Does this sound like a cat allergy?

[AprilM]

Hi. I have a 2 year old, and we just got a kitten about 4 weeks ago. I was sick with a runny nose and slight fever the week before we got the kitten. Around the time our kitty arrived, my son got a runny nose (clear snot) and started coughing a dry croupy cough at night. THroughout the week, his nasal mucous turned to thick yellow and the cough became a wet cough and happened throughout the day and night. We brought him to his pedi, and the pedi said it looked more like a virus than an allergy, and he should be better soon. That was about 3 weeks ago. My son has improved a lot since then, the mucous has turned back to being clear, and his cough is now dry again, but the mucous and cough are still here. A few days ago, he also had some diarreah and a bad diaper rash, only 2 diapers of diarreah and now he back to pooping normal.

What do you guys think? Could this all be caused by the new kitten's arrival and these symptoms are allergic reactions, or do you think DS got what I had, and still hasn't gotten completely over it.


No fever throughout btw....

Thanks. I really love the new kitten, but I don't know what to think at this point.

[kjbrown92]

According to our pediatrician, he can tell by looking up your nose. If it's pink/red it's a cold, and if it's bluish it's an allergy. He was spot-on with my kids in figuring out which was which. Remember that kids often have viruses longer than adults, and sometimes with different symptoms even for the same virus, so it could still be the virus that you had. Of course if it goes on and on and on...

[AprilM]

That's interesting about different colors of the nose. I will have to mention that to DS's pedi see if he can take a look up there. Or maybe I will get a flashlight and check myself.

I really hope it's not the kitten, we all really love her, and are becoming attached....especially DS. He's doing great with her for being a wild and crazy 2 year old. I was sure he would have sat on her or something by now. LOL

Anyone else have any experience with cat allergy symptoms?

[OurGift]

I do! For myself it's itchy throat initially- I will scratch and rub it from the outside, then sneezing and if I dare touch my eyes without washing them, oh boy! Swollen, red, itchy, watery eyes. It helps a lot to vacuum very often and thoroughly, every other day. I hope you figure out the problem soon.

[mama1803]

I have an extreme allergy to cats. My symptoms are exactly as you describe (snot, cough) plus itchy, swollen eyes.

Our former ped was also able to determine the difference between allergies and illness by looking up the nose as a pp stated. He also said that something like 98% of all viral illnesses resolved by 21 days. After that it is either bacterial or allergies. Our experience with ds is that when he gets sick his symptoms do linger around for 2-3 weeks.

Hope your ds feels better soon.

[littlehoneybee]

I'm very allergic to cats. I start with a runny nose (clear) and then sneezing almost non-stop. My eyes turn red and water and I have horrible sinus pressure--even my teeth hurt. If I'm in a house with more than one inside cat, I can feel my bronchi tighten up too.

In your son's case it sounds more like a virus. Allergies wouldn't usually exhibit yellow drainage.

[lyterae]

I'm allergic to cats as well, for me I just get the itchy,red,watery eyes.

[AprilM]

Thanks guys, you have all been very helpful!