My cats never bother my quilting until I put the batting on. Batting is like catnip to them. Fortunately they don't scratch it, just lay on it. They seem to think I made it just for them. I could never give a quilt to anyone with an allergy. Sometimes I think I should put a warning label on all my quilts.

That's so funny!!! Yeah, my cats like anything involved in quilting and batting is no exception!! :D
Welcome to the board!

I don't buy quilts (unless they're antiques) but as a person with severe animal allergies that might not be a bad idea. Or at least tell them. You also might try kenneling the cats long enough to get your quilts sandwiched.

Unless you are aware of the allergies of everyone in the house where your quilt is going, that might not be a bad idea.

When I am not actually working on something, the 'parts' are covered with pieces of dropcloth plastic that I have cut up. My cats will not lie on cold, stiff, noisy plastic no matter what's underneath it. :-D

Luckily my sewing studio is in the basement and my dogs won't go down the stairs; which is fine with me because I don't want their hair floating around. I have allergies, luckily not to animals, but find that people who do still are troubled with the dander just floating around, so it is really best to not let pets into or near your sewing area. When clients come to my house I gate the dogs in my bedroom but people with allergies have still had problems because they are walking through the house to get to my sewing area. People without animals are often offended to find animal hair on them or things they have.

http://ifitshipitshere.blogspot.com/...of-people.html
hahaha

Cat hair is not an allergen.

People are allergic to the protein found in dander, and the saliva of cats and dogs.

After your gift quilts are made wash them, dry them, package them up in plastic or remove them from the house. No need for a warning label. This is not a nut or shellfish. lol I have lived with severe allergies all my life (bad enough to take shots), I also live in a house with two cats and two dogs. They are bathed once a week in baby shampoo and Downy. I am allergic to birds but sleep on a feather pillow too. I know I must have a death wish huh!

I own a cat and always wash the quilt before gifting it, but also tell the recipient that the cat hairs are free. I don't think even with washing that all the cat hairs are gone.

You're very lucky that your allergies have adjusted to your lifestyle. If I laid down on a feather pillow for 15 minutes I couldn't breathe. And when I accidentally purchased some quilting blocks with cat hair on them I got really sick. Not thinking about it being cat hair, I thought it was just some weird fiber. I kepted picking it off and throwing it away as my eyes got itchy, red and watery, my nose started running and my throat got scratchy. By the time I realized what it was and got rid of the really bad blocks, it was too late. My eyelids had swelled up, my nose had plugged up, I could barely talk and even my lips had swelled. Hair or dander, I don't know, I just know I don't want to be around it. :D

I have the same problem with cigarette smoke. I have had people give me fabric that smelled of smoke. I just had to throw it out. Washing won't completely get rid of it.