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Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Yes, usually. A doctor can recognise a pet allergy from your symptoms and prescribe antihistamines, nasal sprays and eye drops; allergy tests and immunotherapy are arranged through a specialist.
- What causes it: proteins in an animal’s skin flakes, saliva and urine, not the fur itself.
- Hypoallergenic pets: no cat or dog breed is truly allergen-free, though people react to some animals more than others.
- Allergens linger: cat allergen is sticky and can stay in a home for up to 6 months after the animal has gone.
- Emergency: call 112 for a severe asthma attack that your reliever inhaler is not helping, or swelling of the lips, mouth, throat or tongue.
Do not book a video appointment if you are having a severe asthma attack and your reliever inhaler is not helping, you are struggling to breathe, or your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly swell. Call 112 or go to an emergency department.
Can an online doctor treat a pet allergy?
Yes, usually. A pet allergy is recognised from symptoms that start or get worse around animals and ease away from them, which a doctor can go through by video. The doctor recommends or prescribes non-drowsy antihistamines, a steroid nasal spray and eye drops, checks your asthma, and helps you plan for living with a pet. Allergy tests and immunotherapy are arranged through a specialist.
How an online consultation helps with a pet allergy
- The animal identified: Cats, dogs, horses, rabbits or rodents, and whether something else, such as dust mites, explains it better.
- Symptoms controlled: Antihistamines, nasal sprays and eye drops, chosen for the symptoms you have.
- A plan for your home: The measures that cut the allergen in the rooms where it matters most.
- Asthma checked: Pet allergens can trigger asthma attacks, so your breathing is reviewed too.
What the doctor checks in an online consultation for a pet allergy
The doctor asks about your symptoms and when they happen, because the timing around animals usually gives the answer. The doctor asks about:
- Your symptoms: sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, itchy, watery eyes, an itchy rash, a cough, wheezing or breathlessness.
- The pattern: whether they start around particular animals, in homes with pets, or even where there are no pets, and whether they ease when you are away.
- Your animals: which pets you have or are thinking of getting, and where they sleep.
- Asthma and eczema: a cough at night, chest tightness, and eczema.
- Your work: with animals, for example as a vet, groom, or in a laboratory or on a farm.
- What you have tried: tablets, sprays and eye drops, and how they worked.
What causes a pet allergy?
You are not allergic to the fur. A pet allergy is a reaction to proteins in an animal’s dander, the dead flakes of skin it sheds, and in its saliva, urine and sweat. Fur collects the dander, and can also carry pollen, dust mites and mould.
- Cats: the main allergen, called Fel d 1, is made in a cat’s saliva and oil glands and spread over the fur when it grooms.
- Dogs: allergens in dander, saliva and urine.
- Other animals: horses, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice and rats. Animals without fur, such as fish and reptiles, rarely cause a pet allergy.
Pet allergy is more likely if allergies or asthma run in your family. Allergies to animals can start at any age, and can change over time.
Why do I react to some cats and not others?
All cats produce Fel d 1, whatever their sex, breed or age, but individual cats produce different amounts, so some people react to some cats and not to others.
What are the symptoms of a cat or dog allergy?
Sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, itchy, red, watery eyes, an itchy throat and a cough. A lick or scratch can leave red, itchy skin or hives, and in people with asthma, pet allergens can cause wheezing and asthma attacks.
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Part of the body | What you notice |
|---|---|
| Nose | Sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, an itchy nose, mucus dripping down the back of the throat |
| Eyes | Itchy, red or watery eyes, swelling around the eyes |
| Mouth and throat | An itchy throat or roof of the mouth, a cough |
| Skin | Redness, itching or hives where an animal licked or scratched you; eczema |
| Chest | Wheezing, chest tightness, breathlessness, a cough that disturbs sleep |
How do you tell if you are allergic to your cat?
Symptoms that start or get worse when you are with the cat, in rooms where it spends time, or after stroking it, and ease when you are away for a while, point to a cat allergy. When allergen levels are low, symptoms may only appear after several days of contact. A skin prick or blood test can confirm which animal you react to. See allergy testing.
Symptoms where there are no pets
Pet allergens travel on clothes, so they turn up in homes, classrooms and workplaces where animals have never been, and can cause symptoms there.
Are there hypoallergenic dogs and cats?
No. No cat or dog breed is truly hypoallergenic. Breeds that shed less fur still produce allergen in their skin, saliva and urine, and even hairless cats produce Fel d 1.
What does vary is the individual animal: some cats and dogs produce less allergen than others, and people may tolerate one animal better than another of the same breed. If you are thinking of getting a pet:
- Check whether you are allergic before you commit.
- Spend time with the particular animal, more than once, before deciding, or foster a pet first to see how you react.
- Ask a vet about cat food that reduces Fel d 1, which may lower reactions to a cat.
- If a cat or dog is not an option, animals without fur, such as fish, snakes and turtles, rarely cause a pet allergy.
