Ohmygawd, Susan, I'm so sorry!  As much as we love our furbabies, our bare
babies *have* to come first - any cat would agree with you, they are the
best mothers in the animal kingdom.

I'm sure you have done all of this, but I've always had really bad allergies
and asthma, so I'll list some things that have helped me (and my
just-as-allergic) bare babies.

First (and many people, even doctors, don't even think of this), have
someone come out and clean out all the ductwork in your house.  This is the
foremast cause of respiratory problems - we dust religiously, but we don't
think about the duct mites, mold spores, and other gunk being blown out on
us every time we put on the A/C or Heater.

Second, Hepa filters in every room and a vacuum with a Hepa filter
attachment.

Third, cool mist humidifiers in your most-used rooms.

Fourth, get rid of all carpets, rugs, drapery, throw pillows, afghans,
fluffy spreads, and mini-blinds - pull-down shades are much easier to clean
and keep dust free.

Fifth, clean those things we don't normally think to clean - telephone
receivers, ceiling fans (which catch and distribute and incredible amount of
dust), walls (especially the "bumpy" type) can collect a *lot* of dust, door
and window frames, etc.

Sixth, put a fan up pointing at all outside doors so that airborne pollens
and other allergens are blown outward whenever someone comes inside.

Seventh, think about getting leather or naugahyde furniture rather than
cloth furniture.  If you can't do that be sure to remove all cushions from
the furniture every time you vacuum and vacuum both sides of the cushions
and the cloth underneath.

Eighth, get rid of books, knickknacks, and other dust collectors.

Ninth, clean out your closets, attic, and basement.

Tenth, of course, dust, dust, dust, vacuum, vacuum, vacuum.

Keep in mind that if you have someone with health problems in the house,
most of the above (including having a maid come out and help) are tax
deductible, so look into doing as much of this as you can.

Hugs,

CatNipped

Susan, I'm so sorry to read this. What a dilemma. My heart goers out to
you. Wish I had something useful to suggest, but all I have is purrs and
hugs.

My son was diagnosed with asthma, and a strong possiblity of allergies to
cats.  He was coughing so hard he was throwing up, he lost 3 pounds.

I got those dander clothes and wiped the cats down regularly.

High end cat food also keeps dander down.

And we have those dander grabbing batting mats too.

Cats and son all doing well.

TBird <---- just my experience

Susan,

We're sending lots of purrs your way.

(((((((((((((Susan, Sam, Otis and Chester))))))))))))))))

Joy

Susan, we will purr and pray that an amicable solution occurs all around.
Hang in there. God blesses all his good children.
Jazz & his mama

Lots of purrs and best wishes for a solution to be found,

Purrs for your son and for you to find a solution. I'm sorry about
the school thing, but you have to try to eat and keep your own health
because you have a lot going on that needs your attention right now.
I know you know that. Hang in there, vent when you need to and I hope
it works out for everyone. If you have to rehome your cats :( it is
going to be hard, and yes, you do have to put your son first.

I'm allergic to cats and to dogs.  And I still get upset when I remember my
parents rehoming ours.  I felt so guilty.

If you have to you have to, but I would try everything else first.

Make sure your son's room is a clean room.  The biggest allergen in there is
likely the mattress.  We eliminated that for our daughter by getting her a
waterbed,  no mites in the mattress and no under the bed to collect dust.
Window shades and no drapes, and smooth flooring.  As few dust catching
"collectables" as possible.  As few stuffed animals as possible.  Get
allergen free covers for the pillows and wash all the bedding frequently.
An air cleaner in that room.  And no cats in that room.  Might as well teach
him to keep his door closed now.  He certainly will when he gets older.

And allergy shots work.  Don't think of it as putting your son through it
just for your cats.  It will cut down on his allergy load from all sources
for the rest of his life.

Our cats get baths whenever my daughter is expected to visit, and whenever
my allergies are out of hand.  Otherwise, I have cat wipes that I got at the
pet store to wipe them down every few days.

Sending prayers and purrs for you to be able to work this out as best you
can for everyone.

