Help! Allergies or Bad cold?
 

I'm going crazy!!

Last weds we got a kitten. My boyfriend had a cold for a few days before and few days after we got it.

I was fine weds - monday with the kitten in the house. Tuesday I went crazy cleaning because BF seems to have developed allergies to it. Monday I started getting cold symptoms and they got worse all week. I'm still really bad today. I feel worst in the morning, then clear up a little during the day and seem ok at night except for my throat feels dry and makes me cough constantly.

BF is having the same issues. Since he had a cold last week before we got the kitten, its making me wonder if we have allergies or if we are having a hard time recovering from our colds.

Can a cold make you cough and feel like you have a dry throat every 3 mins or so. It's only 1-2 coughs about every 3 mins. We are both stuffy and I'm sneezing a ton!

I know this probably sounds like a crazy "DUH, of course it's allergies" question... but his WHOLE family has cats of all different types and neither him nor I have EVER been allergic. His sister had 4 cats at one point and we could spend HOURS there without a problem. Suddenly we get one tiny kitten and within days we are both hacking away.

Since the cold was thrown into the mix I'm not sure whether to rehome the kitten or give it a few more days/a week to see if we both get better. I'm so sad because our kitten is sooooo cute!!! :(

i would give it more time. and also talk to a physician about the symptoms and see if an antibiotic can be prescribed to try and treat it like it's a bacterial infection. if they don't work try allergy medications and see if that works. zyrtec or claritin.

i sure hope it's just a lingering cold and you don't have to rehome the poor dear.

Me too!!! :)

I guess everyone is sick of me whining about this.... LOL

I would definitely recommend waiting a few weeks as it very well could be a bug. It is my hunch it is a bug, especially since neither of you have had allergy symptoms before, but then again I am no doctor and have not seen you. I would definitely recommend going to a doc if it doesn't clear up and asking for more professional advice on the cause.

Even if it was allergies, I still recommend waiting a few weeks as your symptoms are not severe and there is a chance that your body will adjust naturally to the allergens anyway. Exposure reduces allergic reactions. That is how allergy shots work. They inject you literally with what you are allergic to in a serum.

If nothing else, if it is allergies and your symptoms are mild enough (e.g. minor stuffy nose/watery eyes/throat irritation) you don't even need allergy shots to control it. You just need a script for something like Clarinex from your doc or an over the counter med like Claritin and take it once a day! :)

Anyway, I really hope it isn't allergies and your new kitty can stay with you! I know you'd love that too! On the other hand, I hope if you are ill that it isn't too bad and that it will quickly pass.

P.S. Your babies are adorable!!!! :love:

Sounds more like you both have colds. I would also bathe the kitten to get rid of anything she has carried with her. ;)

Oh the picture is adorable of them at the feeder. I hope it is a bug that passes and you get to keep the kitten.