London, Dec 30 (IANS) People keen to own kittens, beware! A study has found adults, who never owned a cat before, might find the feline friend making them twice as likely to develop wheezing, sneezing and itchy eyes.
The nine-year survey of over 6,000 European adults also found that those who as child had a pet cat may be protected against future allergies, the Daily Express reported.
Mario Olivieri, from the study team at University Hospital of Verona, Italy, said: 'Acquiring a cat in adulthood nearly doubles the risk of developing cat sensitisation.'
'Those sensitised to other allergens and reporting a history of allergic diseases should consider avoiding cats.'
But if you can't resist buying a moggie, don't let it in your bedroom, say researchers.
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