Jo

I know this may be "old school" but it worked for my son when he was a
severely allergic kid.  After a test to determine his immune  system, he
was given gamma globulin  and autogenous vaccine  )sp?) for over a year.
It helped considerably .  In fact, after one month he seemed like a
different child.   MLB

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Susan}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Hi Susan,

I can only offer my experiences re my kids.  Both my kids, Alex, now age 15,
and Celeste, now age 11, starting at early ages, I'm thinking 15 months or
so, had what is called "reactive airway disease;" I've been told that you
could call it asthma, too.   Both kids went through skin testing at the
allergist, more than once, too.  Each kid showed some sensitivity to cats
but also to pollens.  We had very few if any problems with illness or asthma
with either kid during the warm summer months but let winter come and all
would go to h*ll in a handbasket.  Our allergist suggested getting rid of
the cats we had (one was Frodo who was elderly and Shetra, a middle-aged
kitty) and I just indicated that we would prefer other options, so  here is
what we did and what he suggested -- first of all,  absolutely get HEPA
filters for the bedrooms and or other rooms where the kid(s) spent a lot of
time -- there are systems that can be installed for whole house filtering
with the furnace/air conditioning system, but our house does not have forced
air heating or ac.  (So we have 5 Hepa filters, one in each room, and I
change the filters faithfully.)

You can also buy something called Allerpet that gets sprayed on carpeting at
periodic intervals and it denatures the pet dander -- here's the site"

http://www.allerpet.com/

Also, you can buy pet wipes and/or use a damp washcloth (or maybe, you'd
have to check on this, unscented diaper wipes, but you'd have to check on
ingredients) and wipe down your kitties weekly or more often --also keep the
kids' bedrooms off-limits to the animals.

But what really set off my kids' asthma most consistently was illness, i.e.,
cold germs.  So, if it is possible for you, I'd keep my kids out of
kid-oriented places during the cold months -- such as, I'd skip pre-school
places, no fast food play areas, no places with large numbers of kids -- I'd
arrange playdates with other people's kids but I'd always tell the moms that
my kids couldn't play with their kids if anyone was ill (this was often a
hard one to get across to people, but I was really strict about it --).  I
also did not take them to the grocery stores or shopping malls or any
crowded enclosed places during the winter months, period.  When my kids did
get colds they never got simple colds (till they got older, like my daughter
now can get a cold without it going into asthma since about age 10) but
always got sicker and we were on antibiotics off and on a lot during the
winter.  I'm emphasizing the winter months because during the summer months,
my kids were fine mostly all the time, which is why I just didn't buy the
whole cats are the cause of everything wrong with my kids.

My son has since outgrown his asthma; Celeste still has it but the meds
(Advair and Singular) she takes keep it manageable.  Her skin tests showed
that her worst allergies were to a lot of the pollens we have here in New
Mexico, so she started allergy shots about a year ago and they have really
helped her a lot.  Cleleste's asthma also gets triggered by running and more
aerobic P.E. stuff so she does have permission to do less in her physical
education classes.

Now, we haven't done everything that was suggested, I admit and maybe in the
long run, our choices were not what a lot of people would do, but I wanted
to at least let you know our story so you could take that into
consideration, too.
I can tell you, Susan, that Celeste is a major animal lover in our family
and I know that from a very young age, 3-4 years, she loved our cats.  At
age 9, she started working with the Junior Animal Humane Society, locally,
and has helped socialize the shelter dogs and, beginning this year, the
cats, too.  She was also very involved with rescuing and socializing the
cats that we rescued from her elementary school, as well as in rehabbing our
feral, Tucker.

