Tag: stress

Cat Care

How to Travel with Your Cat: Roadtrip Edition

mehshadoweye

Meredith Hemphill

mehshadoweye

Encyclopaedia Felidae now has a Patreon! Go to www.patreon.com/EncyclopaediaFelidae if you want to help support this content!

Tabby cat in suitcase
Photo by Casey Wilson from Pixabay

I am on of those people that leaves my cat at home when I have to leave overnight. I have someone feed her and check in on her, and then I’ll see her when I get home. It’s not that I don’t enjoy her company, but traveling with cats is hard, and Joon doesn’t care for the wonders of modern transportation. Well, in August I have to move to another state, nine hours away by car, and of course Joon is coming with me. I’ve moved with her before, but it was just a quick trip to get there. This will be a new experience for both of us. So I thought it was an excellent opportunity for us all to learn together how to travel with cats.

An Ounce of Preparation

The best way to travel is well-prepared, and the same goes for travel with your cats. There is a lot that you can and should do before you leave to make everything go smoothly. Before anything else, however, ask yourself if you really ought to take kitty with you. If you just going on a short vacation, many cats might prefer to stay home (1, 5, 9). Extended car rides are usually very stressful for cats. If you are going to be gone for months or longer, or you are permanently relocating, then it can be worth it so that your cat doesn’t endure the greater stress of not being able to join you. If you are fortunate enough to have one of the rare few cats that loves going for a drive, then your pet can be a much more frequent travel companion (5, 9).

Gather Your Supplies

What do you need to pack for your cat? To some extent, that depends upon where you are going and for how long, but for any road trip there are certain bases you need to cover:

  • A carrier or crate for riding in the car
  • A litterbox
  • Food, water, and bowls to put them in
  • Veterinary records, including up-to-date rabies tag
  • Your cat’s medications, if applicable
  • A pet first-aid kit

Even for short vacations, you’ll probably also want to bring their cat bed or other cozy thing they like to sleep on and a couple beloved toys. Cats need to scratch, so if you don’t have room to pack a scratching post, I’d recommend you find somewhere for a cardboard or sisal scratching board. Wherever you’re staying probably won’t appreciate your cat leaving their mark on the furniture.

The Cat Carrier

There are lots of options for cat carriers and crates out there. You need to choose one that is large enough for your cat. This means kitty needs to be able to stand, lie down, stretch, and turn around comfortably inside (1, 2, 4, 9). As for the other features of the carrier/crate, it’s up to you and what works best for your situation. There are cat carriers with soft or hard sides. Some are specifically rated for air travel, if that’s also in your plans, and some include a widget that snaps into the seat belt for ease of securing it. Some larger models even include built-in litterboxes. The Sleepypod brand does crash testing on their carriers to maximize their car safety (6). No one carrier or crate has everything. You can do a DIY crate, however, which allows for a lot of customization.

Three kittens in carrier
Make sure your carrier is large enough for your cat (or kittens) – Photo by Gundula Vogel from Pixabay

If your car will accommodate a large dog crate, you can jerry-rig a travel kitty condo (3, 6, 9). A dog crate can be used for one or more cats (9). It fits a travel litterbox inside, which simplifies things (3, 6). And you can incorporate hammocks or shelves to give your cats more space and comfort (6). Just make sure you test out any multilevel additions thoroughly both at home and on test drives before the big day so that you know they will hold up.

The Litterbox

If the drive is more than a couple hours, or you have a senior cat, you will need to give kitty bathroom breaks (9). Cats tend to drink less when they’re stressed, so they may not need it, but give them plenty of opportunity anyway. If your cat is used to eliminating outdoors, it might be best to take them outside on a leash to do their business instead of trying to get them used to a litter box for the first time during the trip (4, 6). If they aren’t leash trained, but you want to do this, start leash training well in advance of your travel date. Introducing too many new things at once is never a good idea.

If you can fit a litterbox inside your cat’s carrier/crate, that is the easiest thing (4, 5, 6, 9). A standard litterbox may be too large, but there are other options. You can buy a travel litterbox. These are typically collapsible and come in carrier-friendly sizes (6). A dish pan may also work (3), or a kitten-sized litterbox. You can also repurpose a cardboard box by cutting it to the right shape and size, lining it with plastic, i.e. a garbage bag, and there you go, a custom disposable litterbox (5)! You can purchase disposable litterboxes as well.

