• People with cat allergies have negative physical reactions to cats.cat image by Zbigniew Nowak from Fotolia.com
  
  Cat allergies range from mild to severe, with symptoms typically emerging several minutes to many hours after exposure, states WebMD. Common indications of an allergic reaction to cats include itchy eyes, nasal congestion, rash and sneezing. The physical signs result from the immune system's attempts to protect the body from proteins found in cat dander and fur, notes the Mayo Clinic. Although cat allergies cannot be cured, symptoms can be reduced or eliminated.
  
  

Medications

• People who suffer from cat allergies can take either nonprescription or prescription strength drugs to relieve symptoms. The first include antihistamines--such as Benadryl, Claritin and nasal sprays like Astelin--and decongestants such as pseudoephedrine, available over the counter in many stores. Medications that require a doctor's prescription include stronger antihistamines and decongestants and steroid-based nasal sprays such as Flonase and Nasonex.
  
  

Immunotherapy

• Immunotherapy is a treatment option for people with severe cat allergies or cat allergies that don't respond to other treatments, according to the Mayo Clinic. WebMD cautions that the procedure is sometimes ineffective or requires many years to produce results. Immunotherapy involves receiving a number of injections that contain doses of pure allergen extracts, often for a period that lasts several years. The small doses of the allergen teach your body to tolerate the substance so you are less affected by your allergies.
  
  

Limit Exposure

• Since exposure to the proteins that cats produce is the primary issue for people with cat allergies, reducing contact with both cats and cat dander is essential. However, dander can remain in an area long after a cat is no longer present. Many people with cat allergies can control allergy symptoms by avoiding situations and locations where they might be exposed to cats and their dander. This includes staying away from or limiting contact with people who own or spend time around cats, as well as not touching cats or going to places where cats are or have been.
  
  

Cleaning

• If you choose to live with cats, keep environments free of the cat proteins that cause allergic reactions by cleaning bedding, floors, furniture and rugs often and thoroughly. Restrict the cats' access to certain parts of your home, excluding them from rooms that allergy sufferers frequent. Invest in an air cleaner to prevent dander from traveling through vents and use a vacuum cleaner that takes a fine HEPA filter, which does a better job of removing dander than other types of vacuums.
  
  

Epinephrine

• A severe allergic reaction to a cat may require an emergency injection of the drug epinephrine to relieve symptoms until adequate medical treatment is available, according to the Mayo Clinic. The clinic's staff recommends that people who are likely to have a severe allergic reaction carry an epinephrine shot at all times as a precautionary measure. Symptoms of severe allergies include difficulty breathing, lightheadedness and a weak but rapid pulse.