In a recent post, I said that a doctor had been skeptical of my allergen
knowledge. I had a brainfart. He was skeptical about my statement that cat
allergies have as much to do with *saliva* as they do with dander; not that
they had as much to do with dander as fur. If that makes sense.
Carry on.

Signature
monique, roommate of Oscar the (female) grouch
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Eros was adopted! Eros has a home now! *cheer!*
Cathy Friedmann - 31 Dec 2004 04:11 GMT
> In a recent post, I said that a doctor had been skeptical of my allergen
> knowledge. I had a brainfart. He was skeptical about my statement that cat
> allergies have as much to do with *saliva* as they do with dander; not that
> they had as much to do with dander as fur. If that makes sense.
>
> Carry on.
I didn't see your other post about this. But I was/am under the impression
that dander is the solid leftover from saliva after it's dried/evaporated on
the cat's fur - a result of self-grooming. However, I also seem to think
that saliva is just one component of dander??
Cathy
Phil P. - 31 Dec 2004 04:57 GMT
> In a recent post, I said that a doctor had been skeptical of my allergen
> knowledge. I had a brainfart. He was skeptical about my statement that cat
> allergies have as much to do with *saliva* as they do with dander; not that
> they had as much to do with dander as fur. If that makes sense.
The allergen that your husband is allergic to is Fel d1 (Feline domesticus
allergen 1). Its a protein that's secreted by the cat's sebaceous glands in
the skin, and also by the salivary glands and in the urine. Dried Fel d1
easily becomes airborne; once airborne its easily inhaled.
He is allergic to Eros and not Oscar because Eros probably (certainly)
secretes higher concentrations of Fel d1 than Oscar. You probably can
reduce the volume of Fel d1 on Eros by wiping him down regularly with
Allerpet - which was developed to reduce Fel d1 on cats. Regular wipe-downs
should lead to progressive reductions in the quantity of Fel d1 accumulating
on the cat and in the environment. A 12 oz bottle runs about $10-$12 and
should last you a couple or 3 months.
I'm not crazy about the ingredients but I haven't seen any reports of
adverse effects. Nevertheless, speak to vet about it before trying it.
Phil