Asked by: Lirio Corga
food and drink food allergies

Can you have an allergic reaction to a cat scratch?

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If a cat has scratched, licked, or bittensomeone who is allergic to cats, redness andsometimes even swelling of the affected area will occur. Forthose severely allergic, a reaction may resemble thatof someone with a severe food allergy, and suchreactions require emergency medical care.


Regarding this, what does a cat allergy look like?

hives or a rash on the chest and face. red, itchy eyes.redness of the skin where a cat has scratched, bitten, orlicked you. runny, itchy, stuffy nose.

Likewise, what happens if I get scratched by a cat? Later, the person's lymph nodes closest to the originalscratch or bite can become swollen, tender, orpainful. Wash cat bites and scratches well with soapand running water. Contact your doctor if you develop anysymptoms of cat-scratch disease or infection. CSD iscaused by a bacterium called Bartonella henselae.

Also question is, how long does an allergic reaction to cats last?

In some cat-allergic people, thereaction happens almost instantaneously. Others mayexperience an extended delay (between 4-8 hours) between exposureand reaction. The duration of symptoms may be anywhere froma few minutes to persistence of much longer periods.

Why does my skin puff up when my cat scratched me?

When people who have dermatographia lightlyscratch their skin, the scratches redden intoa raised wheal similar to hives. The cause of dermatographia isunknown, but it can be triggered in some people by infections,emotional upset or medications such as penicillin.

Related Question Answers

Ada Onchukov

Professional

What is the best antihistamine for cat allergies?

Avoiding the allergen is best, but when that'snot possible, the following treatments may help:antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl),loratadine (Claritin) or cetirizine (Zyrtec)

Idrees Recober

Professional

Can I give my cat Benadryl for allergies?

Can You Give a Cat Benadryl? Whenyou have an allergic reaction, it's easy to just pop aBenadryl to ease your symptoms. “Benadryl isjust an antihistamine, and it's relatively safe for bothdogs and cats.” Benadryl is the brand name forthe drug.

Ainhize Porra

Professional

What do I do if I am allergic to my cat?

If you do have an allergy, yourdoctor may prescribe medications or allergy shots. Yourallergist will also recommend things you can do at home— like washing your hands frequently, making sure your houseis vacuumed and dusted regularly, and getting rid of carpets anddrapes that trap dust and pet dander.

Jolene Jigalev

Explainer

How long do pet allergy symptoms last?

Symptoms of a pet allergy usually show upwithin 30 minutes or so after contact, but sometimes cantake as long as 8 to 12 hours to surface.

Quirze Schoneborn

Explainer

Can you live with a cat if you are allergic?

If you or someone you live with isallergic to cats, you may think that youcan never own one; however, this is far from the truth.The benefits of having a pet usually outweigh the drawbacks of petallergies for many people. Any and all cats and dogsmay cause reactions for people who are allergic toanimals.

Shuqin Ouden

Pundit

Does cat allergy go away?

Although cat allergy symptoms may never goaway completely, they are manageable. Remember this basic factabout cat allergens. They need to be airborne and you needto breathe them in for you to have an allergic reaction tothem. Cat allergen is very small so it remains suspended inthe air longer.

Stere Schniedertons

Pundit

Is there a shot for cat allergies?

A vaccine for cat-allergy sufferers is onthe way
A team of scientists from the Swiss firm HypoPet AG hasdeveloped a vaccine to combat the feline-produced proteinFel d 1, to which 10% of humans are allergic, according totheir press release.

Gabirel Baldovi

Pundit

What are the first signs of anaphylaxis?

Signs and symptoms include:
  • Skin reactions, including hives and itching and flushed or paleskin.
  • Low blood pressure (hypotension)
  • Constriction of your airways and a swollen tongue or throat,which can cause wheezing and trouble breathing.
  • A weak and rapid pulse.
  • Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
  • Dizziness or fainting.

Carmelina Argiz

Pundit

Do cat allergies get worse with exposure?

Unfortunately, this typically is not the case, and inmany cases, the allergies remain the same or evenworsen with continued exposure. On the other hand, somepeople who are allergic to cats may have severereactions to one cat, while another may trigger nothing morethan a sniffle.

Fatine Estevam

Pundit

Can I be allergic to one cat and not another?

You can be allergic to one cat and notanother. It is possible for one cat to trigger severesymptoms while another may cause a reaction that is barelynoticeable. Most cat allergies are caused by pet dander, andsome cats produce more than others.

Dimitru Andersick

Teacher

Can you get hives from cats?

Hives or skin rashes (urticaria) are smallpatches of red, swollen, usually itchy, skin. They are very rare incats and are most often associated with insect bites orstings or with medications. Hives may develop afterinhaling, touching, or consuming allergens.

Meiyan Cumbres

Teacher

What is the best cat for someone with allergies?

Here's our top 7 hypoallergenic cat breeds and why theyseem to be best suited to those with cat allergies.
  • #1 - Sphynx. A hairless Sphynx Cat with a hypoallergeniccoat.
  • #2 - Cornish Rex.
  • #3 - Devon Rex.
  • #4 - Oriental.
  • #5 - Russian Blue.
  • #6 - Balinese.
  • #7 - Siberian.
  • Bonus - Bengal.

Wanetta Fanderich

Teacher

Do cat allergies cause hives?

Direct contact with cats may producevarious allergic symptoms. For example, hives(contact urticaria) may occur when a cat licks anindividual's skin. Cat allergen may also be rubbed on one'seyes or nose after petting or holding a cat. This is acommon, but often ignored, source of significantexposure.

Walae Linner

Teacher

Can cat scratch disease kill you?

Known as 'cat-scratch disease', theillness can cause an intense fever, pustules and - ifcomplications develop - can even result in death. Caused bybacteria transmitted from cat to cat by fleas, humansrisk contracting the disease by kissing or nuzzlingcats, or by being scratched or bitten.

Xiaoli Dudunov

Reviewer

How do I know if my cat scratch is infected?

In addition to showing signs of infectionat the site of the wound, a person with cat-scratchdisease may also experience fever, fatigue, and decreased appetite.“In humans, CSD can cause pain and redness at thescratch site, [bumps around the wound], local lymph nodeswelling, and fever,” Mahaney says.

Vashti Ocio

Reviewer

Can a cat scratch make you sick?

Cat scratch fever can happen when a personreceives a bite, scratch, or lick from a cat that isinfected with the bacteria Bartonella henselae. The infectiondoes not usually cause severe complications, but itcan lead to problems for people with a weak immunesystem.

Andalucia Wimmer

Reviewer

How long does it take for cat scratch fever to show up?

Symptoms may become apparent within 7-14 days after theinjury, but may take as long as eight weeks topresent. Typical symptoms are swelling of the lymph nodes nearestto the bitten or scratched site, fever, headache, anda general malaise.

Detelina Eisnick

Reviewer

How do you treat a cat scratch?

Assess the wound. If it's a mild scratch, washingit with soap and water should suffice. If necessary, a clean, drygauze pad can be held to the wound until it stops bleeding. Applyan over-the-counter antibiotic cream to the wound, over with a dry,clean bandage, and allow to heal.

Eliany Kohncke

Supporter

Can you get rabies from a scratch?

Rabies is usually transmitted through the salivaof an infected animal and is most commonly spread through bites. Itis still possible to get rabies from a cat scratch ora scratch from any infected animal, but it is lesscommon.

Co-Authored By:

EveryThingWhat Staff Editor

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2nd March, 2020

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