We have two cats and a dog, and I do what I know to do in order to keep pet dander around the house to a minimum. I try to keep the animals out of bedrooms, I have a leather couch, I have minimal drapery, and I vacuum frequently with my Dyson. But I'm sure I'm not as motivated to keep pet dander under control as I would be if any of my household were allergic to cats or dogs.

When allergic guests come to my house, however, I become all too aware of how pervasive pet dander can be, and how hard it is to actually get rid of.

Last night, some dear friends from California arrived for a visit, and we had them over for dinner. The husband of the family is quite allergic to cats. I dusted and cleaned the floors one last time at the last minute before they came, and we gave him some homeopathic drops that are supposed help forestall an allergy attack. And of course we locked the cats in a room while he was here.

He seemed to be okay, at least for a while. But by the end of the evening, though it took our asking for him to tell us, he was definitely feeling the effects of his cat allergy. As a hostess, it's an awful feeling to know that your guests are uncomfortable in your home