Maybe there is just no way you are going to get a litterbox into the carrier you have. Don’t fret. It’s a little more involved, but there’s a way to work with that. Put out a litterbox for your cat whenever you stop for their bathroom breaks (1, 7). Only do this with the car stopped and all the doors and windows closed! Let your cat out of their carrier (1, 7). When they’re done, either scoop into pet waste bags and throw those out or, if you’re using a disposable litter box, you can bag and throw the whole thing away (1, 7). I recommend you set the litterbox directly in front of the carrier before letting the cat out so they know what to do and don’t instead get sensory overload and hide in some impossible crevasse of your car.

Make Your First Trip Be to the Vet

There are several important reasons to visit the vet before traveling with your cats. One is to make sure that they are healthy enough to travel (7). You would probably know if they weren’t, but it is best to be absolutely certain. If your cat has a chronic illness, you want to make sure it is stable and well-controlled before heading out, too (6). Get any necessary vaccinations up-to-date. Ask for enough medication for the duration of your travel time plus at least several days (6). The same goes for any prescription diet your cat may be on (6). Ask for a print-out of your cat’s medical records (1, 6, 9). You may need these to prove your cat’s vaccination status or to show another vet if your cat needs medical attention.

If you will be crossing state line in the United States, you are required by law to carry a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection, a.k.a. health certificate, for each of your cats (1, 2, 9). This also applies to dogs, if you have those too. You need to get the health certificate from your veterinarian within ten days of your travel date (2). The health certificate means your veterinarian is signing off that your pet doesn’t have any signs of infectious disease and is current on their vaccinations (2). An exam is required for your vet to issue the certificate (2).

If you know that your cat gets motion sickness or is extremely anxious about car rides, you may want to use this opportunity to ask your veterinarian to prescribe medication for the road trip (1, 3, 6). This isn’t the best solution for all cats. Medication can have side effects, so if you can keep your cat calm without it, that’s preferable. There are calming treats and pheromone products that you can try on practice runs. For some cats, though, it’s just not enough. My parents’ cat, Rosenberg, gets so anxious about riding in the car that she starts vomiting and having diarrhea before the car gets to the end of the driveway. Sometimes medication is the only way. Make sure you have it on hand ahead of time and know the dosage, usage, and side effects to watch for.

Cat with head out of car window
Photo by Sunykiller from Pixabay

Acclimate Your Cat

As you are coming up on your road trip, it is in everybody’s best interest to get your cat used to their travel carrier and the car. Start by setting out their carrier and encouraging them to interact with it through treats, toys, or catnip (4, 5). You can even try feeding them near and later inside the carrier (3, 4, 9).

Once your cat is comfortable going in and out of the carrier, practice closing the door with them inside for a short time, then opening it and giving them a treat (3). Do this until your cat no longer seems upset about the closed door. Progress to taking the cat to the car and back before giving them the treat (5, 8). Eventually you can turn the car on for a few minutes with kitty inside (3, 6). Don’t drive anywhere, just turn the car off and take them back inside. Remember not to do this in a closed garage! Carbon monoxide poisoning can happen faster than you might think, especially for a small animal.

Once your cat is okay with the sound of the engine, you can start taking short trips. Start very short, like going to the end of the driveway or parking lot and back (6, 8). Slowly make longer and longer trips up until its time for the big trip (6, 8). Your cat is still probably going to be stressed when the day comes because travel involves more than just the carrier and the car. If parts of the experience seem normal, though, it won’t be nearly as scary.

Head Out on the Highway

When the day of your vacation or move arrives, don’t feed your cat to avoid motion sickness and anxious vomiting (1, 3, 4). If you are leaving late in the day, you could feed breakfast but skip any other meals. Pack everything but the cat first. Make sure you leave room for the carrier. Put a soft lining in the bottom of the cat’s carrier like a pet bed or old towel (1). If you are putting a litterbox inside the carrier, put that in before the cat, too. Do not put a water bowl in the carrier–it will only spill (1). Instead plan to offer your cat water at every stop (1-4).