I hope that this epistle helps you in some way, Susan.  Our purrs and
support are with you.
Feel free to email me if you wish.
Christine

{{{{Susan}}}}

I'm sorry to hear about the school board problems, and hope you can
get them resolved.  It never feels good when people yell at you, even
when you are right :-(

I truly hope you can find a solution for Sam's allergy.  The cats
*may* have nothing to do with it, and you're right, he may have had it
anyway.  I grew up with asthma (no cats, but we had dogs).  I still
have asthma and eight cats, and you know what?  I would much rather
have lived with the asthma and grown up with animals than not have
them.  I think my asthmatic brother would agree with me.  I'm
convinced pollution in our city caused our asthma (along with
genetics), and that whether or not we had animals would have made no
difference in it.  I hope you can find some experts or expert sites
on-line to help you.  I would hate to see you have to rehome Otis and
Chester, but I understand your concern about Sam.  Please keep us
posted.

Blessings,

Ginger-lyn

That's nasty when your master is making your son sick. I sure wish t hings
like that would always work out for the best. But, sometimes they don't.

Hi all:

I took Sam (my 4 yo) to the allergist on Friday.  His sensitivity to cats
has turned to full allergy.  He's developing asthma.  My pediatrician, who
is asthmatic and a pet owner and one of the directors of the asthma clinic,
had said initially that giving up Otis and Chester might not make a
difference to Sam since he's such an allergic child in general.  She said,
last month, that she didn't feel that we were being irresponsible to keep
the cats.

Since then, I don't know if he's just going through a phase or not, but he's
had a husky voice for a couple of weeks, has the dark circles, and has a
chronically stuffed itchy nose.  His nose has always been a problem;
however, a side effect of the asthma mask that he wears when he gets his
preventive puffer is that he takes some of it up the nose by accident.  He
used to get regular sinus infections but hasn't had one for five months.

The fullness of time will only tell how Sam continues to react and I
obviously have to have his long-term health as a major consideration.

It's one thing to rehome a loved cat and know that they'll be ok and another
thing when you have a problem pet.  Chester is loving, adaptable to being
inside, has no bad habits (other than scratching furniture occasionally) and
is totally adaptable.  It's devastating to give him up but you can see how
he'll live a long happy life.

You all know the problem that is Otis.  He has a history of peeing on the
floor when he's pissed off or the litterbox isn't clean.  Has to go outside.
Doesn't like enclosures and tries to escape constantly.  Escapes and gets
lost.  Needs special food and someone who loves a high maintenance high
return cat - he's very loving and such a lap fungus and such a people
orientated cat.  You all remember one of the four times I've lost him - when
we moved to our new house.  I kept him holed up inside for two weeks and
then went to take him for a walk.  He ran off and we found him 4 days later
1.5 miles away from the house and only after full time cat finding efforts
of 2 people and a series of miracles.  How can you feel good about trying to
rehome him?  Add to that the cat by-law here and the fact that there are few
neighbourhoods where cats are tolerated outside.  Those ones fight and Otis
can't back down.  He's very territorial.  He's also 9 years old.

I can't tell you how I feel.  Add to this this week that I am on the BOD of
my daughter's school.  I've been in emergency meetings until midnight all
week dealing with an issue and have been in meetings with parents about said
issue where I've been yelled at, threatened, and my integrity questioned.
We're in a no-win situation for this problem and stand to lose children and
parents which ever way we end up.  We didn't handle the issue perfectly and
I know this.  I also know that we have been trying our best and working like
dogs to try to come to some even resolution.  I am nauseated and haven't
eaten more than scraps for three days.  I physically can't eat and this is
first in my life.

All of this right during finding out the bad news about Sam and the boys.  I
think that you can't impose on a four year old this level of allergen.  It
will never be clear the impact of having cats on his asthma and perhaps he'd
never have asthma if he weren't chroncially irritated.  It's just as
possible that he'd get it anyway - we have the highest rate of asthma in the
country in our province.  We're talking a major life long health issue.  And
we're talking my boys.  Y'all know how I feel about them.  Not that I love
Chester any less - but he'll be ok no matter what.  I don't see a happy
ending possible yet for Otis and it breaks my heart.

Take care,

Susan M
Otis and Chester

Oy!!! I know how you love both the twolegged and fourlegged kids so mightily! I
wish I had a magic answer. Louie has only mild allergies and agrees that a HEPA
filter and the moist "kitty bath" wipes will make worlds of difference. In the
meantime, a ton of hugs and purries are coming your way from Liz and Louie's
Home for Spoiled Kitties.

