For as long as he can remember, Ken Pressey has had severe allergies to cats. They would trigger hives, runny nose, and watery eyes. Still, like many of the tens of millions of people in the United States who suffer from allergies, Pressey for years did not bother getting treated, or even diagnosed. When cats came near, he just avoided them.
But that tactic has gotten tougher. During the pandemic, Pressey started dating a woman he's now engaged to marry — and she has two cats. Being with the cats "was absolute chaos," said the 30-year-old, who lives in Seattle. "I started having asthma attacks."
