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Reacting to an Allergic Reaction

Finding ways to keep a cat and a son-in-law under one roof

Denise Flaim | Animal House

January 21, 2003

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Q. Our future son-in-law is highly allergic to cats and has asthma. He's tried lots of things, to no avail, and has decided that the best thing is just to avoid cats and houses where they live. Unfortunately, ours is one of them.

We've had cats in our home for more than 20 years and still have one - a long-haired Maine Coon. As much as we love her, we feel we have no choice but to find her a new home. Before we do this, though, we wonder if we'll actually be able to rid our house of her dander and saliva, even if she's not here. If so, how? -Beverly

A. Allergist Stanley Goldstein of Allergy and Asthma Care of Long Island in Rockville Centre agrees that "the best option, truthfully, is not having a cat at all."

And your hunch is right: Multiple cat ownership over so many years can create a reservoir of cat dander, which hides in carpeting and upholstered furniture, and saliva, which dries, flakes and becomes airborne. "While dander does decay over time," Goldstein says, "you'll always find some."

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Recognizing that a housewide redecoration can be daunting - not to mention expensive - he recommends focusing on replacing rugs and fabrics in rooms where your visiting son-in-law spends the most time, such as the den or kitchen.

That said, I wish you had a different question, namely: Is there a way to make the house son-in-law friendly without getting rid of the cat?

In that case, these would have been some suggestions:

Sequester the cat. Designate two or three rooms to be cat-free - all the time. "Removing the pet only when the person comes is not the answer," Goldstein reminds.

Invest in an air cleaner. HEPA filters can decrease the level of dried cat saliva in the air.

Bathe the cat frequently. This will cut down on dander production. Also, when visiting your son- in-law, wear an outfit fresh from the laundry, as you can carry cat dander on your clothes.

Think seasonally. "If you want an allergic relative to visit you, the best time is during spring and summer, because you can leave the windows open and spend time outside," Goldstein says. Conversely, the worst times are holidays such as Christmas and Thanksgiving.

Re-explore allergy relief. "There are medications that people can take that are pretty effective," says Goldstein, adding that allergy shots also are an option. "An allergist can definitely help him."

Q. My son has two Labs; one will be 5 and the other is almost 1. My daughter has a cocker spaniel, almost 3. All are females.

Whenever my daughter takes the cocker to my son's home, the trouble between the young Lab and the cocker makes the visit unbearable for the humans. The older Lab is no problem.

The younger Lab keeps putting her paw on the top of the cocker. With that, the cocker goes crazy, snapping and growling. So far, neither dog has hurt the other.

One solution would be to keep the cocker at home, but the distance between the two homes doesn't make this feasible. -Patricia

A. While it sounds like the Lab puppy is demonstrating to the visiting cocker either that she's in charge on her own turf - or that she hasn't been exposed to enough other dogs to learn proper doggie etiquette - that doesn't really matter. Priority No. 1 should be to stop things from escalating any further. Dogfights are never pretty, but unlike blustery males, when females fight, things can get serious in a hurry.

Keep the young Lab and cocker separated by crating one when the other is out, then alternating so they each have equal "free" time. Be sure not to allow the uncrated dog to harass or taunt the crated one, who can be given a marrow bone or frozen stuffed Kong toy to help pass the time.

If you want all three dogs to get along, I'd suggest a behaviorist to see if that's possible. Meanwhile, the winner in all this is the world- ly older Lab, who's savvy enough not to engage.

Write to Denise Flaim c/o Newsday, 235 Pinelawn Rd., Melville, NY 11747-4250 or dflaim@newsday.com. Read previous columns at www.newsday.com/ animalhouse.