The very last thing you do should be to put your cat in their carrier and load them in the car (5). Strap the carrier in with the seatbelt (1, 4, 6). If you expect your cat to be anxious, you can cover the carrier with a dark, breathable cloth (4). Cats find this calming. Make sure the air conditioning streams aren’t directly blasting the cat (4). Finally, you’re ready to travel with your cat! Expect some crying at first. Speak to your cat soothingly (6). They should settle down after a while.

Under no circumstances should you let your cat roam the vehicle while it is in motion (1, 6, 8). It’s a matter of safety, for people and pets. Your cat could get under the driver’s feet or obscure their line of sight (1, 6, 8). Whether kitty is panicking or being an angel, they might be a distraction that could cause an accident (6, 8). And should there be an accident for any reason, an unsecured cat is in much more danger of injury or death (1, 6, 8).

If You Need to Leave the Car

I would hope this goes without saying, but pets die in hot cars every year, so I’m going to say it. Never leave your pet in the car unattended. Even if it doesn’t seem especially hot or cold outside, your cat can get dangerously hyperthermic or hypothermic very quickly. Parked cars are especially apt to get hot inside. If you are traveling alone, take your cat with you when you leave the car, leave the car running, or crack the windows and only leave for a few minutes (6). Ideally, travel with at least one other person so someone can stay with the cat with the air conditioning on at all times. The temperature inside your car can increase almost 20 degrees Fahrenheit in just ten minutes. Take this seriously.

How Parked Cars Heat Up So Fast in the Sun

Where to Stay

If you will be staying in a hotel or other commercial lodgings, call and make sure that cats are allowed, even if they claim to be pet-friendly. Sometimes, what they actually mean is “dog-friendly” (4). Or their policies may have changed but their website hasn’t. In addition, some places will only have certain rooms that are pet-friendly, so you will want to double-check that you have been placed in the right kind of room (6). GoPetFriendly.com has a search tool for locating pet-friendly lodging in the United States. Happy trails!

Works Cited

  1. All Feline Hospital. (n.d.). Traveling with your cat. https://www.allfelinehospital.com/traveling-with-your-cat.pml
  2. American Veterinary Medical Association. (n.d.). 11 things you can do to make travel safer for you and your pet. https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/petcare/11-things-you-can-do-make-travel-safer-you-and-your-pet
  3. Hunter, T. and Downing, R. (n.d.). Road trips and car travel with your cat. VCA Hospitals. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/road-trips-and-car-travel-with-your-cat
  4. Mahar, Autumn. (2019, January 7). Tips for moving a cat long distance. U-Pack. https://www.upack.com/articles/tips-for-moving-a-cat-long-distance
  5. Moore, A. (2001). The kitten owner’s manual. Storey Publishing: North Adams, MA.
  6. Nicholas, J. (2021, May 10). Car travel with cats: Road trips and moving. Preventive Vet. https://www.preventivevet.com/cats/how-to-travel-and-move-with-cats
  7. Richard, M. (2020, May 26). We drove cross-country with our cat (and nobody died). Vagabondish. https://vagabondish.com/how-to-travel-with-cat-in-a-car-long-distance/
  8. Shojai, A. (2019, August 8). 8 tips to help cats enjoy car travel. The Spruce Pets. https://www.thesprucepets.com/help-cats-enjoy-car-travel-553891
  9. Tips on how to move or travel with your cat. (n.d.). PetHub. https://www.pethub.com/article/pet-care/tips-on-how-to-move-or-travel-with-your-cat

Published May 23th, 2021

Updated May 12th, 2023

Behavior

Why do cats purr?

mehshadoweye

Meredith Hemphill

mehshadoweye

Encyclopaedia Felidae now has a Patreon! Go to www.patreon.com/EncyclopaediaFelidae if you want to help support this content!

Brown tabby cat in lap
Image by Hans Braxmeier from Pixabay

What could bring more joy than a purring kitty curled up in your lap? And there are so many different kinds of purrs. Some cats purr like a lawn mower engine, and some are so quiet you could barely hear them with your ear on their chest. Purring is a uniquely feline behavior. We associate it with happy kitties, but cats actually purr under a lot of different circumstances. This rather odd sound must serve a purpose besides being adorable. So why do cats purr?

