Conference misery::feline

    Diana,
    
    my mother has heavy asthma and two cats. She never bathes them, for
    bathing may cause more allergent fur (dehydrated hairs break easier).
    Of course anyone can argue with me - I only tell my vet's words - and
    own experiences. We comb and groom the cats, once a week we 'towel'
    them with a moisty piece of soft leather. They seem to like it, and do
    not hair very much. We do claw clipping fortnightly, with two persons
    it's easy. The cats get used to it. (My Smokey PURRS while clipping!)
    
    The third item (Sticky Wicket) is known to me (has a different name
    here of course). It's a great invention, removes cat hair from
    furniture, carpets, clothes, and easy rinse, no fill-up. I recommend
    it. The other things I never heard of...
    
    Good health to you!
    
    Nat

    ps to -1:
    Do not stickywicket the cats, please...    :)

    Diana,
    
    The Sticky Wicket sounds interesting.  If you get a chance please post
    Cat Claws, Inc.'s phone number and/or address.
    
    ...Rania

    Cat Claws, Inc.
    P.O. Box 1774
    Des Plaines, IL  60018
    708-981-1873

    Diana,
    I can vouch for the lint removers, altho look around for pricing.  Many
    places carry them now and the price is coming down quickly!  They are
    wonderful!!!
    I have heard a little about the allerpet, people say to use it. I am
    allergic to cats, mites, dust, ragweed, mold.  My cats get baths on
    occasion and I vacuum alot.  Mostly I react more strongly to everything
    but the cats! (of course I kiss my cats all the time and sleep with
    them under the covers, but I don't stick them in my eyes)  When the
    cats do bother me I take Seldane and have special allergy drops for my
    eyes.  There are many of us who are allergic but would rather die than
    give up the cats. Heck, I create more!!  I just learned to live with
    it. One key thing for me tho, I have short hairs (one long hair that I
    have to keep and also keep away from when possible).  Just vacuum as
    much as possible!
    Good luck
    karen

    Hi again,
    
    Yes...I have two shorthairs too, and thankfully there's not much fur
    flying around.  But, since I got my new kitty, Lula, I guess that added
    dander has put me over the edge...especially since the windows are
    closed now.  Anyway, I have to take medecine, Ritadan (?), three times
    a day, and still I sneeze all day long...at home and in the office.  It
    does clear me up a bit, though...it also makes me drowsy sometimes.
    
    Anyway, I just called this place, and they said the the Allerpet is put
    on the cat once a week.  It's not a bath like the kitty wipes things. 
    They said there has only been 1 returned bottle because it was damaged. 
    This must be safe for them, right?  I wonder if a vet would know if I
    read the ingredients to them?  It would be great if it helped...
    
    
    Thanx,
    
    Di & Li & Lu

    I think it's a good idea to ask your vet about the ingredients of the
    Allerpet/C and the kitty wipes.  Since they will lick it off their fur,
    you want to be absolutely sure that it's not toxic.
    
    Michelle

I'd be interested to know how the ionizer works (I assume
it will filter the air also). A friend of mine had one
in her bedroom when she lived on Mass Ave in Cambridge
(the bedroom overlooked Mass Ave). It always smelled like
a beautiful spring day in there.


                                       Susan

    You should look into the new kinds of vacuum cleaners that are
    extra filtered.  I have an Eureka Bravo 6.5 amp (it's noisy --
    the 8 amp is unbearably noisy) and it does a great job of not dumping
    dust back into the air when you vacuum.  My cat who has an allergy always
    used to cough after I'd vacuumed, no longer though.  I think Jo or Jan has
    one of these and said her allergies improved significantly aabout a
    month after she'd started using it.
    
    I's first look for a vacuum cleaner like this that is sound
    damped however.  Another possibility that I haven't tried is the
    new extra filtered bags for regular vacuum cleaners, which woul dbe cheaper.
    

    I believe my vet actually carries this Allerpet stuff and I have seen
    it for sale by Martha at the cat shows.  In general if she has it it is
    okay. I forgot to mention that I too have an ionizer in the bedroom and
    an air filter in the living room.  I am not sure how well they work. If
    I could get an Alpine air cleaner it would be perfect!!! (it costs
    plenty of moola tho.)
    Karen

    I have the Eureka Bravo vacuum and it has helped a lot.  I used to
    have horrible allergies for days after I vacuumed but this new 
    vacuum doesn't release the stuff back into the air.
    
    My allergist also recommends something called Allergy Control Solution.
    I has 3% tannic acid in it.  I have brochures on Allergy related 
    products I'd be happy to share with you if you're interested.  The
    Allergy Control Solution comes in a spray bottle and you spray it
    on your furniture, rugs, etc.  It supposedly reduces the allergens
    in your environment.  I haven't actually purchased this yet but I
    plan to as soon as my finances recover from the last couple of months.
    
    Also, distilled water rinsing is recommended to significantly reduce
    the allergens on your cats.  I believe I put something about this in
    the allergy topic.  I also have copies of the article on distilled
    water that was printed in Cat Fancy.
    
    Jan

    Jan,
    
    I just bought a brand new vacuum when I moved last April...that was
    before I got my other kitty.  I think they have filter things you can
    buy to fit in the vacuum now...they're expensive like everything else,
    but I may try them.
    
    I have some brochures from the allergist that has the Allergy Solution
    in it.  The only thing I always worry about is spraying the stuff
    around and leaving the cats in all the time.  It takes 3 hours for the
    stuff to dry, and the cats would be in it.  Would that be ok?
    
    Do you mean a distilled water bath?
    
    Thanx,
    
    Di

    I understand that the Allergy Control Solution is non-toxic so it
    shouldn't be a problem.  I would check with the people you order
    it from, though, just to be sure.
    
    Well, if you can't bathe the cats in the distilled water, I figured
    holding them in the sink and pouring it over them as a rinse might
    at least help a little.
    
    Jan

    Jan,
    
    The article in Cat Fancy said to *rinse* the cat(s) in distilled water,
    and it specifically stated that you shouldn't bathe them as often as
    they recommend rinsing because of their sensitive skin.
    
    Michelle

    Just found out that the Pet Supply Depot in Shrewsbury carries Allerpet
    and the Sticky Wicket things...
    
    Di

    
    I've been ordering from Cat Claws for years - my cats love the
    corrugated cardboard scratching pads.
    
    I just placed an order for the Pet Screen Door.  My cats managed to pop
    out the corner of the screen door on the slider, and it can't be fixed,
    so I figure I'll install their own door there rather than having the
    corner hanging open.  Wish me luck 8^).
    
    They're now at:
    
    1004 W Broadway
    P.O. Box 1001
    Morrilton, AR  72110
    (800) 783-0977
    
    
    [Cat Claws, that is, not my cats 8^).]