Berkeley Parents Network: Allergies & Pets

Berkeley Parents Network

Allergies & Pets

Berkeley Parents Network > Advice > Advice about Pets > Allergies & Pets

Pets for 9-year-old with allergies

Dec 2007

Hello there, Our 9-year-old daughter has been asking for a pet -- something cute like a bunny or a kitty. We want to make her happy and teach her responsibility, but we have many constraints. We both work full-time and our daughter is of coure in school all day. In addition, she has allergy (to dust, mold, grass and a few other things). Her allergy is now under control and we would like to keep it that way. We were told that cats don't mind our being away all day and are relatively easy to take care of. However, we are not sure if cats will make her allergy problem worse... We hope there are families like us who have successfully found that ideal cute pet (not rat, snake, goldfish or turtle). Do you have any suggestions? Thank you so much! Anonymous

I have a VERY cat allergic in-law, and when our cat died there was a lot of pressure not to get another, so I did a lot of research. We ended up getting a dog, but check out Siberian cats. They are a breed of (regular domestic) cat from russia that supposedly has WAY less of the protein in the saliva that causes allergies. There are many stories on the Siberian breeder websites about cat allergic people finally able to get a cat of this breed. There is a breeder in Los Gatos. If you got your daughter tested and found that she was allergic to cats, you could probably visit the breeder and see if she has much of a reaction to that breed. cat lover

Get a ferret! My husband had two female ferrets when I met him and I quickly fell in love. Ferrets are furry, rambunctious, and eternally curious - like little kittens that never grow up. You can buy them in Reno for around $100. It would definitely be worth the drive out of CA to purchase one! Wife of a ferret lover

Editor note: it is not legal to bring ferrets into California!

I'm allergic to cats, but I had no problem at all with a bunny. I would recommend a lop-eared bunny. They are more outgoing than other types of rabbits and they can be litter-box trained. Keep them away from electrical cords, however. If you have limited space, you can get a mini-lop. If you have a backyard, you might be able to get a larger lop. Allergic to cats

My daughter's best friend is allergic to fur

June 1999

My eight-year-old daughter is desperate for a pet, the problem: her best friend, who spends a lot of time at our house, is desperately allergic to anything with fur ... I've vetoed snakes & lizards, fish seem more like decoration than pets ... she currently has a crawfish, which in my opinion is kind of a pathetic "pet" but better than nothing. I'm considering those little turtles, the kind that live in water, but I know nothing about them. I assume they can be picked up and "played" with a little, at least more than a crawfish, and might live longer too. I grew up with cats and dogs, and it seems sad for a child to be deprived of the pleasure of the company of other living critters. Any suggestions would be welcome. Melinda

Try the Vivarium in Berkeley for a good look at fur-free pets. The staff are enthusiastic about caring for them and they can give you lots of pointers. -- becky

If you call the education office at the San Francisco SPCA (415-554-3000 ) I think they'll be able to give you good information on non-allergenic pets. As you probably know, the SPCA in the City is not just a pound: it's an amazing clearinghouse for information and referrals about animals.

The education office, in particular, specializes in letting people know about animals and what they're like. Call them and talk to an education officer (the office is busy: you might have to have the officer call you back). Explain all you've done: the animals you've considered and what your daughter needs, just as you did in your UCB message.

The SF SPCA also has an animal-assisted therapy program. They take all kinds of animals to homes, shelters, and hospitals to visit people, and they will know a lot about non-allergenic animals. If you call the animal-assisted therapy office, they may have good information.

The SPCA may have other offices or programs which can help, too. And, as with anything, if you don't get all the information you need, ask who you should call next.

this page was last updated: May 25, 2008

The opinions and statements expressed on this website are those of parents who subscribe to the Berkeley Parents Network.
Please see Disclaimer & Usage for information about using content on this website. Copyright © 1996-2013 Berkeley Parents Network