billeyler | Cats

Georgian (pronounced George-Anne) had that fun party the other night. She was very conscientious about having cats, knowing how may people are allergic and had thoroughly cleaned her house and put her two cats into a spare room.

I always like visiting the owner's pets when I'm somewhere. I went into the room to see what the cats were like. One must have been cowering under the bed, but her big black and white cat, Buddy, was up on top of a cage. As soon as I opened the door, he got up and stretched, and started talking to me very loudly, looking right into my eyes. I gave him a welcome scritch around the ears and as cats do, he started reacting happily, still talking all the while. (I have no idea what the cat was saying, but it was the most verbal cat I've ever heard, outside of meowing.)

I'm severely allergic to cats. Immediately, I went to the washroom and washed up; I always use my left hand when I pet a cat. But I like to make friends with cats.

When I was 12 and my body chemistry was in the throes of the great male change, I had a near anaphylactic seizure from being around a cat. I must have petted it, then rubbed my eyes...both eyes burned and swoll up so badly, I could barely see, and my throat nearly closed up. I had never been allergic to one until then (that I remember). After that time, I became allergic to lots and lots of things in the air and suffered for many years with weepy, swollen eyes, sneezing and clogged or runny sinuses.

During two memorable calling trips (Detroit and Seattle), my hosts had one or more cats, and lived in horribly unsanitary conditions. BOTH times, I got bronchitis and was ill for weeks. Never again.

But still I'm sad that I have this particular allergy and generally won't go visit friends that have cats. Now and again, I do like to play with fire and pet one. But as in many things, I'm VERY VERY careful!

Many of my allergies seem to have gone away or tempered over the years. I wish this one would.