What are the best cats for people with allergies?
There is no allergen-free breed, so the best cat is the individual one you have spent time with and not reacted to. A cat that is groomed outdoors, kept out of the bedroom and fed an allergen-reducing food may also cause fewer symptoms.
Can you live with a cat or dog if you are allergic?
Many people do, with treatment and a few changes at home. Avoiding the animal works best, but if you live with a pet, these measures lower the allergen:
- Keep the pet and its bedding out of your bedroom, with the door closed.
- Keep the pet off sofas and fabric furniture, and use washable covers.
- Ask someone without an allergy to brush the pet outdoors and clean litter trays, bedding and cages. If you do it yourself, wear a mask and gloves.
- Wash your hands after stroking the pet, and avoid being licked.
- Wipe the pet down with a damp cloth, and wash its bedding regularly.
- Vacuum weekly with a HEPA-filter vacuum, damp-dust hard surfaces, and use a HEPA air cleaner where you sleep.
- Choose hard floors and blinds rather than carpets and curtains where you can, and keep litter trays away from air vents.
How long do pet allergens stay in a home?
For months. Cat allergen is especially sticky: it clings to walls, carpets and furniture, and dander can stay in a home for up to 6 months after the animal has gone. Dusting and vacuuming stir settled allergen back into the air.
What is the best treatment for a cat or dog allergy?
Limiting contact with the animal works best. Non-drowsy antihistamines help sneezing, itching and watery eyes, a daily steroid nasal spray helps a blocked nose, and for severe allergy, immunotherapy through a specialist can build tolerance.
- Non-drowsy antihistamines: such as cetirizine, fexofenadine and loratadine, as tablets, and as eye drops for itchy eyes.
- Steroid nasal sprays: the most effective single treatment for a blocked nose, used every day.
- Salt water rinses: wash allergen out of the nose.
- Immunotherapy: gradually increasing doses of the allergen under a specialist, an option when other treatments fail.
Prescription treatment
A prescription is never issued without a consultation. The doctor may prescribe a steroid nasal spray, a combination spray, antihistamine eye drops or tablets, and review your asthma treatment. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
What does not help
Choosing a breed sold as hypoallergenic without spending time with the animal first. Drowsy antihistamines. Hoping symptoms fade in a home where a pet has just left: the allergen can stay for months.
Which pet allergy treatment might the doctor recommend?
Treatment depends on your symptoms, how much contact you have with animals and whether you have asthma. This is the framework the doctors use:
Swipe sideways to compare →
| What you have | Likely first step | Suitable for online care? | When in-person care is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sneezing and itchy eyes when visiting a home with a pet | A non-drowsy antihistamine before the visit, eye drops | Yes | Not usually needed |
| Symptoms at home with your own pet | A daily steroid spray, antihistamine and home measures | Yes | Not usually needed |
| Red, itchy skin or hives where a pet licked you | Antihistamine, and avoiding licks | Yes | If swelling spreads to the lips, mouth or throat |
| Wheezing or chest tightness around animals | An asthma review | Yes | If breathing is difficult: urgent care |
| Severe symptoms, or work with animals | Referral for allergy tests and immunotherapy | Partly | Allergy clinic |
Sneezing or wheezing around a cat or dog? A doctor can work out the cause and the treatment in one consultation.
See available times →Pet allergy and asthma
In people with allergic asthma, pet allergens can trigger asthma attacks, and people with asthma and a pet allergy can find their asthma hard to control. Constant nasal swelling can also block the sinuses and make sinus infections more likely. See asthma and allergic rhinitis.
Special situations
Working with animals
Vets, grooms, laboratory staff and farm workers have more contact with animals. Tell the doctor about your work, because it changes the plan, and may mean a specialist referral.
Children and pets
Some studies have found that children who had a dog in their first year of life may have better resistance to allergies in childhood. Mobi Doctor consultations are for adults aged 18 and over. A child who is unwell needs a paediatrician or a local doctor in person, and emergency signs in a child mean 112.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Speak to a doctor or pharmacist before taking any medicine: loratadine is usually recommended if you need an antihistamine in pregnancy.
When a pet allergy is treated online, and when you need in-person care
Treated online: recognising a pet allergy from your symptoms, antihistamines, nasal sprays and eye drops, a plan for living with a pet, asthma checks, and referral for tests or immunotherapy.
In-person care: skin prick and blood tests, immunotherapy at a specialist clinic, and severe asthma.
When to get in-person care
Call 112 or go to an emergency department now for:
- a severe asthma attack that your reliever inhaler is not helping
- difficulty breathing, or skin, lips or tongue turning blue, grey or pale
- sudden swelling of the lips, mouth, throat or tongue
Get medical advice the same day for:
- asthma symptoms that are getting worse
- new wheezing, breathlessness or chest tightness around animals
- hives or swelling after contact with an animal
How Mobi Doctor works
- Book a time that suits you: daily 7am–11pm CEST. You can see a doctor over video, usually within 15 minutes. No subscription, and the exact price is shown before you pay.
