Early-life exposure to cats during the first year of a child’s life actually might help reduce the risk of developing cat allergies and hay fever in their early adolescence. This same effect is seen when cats are introduced after the first year.
For many families, having a cat in the house means warm cuddles, playful companionship, and happy memories. But if you’re a parent, you may have heard that owning a cat early in your child’s life could increase their chances of developing allergies. So what’s the truth? Does early exposure to cats raise the risk of allergies or asthma?
A recent study by Chaifa Al-Tamprouri and colleagues explored this question in depth. The study followed children from birth to age 13 to find out whether cat ownership in infancy had any lasting effects on allergy development. The results may surprise you and offer helpful insight if you're thinking about introducing a cat to your family!
The researchers tracked a group of over 1,200 children, collecting data on pet ownership during the first year of life and afterward. They followed up with these children when they turned 13 to see who had developed sensitization (an immune reaction) to cat allergens, as well as allergic symptoms like sneezing, itchy eyes, eczema, or asthma.
They wanted to answer two main questions: 1. Does owning a cat during the first year of life affect allergy risk later on? 2. What about owning a cat after infancy, in the preschool or school-age years?
When it came to cat ownership during the first year of life, the study found no clear increase in allergy risk by age 13. In fact, children who lived with cats as babies were not more likely to become sensitized to cats or to develop allergic symptoms than those who didn’t grow up with cats early on.
This challenges a common belief that early exposure to cats makes children more allergic later. While some earlier studies suggested this might be the case, the new research shows that early exposure may not be harmful and could possibly be neutral or even protective in some cases.
However, the results were not strong enough to say that cats prevent allergies. The takeaway is that having a cat in your baby’s first year is unlikely to increase allergy risk, which is reassuring for many families.
Interestingly, the study also looked at families who got a cat after the child’s first year. In these cases, there was a reduced risk of allergy symptoms and sensitization to cats by age 13.
One possible explanation is that the immune system is more flexible in infancy. Exposing a baby’s immune system to animal allergens early on might help it “learn” not to overreact later.
Still, this connection was not extremely strong, and other factors like genetics, environment, and family history of allergies also play a role.
If you’re expecting a child or have a baby at home, and you already own a cat or are thinking about getting one, this study provides some good news. Having a cat in your baby’s first year of life does not seem to increase allergy risk later in childhood. Also introducing a cat after the first year of life, means the risk of cat allergies and hay fever is reduced.
Here are 4 practical tips if you’re managing cat ownership and concerned about allergies.
First you can talk to your pediatrician. If your family has a strong history of allergies or asthma, it’s a good idea to consult with your child’s doctor before bringing home a new pet. Second, keep a clean environment. Regular cleaning, vacuuming with HEPA filters, and using air purifiers can help reduce exposure to cat allergens in your home. Third, watch for symptoms. Be alert for early signs of allergies in your child, such as sneezing, itchy skin, or coughing. If symptoms appear, seek medical advice and consider allergy testing. Lastly, don’t panic. One cat doesn’t equal one allergy. Many kids grow up with cats and never develop allergies especially when exposure begins early.
Reference
Al‐Tamprouri, C., Malin, B., Bill, H., Lennart, B., & Anna, S. (2019). Cat and dog ownership during/after the first year of life and risk for sensitization and reported allergy symptoms at age 13. Immunity, Inflammation and Disease, 7(4), 250–257. https://doi.org/10.1002/iid3.267
Written by: T.T.