Blessed be,
Baha

Susan,

Sorry to hear about Sam's problems with asthma.  You have my sympathy.  You
are correct that Sam comes first.

I also have been highly allergic to cats all my life, but when my mom
suggested giving away the cats, I had a fit, I loved the cats and I knew my
younger sisters would never have forgiven me if I had caused the cats to be
given away.  We kept the cats.  I learned to do several things to minimize
the allergy.  However, I did find that if my allergies were acting up, my
allergies to the cats were increased 10 fold.  Living in a rural farming
community when you have allergies to all types of pollens is not the best
choice.  Do try the recommendations that have been suggested in the group,
if they don't work, then I would look at rehoming,

Also make sure to check for allergies to foods that Sam might be eating.  I
have found that I am sensitive to corn products and that made my asthma
worse.  Note:  the allergist didn't figure that out, I did by trial and
error.  Also make sure that any mold that might be around your house is
taken care of.  Especially in the bathroom.  If you have a leak, check to
make sure there isn't mold growing somewhere.

Good luck, purrs and doggie drool on the way for you and Sam.

Diane

Dear Susan

I'm so terribly sorry to hear this. I have no further suggestions to
offer than the excellent ones from CatNipped & others that might be able
to stave off the terrible parting(s), but will issue all the purrs in
the world that things go well for you, Sam, Otis and Chester (and anyone
else I may have missed).

When you have such a special character in your home and your life it's
almost impossible to let them go, and Otis' near-miraculous return on so
many occasions shows he's meant to be with you, but of course Sam must
come 1st.

Most supportive purrs in the world from

Gordon, Bandit, Pericles & Snowball.

{{{{{{hugs&purrs}}}}}} Susan.
Suz
Macmoosette
=^..^=   =^..^=   =^..^=   =^..^=  =^..^=  =^..^=

    "People that hate cats will come back as mice in their next life."
    --Faith Resnick

(=':'=)
(")_(")

I just read this because I'm still catching up after our scuba trip.
Susan, I'm so sorry to hear this!  I hope you don't have to re-home
them.  If we weren't so far away and planning to move even further
away, we'd take them in a second!  They are such adorable critters!
Anyway, many hugs and purrs for you to find a good way to resolve this
problem.
--
Britta
Sandpaper kisses, a cuddle and a purr. I have an alarm clock that's
covered in fur!
Check out pictures of Vino at:
http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album

[snip]

I'm slowly catching up with my NG reading.

As someone who's recently had to give up a cat because her husband's
allergies couldn't take it, I feel your pain.  I still feel awful and we
have had a few fights because there are a few parts of me that feel that
he should have been more receptive to trying all sorts of options before
taking Eros to the shelter.  Still, I felt that it was my husband's
decision; I couldn't justify forcing poor health on him.  We are not
good house keepers, either of us, even when it comes to our health.  And
Eros is a very easy cat to get along with; he will make someone a great
companion, soon, I hope.

It seems to me that you should try everything you can before rehoming either
cat.  That way, you can do it without the "what if?" regrets that I have.
Unfortunately, the number one recommendation I see when reading up on
allergies is "get the cat(s) out of the house."  On the other hand, I know
many people who live with several cats despite allergies.

Is it possible to put the cats elsewhere for a few days?  It could help narrow
things down; Eric's health immediately got better when Eros was out of the
house.

Also, I'm wondering about Otis and Chester's colors?  I read somewhere that
the big factors in allergen are gender and color: males and dark cats are more
allergenic, though neutering/spaying helps a great deal.  Oscar (spayed) is a
long-haired grey cat and doesn't trip Eric's allergies; Eros (neuter) is a
short-haired black cat and does.

Another thought: allergies are cumulative.  Maybe keeping Otis and giving
Chester to your relatives would help.

I'm sorry you're going through so much right now. I hope it gets better.