- Speak to a licensed doctor about your symptoms: say which animals you are around, when your symptoms start, and whether you have asthma.
- Leave with a plan: what to take and how, what to change at home, and which signs mean you should be seen in person. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
No sign-up needed
Not sure it’s a pet allergy? Tick every symptom you have to see each condition page that mentions it. It finds the right page, not a diagnosis: a doctor gives you that on a video call.
Tap the body — an area or a point — to browse symptoms anywhere
Similar symptoms, different condition? Dust Mite Allergy can start the same way. Compare them, or look up any other symptom in the full symptom checker.
Frequently asked questions about pet allergy
What are the symptoms of a cat allergy?
A cat allergy causes sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, itchy, red, watery eyes, an itchy throat and a cough, and sometimes red, itchy skin where a cat licked or scratched. It can also trigger asthma.
Are there hypoallergenic dogs?
No breed is truly hypoallergenic. Dogs that shed less fur still produce allergen in their skin, saliva and urine, although some individual dogs cause fewer symptoms than others.
Are there hypoallergenic cats?
No. All cats produce the main cat allergen, Fel d 1, whatever their sex, breed or age, and even hairless cats produce it. Some individual cats produce less than others.
Am I allergic to the fur?
No. A pet allergy is a reaction to proteins in an animal's skin flakes, saliva and urine, not to the fur itself; fur collects the flakes and dried saliva, and can also carry pollen, dust mites and mould, which is why a short-haired or hairless animal can cause as many symptoms as a long-haired one. The cat allergen comes mainly from saliva spread over the coat when the cat grooms.
How do you tell if you are allergic to your cat?
A cat allergy shows as symptoms that start or get worse around the cat and ease when you are away point to it. A skin prick or blood test can confirm it.
Can I live with a cat if I am allergic?
Many people with a cat allergy do, with treatment and changes at home: a cat-free bedroom, washing hands after stroking, a HEPA vacuum and air cleaner, and someone else grooming the cat outdoors.
What can I do at home about a pet allergy?
Keep the animal out of the bedroom, because that is where you spend the most hours; wash your hands after touching it and keep it off sofas and beds; vacuum with a HEPA filter, damp-dust and consider a HEPA air cleaner in the rooms you use most; have someone else groom the pet outdoors; and replace carpets with hard floors if you can. These cut the allergen but rarely remove a pet allergy on their own, so keep taking the nasal spray and antihistamine.
Can a pet allergy be prevented?
Not reliably, because a pet allergy depends on your immune system, but the risk of symptoms can be reduced: if you are already allergic to other things, meet an animal several times before taking it home, since a reaction can take weeks of exposure to appear; choose a cat or dog that sheds less allergen; and set the house rules, pet out of the bedroom, before the animal arrives. Treating allergic rhinitis early also keeps a pet allergy from triggering asthma.
What is the best treatment for cat allergies?
Limiting contact with the cat works best for a cat allergy. A daily steroid nasal spray controls a blocked nose, non-drowsy antihistamines help sneezing, itching and watery eyes, antihistamine eye drops help the eyes, and a reliever inhaler is needed if it triggers asthma; immunotherapy through a specialist is an option when other treatments fail and the cat is staying.
How long do pet allergens stay in a home?
For months. Cat allergen is sticky, clings to walls and furniture, and can stay in a home for up to 6 months after the animal has gone.
Why do I react to some cats and not others?
Individual cats produce different amounts of the main cat allergen, Fel d 1, so some people with a cat allergy react to some cats but not to others; unneutered males tend to make the most, and the amount varies from cat to cat regardless of breed or hair length. The dose also matters: a cat that sleeps on your bed exposes you to far more allergen than one kept out of the bedroom.
Can you suddenly become allergic to cats or dogs?
Yes. A pet allergy can start at any age, including after years of living with the same animal, because repeated exposure can tip the immune system into making antibodies, and it can change over time, easing or worsening. New symptoms around a pet you have had for years are worth checking, because dust mites, mould or a new product can also be to blame.
Can an online doctor treat a pet allergy?
Yes, usually. A doctor can recognise a pet allergy from your symptoms and prescribe antihistamines, nasal sprays and eye drops. Tests and immunotherapy are arranged through a specialist.
- Pet allergy, Mayo Clinic (US), 5 September 2025.
- Pet allergies: cat and dog, AAFA, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, medically reviewed September 2024.
- Cats and allergies, Cats Protection (UK), accessed 15 October 2026.
- Allergic rhinitis, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 8 January 2026.
- BSACI guideline for the diagnosis and management of allergic and non-allergic rhinitis (revised edition 2017), Scadding GK, et al. Clinical and Experimental Allergy, 2017.
- Antihistamines, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 16 May 2023.
- Asthma attacks, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 7 April 2025.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.
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