Anatomy of the Purr

First things first: what even is purring? As someone who used to try it for myself as a child, I promise it doesn’t come naturally if you aren’t a cat. There was a lot of debate about how cats purred for a long time. One prominent theory was that the purring sound came from a change in the cat’s blood flow [1, 4, 6]. Now, biologists are generally agreed that cats purr using the muscles of their larynx and diaphragm [1, 3-5, 7]. By vibrating their larynx, which in turn vibrates their hyoid bone [5], a cat causes the air in their throat to vibrate as well, creating the sound we know as purring [1, 6].

Most vocalizations can only be made when exhaling. It just makes sense. You need air in your lungs to push through your larynx to talk, sing, laugh, etc. The same is true of other animals. However, cats can purr on the exhale and the inhale, which is what enables them to purr constantly [1-5, 7]. This is due to the continual vibration of the larynx as they breathe in and out through it [1].

Cats Purr to Communicate

Cats first start to purr by the time they are a week old [1, 2, 4]. The purring of her newborns may signal to a queen their location and wellbeing [1, 2, 4]. It is thought that each kitten has a unique purr their mother can recognize so that she can tell which of her babies is communicating with her [2].

Queens will also purr for their kittens [5, 6]. One reason may be to provide a tactile cue to help blind and deaf newborn kittens locate the milk supply [6]. Even though very young kittens can’t hear the purring yet, they can feel the vibrations because they are, ideally, never far away. Alternatively, the mother’s purring may disguise the soft mews of the kittens from the ears of predators [5]. Whatever the evolutionary reason, purring cements the bond between queen and kittens [5].

Some adult cats purr when feeding, possibly a throwback to that kittenhood behavior [1]. Cats may also purr to inform their person that they want their food, now please [1]! The purr of solicitation sounds different from the snuggly purr [1]. What’s the difference? It’s hard to say for sure. Our lack of knowledge about how cats communicate with each other makes it harder to understand the nuances of how they communicate with us.

One thing that’s certain is cats in the wild purr when they groom each other [1]. Grooming is an important part of a cat’s daily life and a positive social interaction between cats who have a bond. Perhaps this comes closest to the contended purring of a cat that is lying in a warm lap or being petted.

Mother cat and kittens in barn
Queens and their kittens purr to communicate – Image by Franz W. from Pixabay

Healing Vibrations

Cats don’t just purr for happy reasons. They sometimes purr when they’re stressed, scared, injured, or dying [1, 3-5, 7, 8]. Cats have sometimes been seen lying alongside another, injured cat, both purring [7]. This is called “purr therapy” because the purring is believed to be a way of comforting the injured cat [7]. In stressful situations, purring can serve as a method of self-soothing [7]. However, it may be an even more powerful tool than that.

Cats purr at a frequency of 20-150 Hertz [1, 3]. These low-frequency vibrations have demonstrated healing benefits [1, 3, 4, 7, 8]. 25 and 50 Hz frequencies promote bone growth and fracture healing [8]. 100 Hz has therapeutic use for pain, wound healing, swelling, and difficulty breathing [8]. It may seem far-fetched, but bones do respond to pressure by hardening [1, 7]. And there is a good evolutionary reason why cats might vibrate their way to good health.

Cats are ambush predators. This means they spend a lot of their time resting and waiting in-between hunts. Purring could have evolved as a low-energy way to stimulate their muscles and bones while stationary [3, 7]. Then their bones wouldn’t weaken or become brittle over time from lack of use [7]. Interestingly, researchers have proposed just such a fix for astronauts. Muscle atrophy and bone density loss are a big problem on long space missions where the lack of gravity prevents normal exercise. Vibrating foot plates have been suggested to stimulate astronauts’ bones and prevent them from losing density [7]. It seems the cats had that figured out a long time ago.

Do All Cats Purr?

Probably not, but it kind of depends upon how you define purring, apparently. Once upon a time in the early 1800s, biologists believed that cats could either roar or purr, but it was impossible to do both [7]. This is how cats came to be divided into the “big cats,” or subfamily Pantherinae, and the “small cats,” subfamily Felinae [6, 7]. Although most big cats are larger than most small cats, those names are actually a misnomer, since the smallest of the “big cats,” the clouded leopard, is smaller than the biggest of the small cats, the puma [7]. The basis of the division on roaring vs. purring is also probably inaccurate.

