M.Tech. / Cat allergy is the allergic reaction of a person’s body when exposed to allergens borne in the cat’s dander (shed skin cells), saliva or urine. The major cat allergen, called Fel d 1, is found in cat saliva, dander from sebaceous glands in the skin, fur and anal sebaceous glands. Symptoms of cat allergies may include sneezing, itchy and watery eyes, coughing and wheezing and in rare circumstances anaphylaxis occurs. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of the homoeopathic complex Cat hair 9cH and Histaminum 9cH in treating the symptoms of cat allergy using the skin prick test and a symptom score card which rates the severity, frequency and duration of symptoms experienced. This was a four-week double blind, placebo-controlled study in which thirty participants, male and female between the ages of 18 and 45 were randomly divided into two groups. Advertisements was placed at the University of Johannesburg Doornfontein campus and at the Weleda pharmacy (Fourways). Potential participants that meet the inclusion criteria were requested to sign the Participant Information and Consent Form. This study had to form part of a group study related to cat allergy analysis. Participants were requested to report to Ampath laboratories to undergo a skin prick test to establish the presence of a cat allergy. Those participants that tested positive for cat allergies were to undergo an initial consultation involving a case history and a focused physical examination. Participants were given a score card each week to evaluate their severity, frequency and duration of their symptoms to be completed at the end of each week. Participants were given a 25ml bottle of either the homoeopathic complex of Cat hair 9cH and Histaminum 9cH or the placebo in tablet form, and each participant was instructed to take two tablets twice daily throughout the four week study. At the second consultation the physical exam was repeated and a second bottle of medication were given. At the end of week four, participants had to report to Ampath laboratories for the final skin prick test. This was to be followed by the third and final consultation, where the physical examination was done and all score cards collected. All data will be analysed using the Shapiro Wilk test, Mann-Whitney test, Friedman test and Wilcoxon test. With the aid of results from each participant the researcher arrived at the conclusion that the homoeopathic complex Histaminum 9cH and Cat Hair 9cH was effective on alleviating the symptoms of cat allergy.

M.Tech. (Homoeopathy) / Cat allergy is an Immunoglobulin E (IgE) response by the body in hypersensitive individuals, triggered by exposure to cat allergen, which can be found in cat saliva and cat dander. Cat allergy produces a number of symptoms which negatively influence daily living and may be exacerbated in hypersensitive individuals to halt daily functioning. Conventional treatment for cat allergy comprises of antihistamines, anti-inflammatories, leukotrine blockers and decongestants, which have many adverse effects, are not always effective and may lead to drug tolerance. To date, research has been conducted by Naidoo et al., (2011) on the efficacy of the homoeopathic complex of Cat saliva 9cH and Histaminum 9cH in treating the symptoms of cat allergy, which yielded positive and statistically significant results according to the skin prick test. The desensitising effect of this complex on blood IgE levels has not yet been studied. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of Cat saliva 9cH and Histaminum 9cH in the desensitization of cat allergy, by use of cat specific RAST tests and a symptom score card. The complex of Cat saliva 9cH and Histaminum 9cH was prepared according to homoeopathic principles and prescribed according to isopathic principles. Thirty male and female participants between the ages of 18 and 45, who had a positive RAST test result for cat allergy, were selected for this four week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. The RAST tests were performed at the beginning of the study (week 1) and at the end of the study (week 4). The participants were randomly divided into treatment and control groups. The treatment group received the homoeopathic complex of Cat saliva 9cH and Histaminum 9cH and the control group received the placebo. Participants were asked to take two tablets in the morning and two tablets at night sublingually for the duration of the study period. Each participant received a symptom score card which was to be completed at the end of each week. The symptom score card rated the severity, frequency and duration of their symptoms. The results were statistically analysed using, the Friedman-K Related Samples Test, the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test and the Mann-Whitney U Test. The results showed that the homoeopathic complex of Cat saliva 9cH and Histaminum 9cH did not improve the IgE levels or IgE grading in the treatment group. When looking at the symptoms, the treatment group had a statistically significant improvement in the severity, duration and frequency of the symptom “red itchy eyes”, as well as improved duration of the symptoms “runny itchy stuffy nose” and “sneezing”; while the control group was found to have a statistically significant improvement in the frequency of the symptom “red itchy eyes”, “scratchy throat”, as well as the duration of “red itchy eyes”. In conclusion it can be said that the homoeopathic complex of Cat saliva 9cH and Histaminum 9cH did not produce desensitization to cat allergen, thus leading to the rejection of the hypothesis and the acceptance of the null hypothesis.