| Cat dander is a carrier mechanism for cat | | | | this kind of long-term exposure to an allergenic |
| allergens, which is bad enough. But there are | | | | lung-penetrating particle. |
| several additional aspects to be considered. | | | | This should be of special concern to parents of |
| First, even one cat produces enough dander to be | | | | cat allergic children, because children’s lungs |
| a plentiful food source for dust mites. Dust mites | | | | are still growing and are even more sensitive to |
| serve as a secondary source of allergens through | | | | airborne contaminants. Children also consume |
| their droppings and their dead, dried up carcasses. | | | | larger volumes of air per body weight than do |
| Not only should the impact of cat allergens and | | | | adults, so contaminants have a more pronounced |
| dander be considered, but also the effects of | | | | effect on children due to the higher |
| increased dust mites. | | | | concentrations that accumulate in their bodies. |
| If you’ve ever noticed dust in a shaft of | | | | The particle size of cat dander also presents a |
| sunlight the particles you were seeing were | | | | challenge because at that size range particles tend |
| typically in the 50-micron size. Under ideal | | | | to stick to surfaces by molecular adhesion. |
| conditions the unaided human eye might be able | | | | Molecular adhesion renders particles especially |
| to see particles as small as 10 microns. | | | | sticky. For this reason, once a surface or clothing |
| Approximately 75% of cat dander particles are 5 | | | | is contaminated with cat allergen it tends to stay |
| to 10 microns and 25% are 2.5 microns or smaller. | | | | contaminated until vigorous cleaning has been |
| Particles that size do not readily settle out of the | | | | performed. More than light dusting is required; |
| air. They are also easily disturbed and become | | | | scrubbing and using chemical cleaners is the best |
| airborne. | | | | way to remove them. |
| Cat Dander and House Cleaning are Dangerous | | | | The stickiness of cat allergen has resulted in cat |
| This is a real problem when doing house cleaning | | | | allergen being found in homes, schools, offices, |
| or when actively seeking to remove dander. | | | | and government buildings where cats have never |
| Studies show that vacuum cleaners easily | | | | been. Riding in on the clothes of cat owners, cat |
| aerosolize cat allergen on floors and carpets to | | | | allergen constitutes an all-pervasive background |
| critical levels. In clinical studies of asthma, a | | | | that may be sufficient to cause allergic reactions. |
| nebulizer may be used to provoke an asthmatic | | | | What is the Best Air Purifier for Cat Dander? |
| response of a 20% Fall in Expiratory Volume | | | | A HEPA filter air purifier is the best choice for |
| (FEV). The quantity of allergen aerosolized would | | | | reducing airborne dander. HEPA’s 99.97% |
| be on the order of 40 nanograms per cubic | | | | filtration at 0.3 micron makes them the perfect air |
| meter of air. Studies have shown that cleaning | | | | purifiers for pet dander. |
| and vacuuming produced this same level of | | | | The possibility of increased adhesion to lung |
| contaminant per volume of air. | | | | tissues of lung penetrating particles that have |
| For asthmatic persons, exposures to cat allergen | | | | been negatively charged should dissuade the |
| during household cleaning could result in a trip to | | | | consumer from purchasing a negative air ionizer |
| the emergency room, or the morgue, depending | | | | air cleaner. |
| on their control of their asthma. It is | | | | Ionic air cleaners that generate ozone and ozone |
| recommended that any household with a cat use | | | | generators should be avoided. Ozone causes |
| a high quality HEPA vacuum. | | | | increased sensitivity to allergens and makes |
| Effectiveness in controlling cat allergen can vary | | | | airborne cat allergen all the more potent to the |
| widely depending on the HEPA vacuum. The best | | | | unwary consumer. Ozone will not clean particles |
| HEPA vacuums keep airborne allergen to a bare | | | | from the air. |
| minimum. | | | | Electrostatic precipitators are about 80% efficient |
| Cat Dander Damages Lungs | | | | with clean, unloaded plates. Efficiency can drop to |
| The size of cat dander particles puts them in the | | | | below 20% in as few as three days due to plate |
| category of lung penetrating particles, particles | | | | loading, thus requiring constant maintenance |
| that easily transport to the innermost recesses of | | | | cleaning. An allergic person should not perform this |
| the lungs. Since they are not just particulate | | | | maintenance cleaning. Concentrated allergens could |
| irritants but immunological irritants, they can do | | | | provoke a severe reaction if inhaled while trying |
| significant cumulative damage. | | | | to clean the plates. Cat allergen can also cause |
| Chest X-rays of allergic individuals have found that | | | | skin rashes in allergic persons who come in |
| long-term exposure to cat dander results in | | | | physical contact with it. |
| nodules forming inside the lungs. Reduced lung | | | | The only air purifier to remove pet dander safely |
| function and permanent lung damage result from | | | | and effectively is a HEPA filter air purifier. |