Two sleepy bobcats
Housecats aren’t the only ones that purr! – Image by Amber Stevens from Pixabay

The Pantherinae cats have a rope of tough, flexible cartilage where the Felinae have only the hyoid bone [5, 6]. This gives the larynx greater flexibility so that roaring is possible, although lions are the only ones to make regular use of this ability [5, 6]. Does this mean they can’t purr, though? These days, biologists tend to believe than most cats can purr, or at least something like it [3, 7]. Some call it a purr-like vocalization or a hum rather than a true purr [3, 4, 6].

Even granting that most cats can actually purr, some of the Pantherinae are usually believed to be exceptions: lions, leopards, jaguars, tigers, snow leopards, and clouded leopards [7]. But that may yet prove untrue. The anthropologist and animal behaviorist Elizabeth Marshall Thomas suggests that big cats may reserve purring for their cubs and that is why people think they don’t purr at all [6]. We simply aren’t around when they do.

Works Cited

  1. Dowling, S. (2018, July 25). The complicated truth about a cat’s purr. BBC Future. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20180724-the-complicated-truth-about-a-cats-purr
  2. Edwards, A. (2006). The ultimate encyclopedia of cat, cat breeds, and cat care. Hermes House: London.
  3. Lyons, L. A. (2006, April 3). Why do cats purr? Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-do-cats-purr/
  4. Science Reference Section. (2019, November 19). Why and how do cats purr? Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/everyday-mysteries/item/why-and-how-do-cats-purr/
  5. Stewart, D. (1995, April 1). Do lions purr? And why are there no green mammals? The National Wildlife Federation. https://www.nwf.org/Magazines/National-Wildlife/1995/Questions-and-Answers-About-Wildlife
  6. Thomas, E. M. (1994). The tribe of tiger: Cats and their culture. Simon & Schuster: New York.
  7. Venton, D. (2015, May 8). Why do cats purr? It’s not just because they’re happy. Wired. https://www.wired.com/2015/05/why-do-cats-purr/
  8. von Muggenthaler, E. (2001). The felid purr: A healing mechanism? The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 110(5), 2666. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.4777098

Published February 7, 2021

Updated June 20, 2022

Science

Here’s to Your Health

mehshadoweye

Meredith Hemphill

mehshadoweye

Encyclopaedia Felidae now has a Patreon! Go to www.patreon.com/EncyclopaediaFelidae if you want to help support this content!

As you may have noticed, these are rather trying times. Personally, I’m rather stressed. I have also lost all sense of time and have no idea what day I’m even posting this on. I am very much the type of person to stay in more than I go out, but quarantine measures have their effect on even the most introverted among us. Not to mention the anxiety of, well, everything, really. There’s a lot to worry about these days. However, if you have a cat–or several–there is good news! Scientists have demonstrated that cat ownership is beneficial to both mental and physical health. I could have told them that, and I bet you could have, too, but let’s go over the evidence just to make ourselves feel better, why don’t we?

This is what I’ve been doing for two weeks – Image by balzacan from Pixabay

The first thing I do every morning is spend a few minutes, sometimes longer, petting my cat in whatever fashion she demands. She certainly enjoys it, attention hog that she is, but it also helps me start my day feeling happy and relaxed. For me, merely watching a cat sleep can melt my stress away. It isn’t just me, as studies have found biological markers affected by contact with cats. A study with college students at the University of Northern Iowa determined that the students experienced a “small but significant decrease” in blood pressure immediately after being allowed to hold a cat or dog (1).

A study at Washington State University measured the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the saliva of students before and after they a) interacted with provided cats or dogs, b) watched other people interact with the animals while standing in line and waiting, c) watched a slideshow with pictures of the pets the lucky experimental group interacted with, or d) sat in a waiting room for 10 minutes (2). The group that was actually able to pet and play with furry friends had significantly lower cortisol levels afterwards, an indicator of lower overall stress (2). Not everyone is a college student, of course, but it goes to show that the presence of a pet, even an unknown one, can demonstrably relieve stress. The next time someone calls you a crazy cat lady (or gent or neither or both), tell them the cats make you less crazy.

