5 WAYS TO LIVE WITH AND LOVE YOUR KITTY (IF YOU HAVE ALLERGIES)

NEKO Pride, July 26 2016

Being an animal lover with allergies is hard. If you struggle with a stuffy nose or itchy eyes but you just can't resist your little fur baby (or other people's, for that matter), NEKO Cat Cafe has a few tips and tricks to help get you through! 

1. Pet your cat with your feet.

It sounds silly, but you can still give belly rubs and be close to them without having to get your face too close to their fluff and dander.

2. Deem a room in the house "off limits" to the cat (sorry, kitty).

This won't completely eliminate your allergies, but it will definitely help having a "safe space" that the cat can't access.

3. Keep windows and doors open for ventilation.

The more air-flow you have in your space, the better you will feel! When dust and dander sits with nowhere to go, you can be sure your allergies will act up even more.

4. Commit to petting them as much as you want, but then wash your hands extensively. 

If you think about how many times a day you touch your face or rub your eyes, it's a lot.  Hand washing will help if you have mild allergies.

5. Bathe them regularly.

Yes, it's true, cats clean themselves. But they can't rid themselves of all the dander they produce. As long as you're using shampoo that's ok for your cat (talk to your vet!) scrubbing them down every other week in the tub will reduce the skin cells they shed. Plus, they'll always smell fresh. Kitties need spa days too, right?

If your allergies are still too much to have your own cat at home, fear not! Come visit NEKO Cat Cafe in Seattle once we're open! You can pop in the cat room for a quick visit or just watch the kitties from the main cafe while you sip on a delicious beverage. See you at NEKO!

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