Dad's Ex Wants Him To Get Rid Of His Cats Because Their Daughter Might Be Allergic
"Am I wrong for wanting to keep my cats?"
antibydni / Shutterstock Adjusting to life after divorce is a challenge for anyone. Having kids involved only makes it more difficult.
One man said his ex-wife caused conflict in an unlikely way when it came to their daughter.
A man said his ex-wife asked him to get rid of his cats in case their daughter is allergic.
An anonymous father posted on Reddit asking for advice after a tough situation emerged with his ex-wife.
“Been divorced for over a year,” he said. “I have two cats that I’ve had for the same time frame. My daughter has recently been diagnosed with asthma.”
There is one very important distinction the man made about his daughter’s condition. “When my daughter is at my place, she doesn’t have bad allergies or any asthma complications,” he pointed out.
However, the man’s ex-wife doesn’t see it that way.
“My ex is blaming me and my cats for her allergic reactions and threatening to not let my daughter come over and threatening to take me back to court claiming I am neglecting her medical needs,” the father said.
The man explained that his daughter would be tested for an allergy to cats. “My daughter is pending an allergy test and has one scheduled. Her [primary care provider] said it’s a possibility she could be allergic. My ex took that and ran with it and thinks it’s the root problem,” he stated.
It is possible that someone could be allergic to cats because of asthma.
While having asthma doesn’t automatically mean one is allergic to cats, it is possible that there could be some connection between the two.
According to HealthyChildren.org, “Of all pet allergies, reactions to cats are the most common. Although asthma is not always caused by allergies, 90% of children who have asthma also have allergies. And studies suggest up to 40% of children with asthma may develop allergy symptoms when they are exposed to cats.”
Medical News Today concurred. “Allergens in the fur, skin, and saliva of cats can cause an allergic reaction in some people, which can trigger symptoms of asthma such as wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath,” the outlet noted.
Despite the scientific evidence saying it’s possible, most people don’t think this is an issue.
Although the medical data supports the fact that it is possible to have a link between asthma and a cat allergy, anecdotal evidence from commenters on Reddit didn’t back that up.
“If she was allergic to cats, she’d show signs immediately upon being in your home if she's severely allergic or within 30 minutes to an hour if she’s medium allergic. I don’t think the cats are an issue,” said one person who said they have allergies, asthma, and cats.
“You can totally have asthma and not be allergic to cats — my son and I are living proof,” another person said. “Different factors can trigger asthma. If the cats were triggering the asthma, you’d probably know right away. Wait for those test results.”
One thing that everyone in the comments seemed to agree on was waiting until the daughter’s allergy test results came back before making any hasty decisions. Right now, there is no evidence to suggest that the man’s cats have triggered his daughter’s asthma in any way.
Although it is unfortunate to acknowledge, it’s possible that the man’s ex-wife doesn’t believe the cats pose any real threat, but is instead using this as a tactic to manipulate him and hopefully gain more control in their custody agreement.
Regardless of the ex’s motives, the man can rest easy knowing there’s no reason to get rid of the cats just yet.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news and human interest topics.