mother, and siblings, are more likely to bite. That’s because a kitten raised alone has no one to learn from.

why you should adopt two kittens

lone shelter kitten
photo by shari smith dunsif © 2027

 

When kittens play together, they are learning to communicate, including how hard to bite.  If kittens are playing, and one kitten bites the other too hard, that kitten will certainly let the biting kitten know to not bite so hard. For alone kittens, how are they going to learn the difference between play biting from biting when hunting?

Why you should adopt sibling kittens

adopt sibling kittens photo by shari smith dunaif ©2017

so adopt two kittens:

  • Twice the love
  • Twice the cuddles
  • Two kittens can entertain each other while you’re busy or away at work
  • There’s not much added cost to having a second kitten