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Now that I have RA, I am considered immunocompromised, correct? My 22 year old has been asking to have cats. Does having RA increase risk?

A myRAteam Member asked a question 💭
Ramsey, NJ

I have a lifelong, allergist tested, cat allergy. I’ve had dogs- breeds considered hypoallergenic and that has always been fine. Cats and animal dander….are what tested high on my allergy test. I have RA and one of my doctors actually brought this to my attention that my immune system is compromised. So my reaction to being around an allergen might be different and my body might not be able to fight it off. Does this sound correct to anyone? My 22 year old has been asking for cats and for the… read more

August 13
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A myRAteam Member

Hello Jennifer! I have all of the above! We have 4 cats and 4 dogs. I have allergies to both, have RA and am immunocompromised, but as long as I take daily allergy medication, I am just fine. If you want to test it out, you could always take an allergy med, then go hang out with some cats for an hour. Do you know how the allergy effects you? Meaning, aside from your allergy tests, have you ever had an allergic reaction to an actual cat? I'm only asking because if you don't know what your reaction is to them, you might not know you are having a reaction. My reaction to cats is different than my reaction to dogs. Sometimes reactions can be mild. I wish you lots of luck with this! I hope you are able to find an answer for yourself. Of course we are all different, so my experience may not be the same as yours. Just something to keep in mind! Rex cats (the hairless ones) have very low dander output, which is the same for the "hypoallergenic" dog breeds. However, we do not have hypoallergenic cats or dogs. Good luck!

August 13 (edited)
myRAteam

Your doctor is right to flag this. RA itself involves an overactive immune system that attacks your own joints, but many RA medications — particularly biologics like TNF inhibitors and immunosuppressants like methotrexate — do suppress the immune system, which can affect how your body responds to various triggers.

This is Show Full Answer

Your doctor is right to flag this. RA itself involves an overactive immune system that attacks your own joints, but many RA medications — particularly biologics like TNF inhibitors and immunosuppressants like methotrexate — do suppress the immune system, which can affect how your body responds to various triggers.

This is an important distinction worth clarifying with your rheumatologist: it's often the *medications* that create the immunocompromised state, not RA alone. Regarding your cat allergy specifically, this is really a conversation to have with both your rheumatologist and your allergist together, as they can assess:

- Which RA medications you're on and how much they suppress your immune response
- How severe your cat allergy is and what reactions you've previously experienced
- Whether allergy immunotherapy could be an option for you
- The potential for allergen exposure to trigger inflammation, which could worsen RA symptoms

The concern your doctor raised about your body potentially struggling to manage allergen exposure is worth taking seriously, especially if you're on immunosuppressive RA medications. A myRAteam member once shared a similar situation, noting that managing environmental triggers became much more complicated after starting RA biologics.

Before entertaining the idea further, a joint conversation with your rheumatologist and allergist would give you the clearest, safest picture. Your 22-year-old's wish for a cat is sweet — but your health absolutely comes first! 🐱

August 13

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