Gray and white cat with wooden heart
Cats are good for your heart <3 – Image by pasja1000 from Pixabay

A purring kitty sitting in your lap may be the pinnacle of relaxation, but did you know it may promote physical healing? Purring is one of the great mysteries of the feline family. Cats purr when they are content, but they are also known to purr when ill or injured. A study that aimed to uncover why recorded the purrs of forty-four felids from several species, including the domestic cat, and analyzed the frequencies of the sounds (3). All of the felids purred with strong frequencies in the 25-150 Hertz range (3).

In particular, the researchers noted that the pumas, ocelots, servals, and domestic cats produced “fundamental, dominant, or strong frequencies” at 25 and 50 Hz (3). Studies have found that frequencies between 20 and 50 Hz aid in the growth, healing, and strengthening of human bones (4). The same four species displayed a strong harmonic at 100 Hz, a frequency associated with treating pain, swelling, wounds, and labored breathing (3). Felines may have evolved purring, at least in part, as a mechanism for self-healing, but it now allows our house panthers to heal us as well.

Any cat lover would say that forging a bond with a cat can be healing, and they would probably say that loving a cat is good for the heart. The data would also say that it literally is. Having a cat has been associated with a decreased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke (5, 6). Even having simply owned a cat in the past conferred these benefits in one study (5). Ogechi et al only found this association with female cat owners. However, an Australian study demonstrated that all cat owners make fewer trips to the doctor and are less likely to be on medication for heart or sleeping problems than those without pets (7). Good news all around!

White and black cat laying beside baby
Preventing cat allergies one nap at a time – Photo by Manja Vitolic on Unsplash

But wait, there’s more! I was surprised by this, but it makes a lot of sense given my own experience. I was born with a cat allergy, but after deciding I wanted a cat anyway at a very young age (about five), I gradually stopped being allergic to cats. They are now almost the only thing I am not allergic to.

Allergies are a mystifying phenomenon. Exposure to something sometimes causes or worsens allergies and sometimes makes them go away. I found two studies that may shed a little light on how cat allergies work, however. Both suggest that exposure to cats early in life can prevent allergies later (8, 9). Like me! One study recruited children when they were 8-10 years old and checked in with them again twenty years later (8). They divided the subjects into groups based on whether they had a cat as a child (less than 18 years old), as an adult (more than 18), or both. Having a cat before adulthood had a protective effect against asthma and outdoor allergies by the time of testing (8). The other study focused on pet allergies specifically and determined that children with exposure to an indoor cat or dog within the first year of life were less likely to become sensitized to that same animal by the age of eighteen (9). New and soon-to-be parents, take note!

Don’t actually take parenting advice from me. I know nothing about children. Just cats. And in that regard, I soundly advise you to snuggle up with the nearest cat, as long as they are willing. After all, it’s good for your health. Stay safe out there, y’all.

Works Cited

  1. Somervill, J.W., et al. (2008). Physiological responses by college students to a dog and a cat: Implications for pet therapy. North American Journal of Psychology, 10(3), 519-528. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2008-18014-007
  2. Washington State University. (2019, July 15). Stress reduction benefits from petting dogs, cats. ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/07/190715114302.htm
  3. von Muggenthaler, E. (2001). The felid purr: A healing mechanism? The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 110(5), 2666. DOI: 10.1121/1.4777098
  4. Klotter, J. (2002). Vibrational frequencies that heal. (Shorts). Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, 226, 28. link here
  5. Qureshi, A.I., et al (2009). Cat ownership and the risk of fatal cardiovascular diseases. Results from the second national health and nutrition Examination study mortality follow-up study. Journal of Vascular and Interventional Neurology, 2(1), 132–135. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3317329/
  6. Ogechi, I. (2016). Pet ownership and the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease among adults without major chronic medical conditions. High Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Prevention, 23(3), 245–253. DOI: 10.1007/s40292-016-0156-1
  7. Headey, B. (1999). Health benefits and health cost savings due to pets: Preliminary estimates from an Australian national survey. Social Indicators Research, 47, 233–243. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006892908532
  8. de Meer, G., et al. (2004). Presence and timing of cat ownership by age 18 and the effect on atopy and asthma at age 28. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 113(3), 433-438. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2003.10.008
  9. Wegienka, G., et al. (2011). Lifetime dog and cat exposure and dog‐ and cat‐specific sensitization at age 18 years. Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 41(7), 979–986. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2011.03747.x

Published March 28, 2020

Updated February 10, 2021