Meet Kuro
So, I never actually posted a blog about my cat, Kuro. It was a bit of a long and expensive (!) journey, but well worth it.
As many of you may know, I'm severely allergic to cats. I would sneeze, cough, my throat and eyes would swell up and get itchy, and I'd not be able to breathe or see. I'm also allergic to dogs, rabbits, and various other furry creatures, but not as severely as I was to cats. Unfortunately for me, I love cats.
After whining about my lack of a cat, a friend suggested that I look into hypoallergenic cats. I then discovered the Siberian. A pure breed that apparently produces less of the allergen protein Fel d1.
I fell in love almost immediately. They are said to have a dog-like temperament (great, as I grew up with dogs!) and an awesome lion-like appearance. Most people are amazed that a long haired cat can be considered less allergenic than a shorthair, but it's more to do with their saliva than the fur.
So, I spoke to a breeder who had kittens from two litters available, and arranged to visit to see how allergic I was to them.
After sitting in a room with about 13 cats and kittens for an hour I had minor sniffles. So, I put down a deposit for my chosen black smoke with white kitten, the most handsome kitten you ever did see. I named him Kuro, and after a few weeks of waiting, we got him home.
So now you're wondering - did I really go from deathly allergic to barely allergic at all? Pretty much, but it took about a week. The first few days I spent with him, we kept him shut in the lounge so that he didn't get daunted and confused by the rest of the house. Sitting in there with him, I got really bad asthma. I had to go to the doctor and get an inhaler, and was taking a double dose of antihistamines and steroid nasal spray each day. I also got mild allergic conjunctivitis, which I couldn't do too much about. However, with all the medication, my symptoms were mild. After a couple of weeks I came off of all medication except one antihistamine pill per day, and I have no symptoms at all!
It was a complete success! I am now sharing my life with a cute, cuddly and somewhat mischievous kitten - something that I never imagined I could do in my wildest dreams. So if you're allergic but you want a cat, please go and check out the Siberian breed!
