Home / Health / Cats and Asthma: New Study Eases Pet Owner Worries
Cats and Asthma: New Study Eases Pet Owner Worries
11 Jun
Summary
- Living with cats is unlikely to worsen asthma in children, a new study found.
- Over 30,000 children with asthma were monitored for two years.
- No significant link found between cat exposure and asthma severity or flare-ups.
Sharing a home with a cat is unlikely to aggravate asthma in children already living with the condition, according to a comprehensive study of over 30,000 youngsters. The research, published in Frontiers in Allergy, analyzed health data from children aged four to 17 with asthma or airway allergies over a 24-month period. Participants' asthma severity, exacerbations, control levels, and lung function were closely monitored. About 10% of the children in the study lived with at least one cat.
The findings indicate no significant association between exposure to pet cats and negative asthma outcomes. Moderate-to-severe asthma occurred in similar proportions of both cat-exposed and non-exposed children. Asthma flare-ups were also comparable between the groups. Researchers suggest that widespread exposure to cat allergens, even outside the home, might explain the lack of a discernible difference in asthma severity.
