Have you gone to your local humane society to visit or volunteer? At some of the shelters near my house they encourage people to come in and play with the cats. You can sit on a couch and watch the cats play or cuddle with one.

It’s one way to find out if you are allergic, but it’s also nice if you haven’t spent a lot of time around cats to see what they are really like. Some are cuddly, some are shy, some are aloof.

Then when you are ready to adopt you might find one that is just right for you!